The Gendarmes delite de la Garde imperiale was a gendarmerie unit formed in 1801 by Napoleon as part of the Consular Guard which became the Imperial Guard in 1804.

The Horse Grenadiers was the senior cavalry regiment of the Guard, and originated from the Consular Guard. Classed as heavy cavalry, the regiment did not wear a cuirass, but was known for its distinctive ceremonial bearskin head-dress.

I do not think I have ever seen a wargaming unit of the Gendarmes d’élite without their bearskins, so this one is a pleasant diversion as it depicts the unit in it’s more normal every day dress with bicorne instead.

A squadron of Gendarmes d’élite was raised in 1801 and integrated into the Consular Guard. In 1804, the unit comprised two cavalry squadrons and two companies of infantry which were now part of the Imperial Guard. At full strength they were 632 men, but the infantry companies were disbanded in 1806 and only 456 cavalrymen remained in the unit. The men should be at least 1.76 metres (5 ft 9 in) tall in order to enter the unit.

In time of peace, their role was to protect official residences and palaces and to provide security to important political figures. In 1804 the Gendarmes d’élite escorted Napoleon in the street of Paris for his coronation. In time of war, their role was to protect the Imperial headquarters, to escort prisoners and occasionally to enforce the law and limit civil disorder in conquered cities. The unit was renamed Gendarmes des chasses du roi during the First Bourbon Restoration but was disbanded in 1815 during the Second Restoration.

The Gendarmes d’élite were nicknamed “The Immortals” because, as a military police, they were less engaged in combat than other units and had less personnel killed in action. However, when committed into combat they fought bravely and earned several battle honours.

The Gendarmes d’élite wore a blue coat with red lapels, cuffs and turnbacks. The collar and cuff flaps were blue piped red. They wore buff breeches, waistcoat and gloves. They had white aiguillettes and clover-shaped epaulettes. Belting was buff with white edges.

The unit was well known for its large impressive black horses. The trumpeter wore the same uniform but with reversed colours. They rode grey horses.

In 1815, crested helmets with black manes (red for trumpeters) were introduced but not completed, so the Gendarmes d’élite fought their last campaign at Waterloo with mixed headgears.