Code: PA80-7
- Imperial Guard Massed Band 1805
These 3 molds can cast these band members.
The massed band or Tête de Colonne were
the massed sappers, standards, drummers and musicians
which led the regiment during parades and other important
occasions. The band itself consisted of Tambour Major,
two Tambour Maîtres, 46 musicians and 32 drummers.
Also included were two lieutenant porte-aigles and two
sappers.
During campaigns, musicians very rarely
took part in the actual combat, but sometimes served
as stretcher-bearers or ammunition carriers. French
drummers of the time, unlike their British counterparts,
were seasoned campaigners and often closely followed
the assaults of their comrades and suffered quite considerable
losses.
Napoleon himself appreciated the importance
of military music as a morale booster and sponsored
composers to produce anthems and songs suitable for
various occasions. Coignet thought that music of the
band of the Imperial guard at Austerlitz was "Enough
to make a paralysed man advance".
Drum-Major As the leader
of the band the Drum-Major wore one of the most magnificent
uniforms of the period. His rank was equal to that of
Sergeant-Major.
Serpent-Player This musician
plays a typical French woodwind instrument of the period,
which had fittings of ivory and brass. His uniform is
typical of that of the other musicians in the Tête
de Colonne.
Standard Bearer The standard
Bearer was very important as the standard served as
the focus and rallying point of the regiment. The Imperial
eagle was an almost sacred symbol to its regiment, and
its loss in battle involved great shame and loss of
morale. Up to 1808 each battalion carried its own eagle.
Later the number of eagles was reduced to one per regiment.
Other Massed Band Figures
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