Napoleon's Guard Infantry (1)
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About this ebook
Philip Haythornthwaite
Philip Haythornthwaite is an internationally respected author and historical consultant specializing in the military history, uniforms and equipment of the 18th and 19th centuries. His main area of research covers the Napoleonic Wars. He has written some 40 books, including more than 20 Osprey titles, and numerous articles and papers on military history – but still finds time to indulge in his other great passion, cricket.
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Napoleon's Guard Infantry (1) - Philip Haythornthwaite
Napoleon’s Guard Infantry (1)
Philip Haythornthwaite • Illustrated by Bryan Fosten
Series editor Martin Windrow
Contents
Infantry of the Guard: History
The Regiments
Uniforms
Grenadiers à Pied
Chasseurs à Pied
Dutch Grenadiers
The Plates
Napoleon’s Guard Infantry (1)
Infantry of the Guard: History
The concept of the bodyguard is as ancient as the practice of an individual assuming the leadership of a group or tribe. From the Companions of Alexander to the Varangians of Byzantium, bodies of élite warriors, owing personal allegiance to their sovereign and obeying no others, have illuminated or stained the annals of military history with exploits as heroic as the huscarles of Byrhtnoth dying behind their shield-wall at Maldon, and as shameful as the Praetorians’ betrayal of their trust by auctioning the throne to the highest bidder. Napoleon’s Imperial Guards, especially those maintaining the closest contact with the Imperial person, probably represent the last true link in a chain of bodyguards spanning the ages. Though times and weaponry changed, the essence of the bodyguard remained unaltered. The anonymous Imperial Guardsman who remarked, in the most desperate days of the retreat from Moscow, ‘We’re cooked, but Vive l’Empéreur! all the same’ was merely echoing, did he but know it, old Byrhtwold at Maldon 821 years earlier: ‘Courage shall be firmer, heart all the keener, spirit the greater, as our might grows less . . .’
As noted below, it is impossible to categorise Napoleon’s Guard simply into the ‘Old Guard’, ‘Middle’ or ‘Young Guard’. For the sake of convenience, the present title covers the Grenadiers and Chasseurs à Pied of the Imperial Guard and their Vélites; other corps of Guard infantry, and the Seamen (Marins), will appear in the forthcoming companion title, Napoleon’s Guard Infantry (2).
* * *
The Royal Bodyguard of France, dating in direct line to 1261 and indirectly perhaps two centuries earlier, was finally extinguished with the massacre of the Swiss Guard at the Tuileries on 10 August 1792. (The republican ‘royal guard’, the Garde Constitutionnelle du Roi, of 1,200 infantry and 600 cavalry, existed only from 30 September 1791 to 30 May 1792.) The new republican authorities still required a bodyguard corps, however, and initially filled the need by using the old Gardes de la Prévôte. This corps of the king’s Maison du Roi, dating from 1271, defected at the Revolution and was re-titled the ‘Garde de l’Assemblée Nationale’. Described by the incongruous term ‘Grenadiers-Gendarmes’, this small unit was re-organised again and re-titled: from 1793 the ‘Garde de la Convention’, it became from the end of October 1795 the ‘Garde du Corps législatif’. But the initial intention to form an élite corps of experienced veterans was thwarted by the republican ideals then in vogue, resulting in the degradation of discipline. One officer reported that the Guards ‘cannot resist the temptations of a corrupt city like Paris . . . it is impossible to keep them in barracks . . . they abuse and maltreat the citizens . . . some have jobs in Paris and only show up for meals . . .’
Unusual portrait of Joachim Murat in the uniform of a general commanding the Consular Guard—apparently, a mixture of Horse and Foot Grenadier and Staff features. Contemporary engraving after Bonneville.
(A) Officer’s cap plate of the Grenadiers of the Consular Guard, all gilt—an alternative version to that shown in Plate A. (B) and (C) are early pattern Consular Guard coats, with the fuller skirts, loosely-fastened turnbacks, and less acutely angled lapels. (B) Chasseurs’ pattern, with characteristic pointed cuffs and pointed lapel ends—epaulette omitted here to show the permanently attached transverse strap or bride. (C) Grenadier officers’ pattern, with square-cut lapels and cuff flaps, the features which characterised Grenadier coats throughout the period. Both coats are dark blue with white lapels; scarlet turnbacks, lining and pocket piping; scarlet cuffs, with white piping or flap. Turnback badges are orange for rankers, gold for officers, on white patches. (D) Buttons—left to right: Garde du Directoire Exécutif; Garde des Consuls; Garde Impériale as introduced October/November 1804, originally in brass but in copper from 1811.
On 4 October 1796 a new ‘Garde du Directoire’ was formed as a personal escort for the Directors, to circumvent the use of the imperfect ‘Garde du Corps’. Whereas the latter comprised some 1,200 men, whose grenadiers ranked as corporals in the Line, the new Guard of the Directory was small (120 grenadiers in two companies, and 120 horse grenadiers) but select. These hand-picked men were all literate, at least 5ft 10ins tall, with perfect records, and service in at least two campaigns; they had a 25-piece band furnished by the Conservatoire and led by its first clarinet, Guiardel. From this small beginning was born the Imperial Guard. It is interesting to note that many of its original members, republican government notwithstanding, were ex-members of the Royal army: Adjutant Fuzy, for example, had actually held a commission in the old Gardes Françaises of Louis XVI.
Shortly after the coup d’étât of 19 Brumaire (10 November 1799), by which the Directory was replaced by the Consulate, making Napoleon Bonaparte virtual dictator as First Consul, the ‘Garde du Directoire’ and ‘Garde du Corps législatif’ were amalgamated into one élite force, the ‘Garde des Consuls’. Their original commander, Général de division Joachim Murat, issued the following directive which framed the First Consul’s intention for his new Guard:
‘The First Consul intends that the Guard shall be a model for the army. Admission will be restricted to men who have performed heroic actions, have been wounded, or have otherwise given proof . . . in several campaigns of their bravery, patriotism, discipline and exemplary conduct. They must be not less than 25 years of age, between 1.78 and 1.84 metres in height, of robust constitution and exemplary conduct. They must have participated in three campaigns in the Wars of Liberation, and know how to read and write.’
In