French 1815 Command Vignette: Gobrecht

Baron Martin Charles GOBRECHT (1772-1845) was General de Brigade commanding the 3e and 4e Régiment de Chevaux-légers. Over the course of his career which began in 1792 as a Second Lieutenant at the siege of Lille, Gobrecht rose through the ranks and passed through several cavalry regiments from the 6e Hussars, a Captain with the 9e, rose to Major within the 4e Dragoons and appointed Colonel of the 9e Régiment de Chevaux-légers in 1811.

I have no image for Gobrecht within my collection, nor could I find one on-line. I cannot say definitely how he would have been uniformed. This rendition of Gobrecht is therefore speculative. I have elected to depict what I imagine could have been a General of Lancers which not having seen an example - if one ever existed. As almost every other cavalry type can be seen with a general's uniform version, I am making two assumptions: that there was such as thing as a General of Lancers uniform and that Gobrecht would have dressed in such a fashion.

So, I made one. My Gobrecht is taken from a Front Rank officer of Lancers and all I did was model a general's sash on the figure with Green Stuff. I always seem to have a devil of a time with ordering the right horses with my Front Rank figures (and I swear I follow their recommendations). I wasn't satisfied with the size of the horses for this particular figure (quite bulky) so I carved the hell out of a Perry Miniatures plastic French light cavalry mount and fixed him on it with more putty.

He is escorted by a lancer trumpeter from the 3e regiment. I chose to model Gobrecht's uniform off his own 9th lancers.