Middle Guard at Waterloo

[dashing blade]

I'm looking for any info on Middle Guard uniforms at Waterloo, Some acounts say that they had a real mix and rarely match uniform, due to the haste they were assembled. And although not the most reliable of sources i've seen a couple of paintings of the Middle Guard looking more like the Old Guard!
Its difficult to know which account to belive,even eyewitness accounts differ (nothing new there).
Also theres not much info on what happened to the Old Guard Chasseurs in the second or reserve line, after the Middle Guard's attack failed.I 've read that Cambronne was captured shortly after this but did the Grognards run for it or die in their squares? One account says the 11/3 Grenadiers never broke and ended up at La Belle Alliance, all be it in a "tiny triangle two ranks deep" But as for the 3 units of Chasseurs?
As always any input would be great ,Thanks

[Greystreak]

The reason for your 'confusion' may be that, formally speaking, there was no 'Middle Garde' in 1815, as following Napoleon's return from Elba, there was only sufficient time and specie to reconstitute the Old and Young Garde infantry elements. (Cf. Henry Lachouque, The Anatomy of Glory; or John Elting, Swords Around A Throne.) Naturally, long-serving veterans on the French side, in their post-Waterloo memoires, frequently referred to constituent Garde infantry battalions by their 'habitual names', thereby increasing the confusion.

[dashing blade]

Thanks Greystreak,So does that mean that the so called "Middle Guard" would have dressed as the Old Guard or worn a mix of old and new regime

[Greystreak]

My recollection of Elting's work, in particular, is that the former 'Middle Garde' troops were aggregated into the Old Garde, and uniformed as such where supplies permitted. Elting describes a number of the 3rd and 4th battalions so created as being rather shabbily equipped, with many even lacking 'bearskins', etc. As a 'default', you can't go far wrong with an Old Garde scheme, in my view.

[obriendavid]

In his 1902 book 'La Garde Imperiale' Leon Fallou describes the 1st, 2nd and part of 3rd regiments were reasonably well equipped and uniformed but the 4th regiment were poorly equipped. The remainder of 3rd regiment and 4th regiment wore a mixture of bearskins, Young Guard shakos, bicornes and bonnet de police plus a mixture of coloured greatcoats due to a lack on blue Guard coats. They also carried a mixture of Guard and line muskets and equipment.
Hope this helps?
Dave

[dashing blade]

Well thats good news,I'm trying to put together the Guard units that made the final attack at Waterloo, and thanks to the Victrix head swap ability, i think i can go with a few bearskin-less heads and the odd bonnet de police to make the "Middle guard" look a little less uniform.
Still have to find out what happened to the Chasseurs in the second line.
The books i've read seem to imply a confused fire-fight and a bayonet charge,followed by chaotic fighting, and a general advance by the allies.
Did the Old Chasseurs retire in good order or leg it?

Anyway ,if anyone knows.......................