A Very Scarce Original Napoleonic AnXI Versailles Infantry Briquet Rare Example of a Napoleonic French Empire Period. Regimentally Marked For The 2nd Line Regiment Bataillon d'Élite Grenadiers & Voltigiers. They Also Fought At Trafalgar as Marines

Crossgaurd stamped 2E L BE. 86. Napoleonic infantry sword briquet are rare, as most one see today are the far more prolific post 1816 French model, but, you especially very rarely see them regimentally marked as well for any of the the Napoleonic, Imperial, elite line infantry regiments.

The regimental marking "2E L BE. 86" likely refers to the 2nd Line Regiment of the French Imperial Army, specifically the "Ligne" (Line Infantry) in 1812. The "2E" signifies "2nd," "L" stands for "Ligne" (Line Infantry), and "BE" likely represents "Bataillon d'Élite" (Elite Battalion), according to a Napoleonic military history reference. 86 signifies sword number.

In Napoleonic French line infantry battalions, elite companies included Grenadiers and Voltigeurs. Grenadiers were the largest, strongest soldiers, often used for spearheading attacks. Voltigeurs were smaller, more agile soldiers, trained as skirmishers and scouts.

2e Regiment d'Infanterie de Ligne fought in the following campaigns in the Imperial period

1805: Cape Finistere and Trafalgar {they fought as marines aboard the French fleets against Nelson}
1806: Armee d'Italie
1807: Armee d'Italie
1808: Grande Armee
1809: Essling, Aspern and Wagram
1812: Polotsk and Berezina
1813: Dresden and Leipzig
1814: La Rothiere
1815: Fleurus and Waterloo

Grenadiers:These were the elite of the battalion, known for their strength and bravery, and often led the charge in battle.
Voltigeurs: These soldiers were chosen for their speed and agility, acting as skirmishers to harass the enemy and protect the main body of the battalion.

Versaille Arsenal AnXI Infantry Briquet Side Arm and Profusely stamped: Handle with 28 twisted strands. The knucklebow is stamped with poincon of Boutet plus two thers but indistinguishable. The Knucklebow is also stamped 'Versailles' but now near obscured and has the script B in an oval pioncon of Nicolas Boutet. Blade stamped with two poincons just about distinguishable as two Bs. We date the sword to the typical Napoleonic Empire period, All in all a marvelous piece of Napoleonic history.

Colonels of the regiment;
1805: Delga (Jacques) - Colonel
1809: De Wimppen (Felix-Victor-Emmanuel-Charles) - Colonel
1813: Veran-Andre (Jean) - Colonel
1813: Staglieno (Charles-Louis-Sebastien) - Colonel
1814: Corvinus (Jean) - Colonel
1814: Tripe (Jean) - Colonel

Code: 25871