Editing Grenadier (section)

==Headgear==
[[File:Grenadier Guards Annual Inspection by GOC MOD 45157398.jpg|thumb|The British Army's [[Guards Division]] continue to wear the [[bearskin]] cap with its [[full dress]] uniform, a custom associated with the [[Grenadier Guards]] defeat of the French [[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)|Imperial Guard]] in 1815.]]
As noted above, grenadiers were distinguished by their headgear from the ordinary musketeers (or ''Hatmen'') in each regiment of foot. While there were some exceptions, the most typical grenadier headdress was either the mitre cap or the [[bearskin]]. Both began to appear in various armies during the second half of the 17th century because grenadiers were impeded by the wide brimmed infantry hats of the period when slinging their firearms while throwing grenades.<ref>{{cite book|first=W.Y.|last=Carman|page=68|title=A Dictionary of Military Uniform|year=1977|publisher=Scribner |isbn=0-684-15130-8}}</ref>

The cloth caps worn by the original grenadiers in European armies during the 17th century were frequently trimmed with fur.<ref>W.Y. Carman, page 35, "British Military Uniforms from Contemporary Pictures", Hamlyn Publishing 1968</ref> This fell out of fashion in many armies until the mid-18th century when grenadiers in the British, Spanish and French armies began wearing high fur-trimmed caps with crowns of coloured cloth and, in some cases, ornamental front plates. This added to the apparent height and impressive appearance of these troops both on the parade ground and the battlefield.<ref>Military Uniforms of the World: Preben Kannil SBN 71370482 9</ref>
[[File:Prussian Grenadier Cap.jpg|thumb|left|18th century Prussian grenadier mitre caps ({{lang|de|Grenadiermütze}}).]]
The mitre cap, whether in stiffened cloth or metal, had become the distinguishing feature of the grenadier in the armies of Britain, Russia, Prussia and most German states during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Spanish and Austrian<ref>{{cite book|first=Stephen|last=Summerfield|pages=132–137|title=Austrian Infantry of the Seven Years War|year=2015|publisher=Ken Trotman |isbn=978-1-907417-52-8}}</ref> grenadiers favoured high fur hats with long coloured cloth 'hoods' ("''bags''"). The mitre was gradually replaced by bearskin caps in other armies, and by 1914 it only survived in the [[1st Foot Guards (German Empire)|1st Foot Guards]] and the [[1st (Emperor Alexander) Guards Grenadiers]] of the Prussian Imperial Guard,<ref>{{cite book|first=Robert H.|last=Rankin|page=89|title=Military Headdress. A pictorial history of military heasdgear from 1660 to 1914|year=1976|publisher=Arms & Armour Press |isbn=0-85368-310-7}}</ref> plus the Russian [[Pavlovsky Regiment|Pavlovsky Guard]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Patrick|last=de Gmeline|pages=72–78|title=La Garde Imperiale Russe 1896-1914|year=1986|publisher=C. Lavauzelle |isbn=2-7025-0141-9}}</ref> Russian grenadiers had worn their brass fronted mitre hats on active service until 1807 and some of these preserved for parade wear by the Pavlovsky Guards until 1914 still had dents or holes from musket balls. Some have survived for display in museums and collections.

While Northern European armies such as Britain, Russia, Sweden, and various German states wore the mitre cap, southern countries such as France, Spain, Austria, Portugal, and various Italian states preferred the bearskin. By 1768, Britain had adopted the bearskin.<ref>Liliane and Fred Funcken, page 83 "L'Uniforme et les Armes des Soldats de la Guerre en Dentelle", {{ISBN|2-203-14315-0}}</ref>

The shape and appearance of fur caps differed according to period and country. While France used smaller bearskins,<ref>{{cite book|first=Rene|last=Chartrand|page=29|title=Louis XV's army (2) French Infantry|date=10 May 2011|publisher=Bloomsbury USA |isbn=978-1-85532-625-5}}</ref><ref>Liliane and Fred Funcken, page 57 "L'Uniforme et les Armes des Soldats de la Guerre en Dentelle", {{ISBN|2-203-14315-0}}</ref> Spain preferred towering caps with long flowing bags. Britain initially favoured tall cloth mitres with lacing and braiding, while Russia would sport equally tall leather helmets with brass front-plates. The first grenadier headdresses were fairly low, and in the case of Spain and Austria sometimes contained elements from both mitres and bearskins. Until the mid-18th century, French grenadiers wore [[tricorne]] hats, rather than either the mitre or fur cap. Grenadier caps gradually increased in size and decoration, with added devices such as pompoms, cords, badges, front-plates, plumes, and braiding, as well as various national heraldic emblems.

During the [[Napoleonic Wars]], both mitres and fur caps fell out of use in favour of the [[shako]]. Two notable exceptions were the grenadier companies<ref>{{cite book|first=Andre|last=Jouineau|pages=8–9|title=L'Infanterie de Ligne 1814-1845 Tome II|date=31 July 2021|publisher=Editions Heimdal |isbn=978-284048-565-0}}</ref> and Imperial Guard regiments<ref>{{cite book|first=Andre|last=Jouineau|pages=42–43|title=The French Imperial Guard. 1 The Foot Soldiers: 1804-1815|year=2002|publisher=Histoire & Collections |isbn=2-913-903-24X}}</ref> of the French [[Grande Armée]], plus those of the Austrian Army. After the [[Battle of Friedland]] in 1807, because of their distinguished performance, Russia's Pavlovsk Regiment were allowed to keep their mitre caps and were admitted to the Imperial Guard.

During the Napoleonic Wars, British grenadiers had usually worn the bearskin cap only for full dress when on home service, since the fur was found to deteriorate rapidly during campaigning overseas.<ref>W.Y. Carman, page 112 "British Military Uniforms from Contemporary Pictures", Hamlyn Publishing Group 1968</ref> Following their role in the defeat of the French Imperial Guard at the [[Battle of Waterloo]], the 1st Foot Guards was renamed the [[Grenadier Guards|1st (or Grenadier) Regiment of Foot Guards]] and all companies of the regiment adopted the bearskin. In 1831, it was ordered that all three Foot Guards should wear the bearskin cap, by then resembling the modern headdress in shape and size. The grenadier companies of line infantry regiments meanwhile retained the bearskin cap for parade dress until it was abolished in 1842. During the [[Crimean War]], the Foot Guard regiments wore their bearskins in the field, the only time the celebrated Guards' headdress was worn in action.