We now continue with my little adventure to the Musée de l’Armée  in Paris. And, because of the silly way my head works, my favorite part of that side trip was the free paper Napoleon hat I got at the museum. They were really just for the kids, but I told the nice lady I was bringing it home to a little one. As soon as I got back to the hotel, I did a selfie. It doesn’t fit me very well, but I still have it… and I still love it.

But the museum was not all funny paper hats. There was a lot of interesting stuff in there. I can’t share all of it with you…

But maybe just a few random pictures will not bore you.

I must admit that the uniforms from the Napoleonic wars were one of the best parts of the museum.

They really knew how to make a uniform in those days.

It was the era of marching into battle in long, straight lines, wearing bright colors and waving flags.

These outfits would look great on a parade ground…

And all that gold braid might impress the ladies back home…

But gold braid won’t stop a bullet or a cannon ball.

And even that metal cuirass… (those small, metal breastplates gave the name to the Cuirassiers, which became the generic name for all cavalry from that era that wore them)… did not stop bullets either. Windsor Castle in England is full of those breastplates, taken from the dead cavalry troopers after their fateful charge at the battle of Waterloo.

That is the uniform of Napoleon’s Old Guard… or maybe the Imperial Guard… his most fearsome infantry troops. Napoleon would send them forward at the crucial moment of battle to drive home the victory or swing the battle back in his favor. They never lost, never quit during a charge… right up until Waterloo.

There is Napoleon’s hat, coat, campaign tent, and other memorabilia. I thought that was pretty awesome.

But not as awesome as making my mom put on the paper hat…

Oh, yeah!