In an army that marched on its feet, the senior officers rode — and not for vanity. A regiment in line stretched a couple of hundred yards across, wreathed in smoke once the firing began, and a colonel could neither see it nor command it from the ranks. So the field officers of even a foot regiment were mounted, like the grenadier officer here: up where he could read the whole line, gallop to a threatened point, and be seen by his men. Height and horse marked his rank as surely as his gold lace — and made him a target every enemy marksman wanted. The company officers walked with the soldiers; the men who ran the battalion rode above them.

The four-figure set is the mounted command and colour of the Guard — a field officer on a black charger, an Eagle-Bearer raising the eagle of the 1er Régiment de Grenadiers à Pied, and two sergeants, all in bearskins and full dress. It leads a Guard diorama from the front. Set it at the head of the marching French Grenadiers of the Guard, bring up the sapeurs and drummers of the French Grenadiers of the Guard command group, and ride the Emperor Napoleon alongside to review the eagle as it passes.

Tradition of London model N1A. 54mm, white metal, hand-painted in gloss enamel. Four-figure set — a mounted officer, an Eagle-Bearer, and two sergeants. Supplied in the Tradition Classic Red Box. Allow 2–3 weeks delivery.