For a brief moment, Napoleon's line infantry wore white. In 1806, looking to save on the costly imported indigo that dyed the army's coats blue, the Emperor ordered a number of line regiments into white uniforms like these. It did not last. White cloth was a misery on campaign — it showed every smear of mud and powder, and worse, it showed blood; after regiments came out of the slaughter of 1806–07 looking ghastly, drenched and stained, the experiment was quietly abandoned and the line went back to its traditional dark blue. Only a handful of regiments ever marched in white, which makes it one of the more striking and short-lived sights of the Grande Armée. The seven-figure set is the colour party of a line regiment on the march — the Eagle Bearer raising the bronze eagle above a tricolor lettered with the regiment's battle honors (Austerlitz, Jena, Friedland, Essling, Wagram), two porte-aigles guarding it with halberds and "Napoléon" fanions, two sergeants and two bearded sapeurs, all in the white coats of the brief experiment. It heads up a French line diorama. March it in front of the French Line Infantry Marching, add the French Line Infantry Grenadiers to flank the colours, and send the French Line Infantry Fusiliers Running forward to extend the attack. Tradition of London model 0716. 54mm, white metal, hand-painted in gloss enamel. Seven-figure set — an Eagle Bearer, two porte-aigles, two sergeants, and two sapeurs. Supplied in the Tradition Classic Red Box. Allow 2–3 weeks delivery.
