When a historical uniform is displayed in a museum, it is usually in poor condition. However, that is not the case for this French customs uniform from the Napoleonic era. Worn in the early 1800s, it is one of the best-preserved uniforms from this period thanks to its pristine condition. Yet, the story behind this uniform is equally remarkable.
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich recently received this special uniform, once worn by Charles Hare. As a teenager, he was captured in France during the Napoleonic Wars. Using this uniform, he posed as an officer in the French Imperial Customs Service, also known as Les Douanes.
It’s often difficult to determine exactly when and by whom a uniform was worn, but thanks to the Hare family, who preserved the uniform with care, this story can be shared. The uniform comes with a unique letter in which Hare describes his escape.
Charles’s escape
Charles Hare was born on September 28, 1789, in the British village of Fillingham. His father, also named Charles, was a naval officer. At age eleven, Charles began his training with the Royal Navy in the same year his father passed away. Two years later, the Minerve, the ship on which he was stationed, was captured by the French off the coast of Cherbourg. All crew members were taken prisoner.
In 1806, Charles was transferred to a prison in Sarre Libre (modern-day Saarlouis, Germany). After three years, at age 19, he managed to escape disguised in a French customs uniform. This outfit featured a dark green coat with silver stripes on the collar. The coat’s buttons displayed eagles, the all-seeing eye, and the inscription “Douanes Impériales.” These words also appeared on the shako (a cylindrical military cap) and the belt buckle that came with the uniform. The shako was adorned with a leather visor and a plume of green and white feathers.
Traveling with a dog
Charles traveled by coach to the German city of Mainz, then took several boats, eventually arriving in Rotterdam. After thirteen days, he reported to the Royal Oak, a British warship blockading the Dutch coast. From there, he sailed back to England, and after a long walk, finally reached his mother and sisters. The journey from Germany to home took more than two weeks in total.
During his journey, Charles wrote stories detailing his experiences, revealing his awareness that discovery would mean a death sentence. When one of the passengers recognized him in the coach, he immediately fled.
He concludes his story with a mention of his dog, who stayed with him throughout the journey. Charles had received the dog four years earlier during his captivity. The dog provided support along the way, and when people spoke to him, Charles would pet the dog and pretend not to understand them. This tactic proved an effective distraction, often leading others to leave him alone.
Unique customs uniform from Napoleonic era on display
After more than two hundred years, the Hare family decided to donate the uniform and accompanying stories to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Following restoration, the uniform is now on display for the public.
If you want to know more about Charles Hare’s escape, it was recently covered in the podcast Dan Snow’s History Hit. For more photos and details on the uniform, see this article from The Guardian, or you can, of course, see the costume firsthand at the National Maritime Museum.
Greetings,
Aileen