Napoleon's Russian Campaign of 1812Foord, Edward (Edward A.)
History
Napoleon's Russian Campaign of 1812
Foord, Edward (Edward A.)
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Military leadership; Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815 -- Campaigns -- Russia
The Old Guard comprised 3 regiments of Grenadiers (1 Dutch) and 2 of
Chasseurs. The infantry of the New or Young Guard included 1 regiment
of “Fusilier-Grenadiers” and 1 of “Fusilier-Chasseurs,” formed in 1806,
6 regiments of Tirailleurs (Sharpshooters), 7 of Voltigeurs, and 1 of
“Flanqueurs-Chasseurs.” The last was a new regiment. The Voltigeurs and
Tirailleurs had for the most part served two campaigns in Spain, and
were seasoned troops. The 2nd and 3rd regiments of each arm remained
in Spain, and the 7th Voltigeurs in France. All the other regiments
went to Russia. They formed one division of the Old Guard and two of
the Young Guard. The “Legion of the Vistula”--3 regiments of veteran
Polish troops--was attached to the Guard on entering Russia. All Guard
infantry regiments consisted of 2 field battalions, generally weaker
than line units.
The cavalry included the two original regiments of the old Consular
Guard, the Chasseurs-à-cheval and the Grenadiers-à-cheval, and
a Dragoon regiment. These were French. There were also 2 Lancer
regiments, 1 Dutch, 1 Polish. Guard cavalry regiments had 5 field
squadrons. There were 2 squadrons of Gendarmerie d’Élite, and the
celebrated Mameluke company--a troop of Oriental cavaliers.
The artillery of the Guard consisted of 10 foot and 4 horse artillery
companies with their train. In August, 1812, the foot batteries
were armed (apparently) with 32 4-pounder guns, 18 6-pounders, 24
12-pounders, and 14 32- and 24-pounder howitzers; the horse batteries
with 16 6-pounder guns and 8 24-pounder howitzers. The Guard also
possessed its own service of engineers, and eight companies of seaman
for work on coasts or inland waters.
The pay of the Guards was higher than that of the troops of the line,
and non-commissioned officers ranked with line subalterns. The Guards
were envied and disliked by the line troops, who regarded them as a
pampered corps. Napoleon certainly nursed them as far as possible, and
in 1812 they were only in action, as a body, on a single occasion.
The idea that they were the deciding factor in all Napoleon’s great
victories is without foundation.
Marshal Berthier, as Prince of Neufchâtel, was attended at
head-quarters by a battalion of Guards raised in his own principality;
and a troop of specially selected horsemen formed Napoleon’s personal
escort. During the campaign a battalion of Hesse-Darmstadt Guards,
under Prince Emil, and a regiment of Portuguese light cavalry were also
attached to head-quarters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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