Master Box 3209 Napoleon's Red Lancer, Napoleonic Wars Series

Second Cavalier-Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (fr. 2e regiment de chevau-legers lanciers de la Garde imperiale) was formed in September 1810 from Dutch hussars, formerly belonging to the Royal Guard of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The regiment was incorporated into the Imperial Guard shortly after its formation, and its organizational structure and fighting methods were modeled on the Polish 1st Regiment of Szwoleżerów-Lancers. The regiment initially consisted of four squadrons, and in 1812 it numbered about 1,400 soldiers and officers. It is worth adding that the unit commander was Pierre David de Colbert-Chabanais. Due to the colors of the uniforms, the unit was commonly referred to as "red lancers". The regiment was used in combat during the Russian campaign in 1812, where it suffered huge losses, and after its survivors returned to France, it was re-created. In 1814, in connection with the restoration of the Bourbons, it was dissolved, but in the course of Napoleon's 100 days, he was re-formed and took part in the Battle of Waterloo.