Old Guard
Encyclopedia
The Old Guard were the elite veteran elements of the
Emperor Napoleon's Imperial Guard. As such it was the most prestigious formation in Napoleon's Grande Armée.
The Old Guard was formed of veteran soldiers who had served Napoleon since his earliest campaigns.
It is believed that Napoleon hand-selected members of his Old Guard based on physical traits, most notably above-average height. Their imposing stature was likely impressive to foes and allies alike. Serving in the army for several years as well as a citation for bravery were also taken into consideration when selecting troops into the Old Guard.
There were four regiments of Old Guard infantry: the 1st Grenadiers, 2nd Grenadiers, 1st Chasseurs, and 2nd Chasseurs and belonged the Imperial Guard under Emperor Napoleon. Members of The Guard benefitted from a number of different privileges. The wages of individual soldiers in The Guard was considerably higher than any other military unit in Napoleon's Imperial Guard. Another privilege reserved only for the members of the Old Guard was the freedom to express their discontent freely: the Old Guard Grenadiers were known as les Grognards ("the Grumblers") because they openly complained about the petty troubles of military life. Some of the officers even did so in the presence of the Emperor knowing that the Old Guard's reputation commanded enough respect with Napoleon to allow itself such openess. Such behaviour was unique to the Old Guard and would have been severely punished were it engaged in by a member of any other unit.
Requirements for Old Guard candidates:
- under 35 age
- at least 10 years' service
- at least 3 campaigns (some had as many as 12 campaigns)
In 1814 the 1st Chasseurs still had many old-timers: for example sapper Rothier
- 21 years' service, 2 wounds, Private Stoll - 22 years' service and 20 campaigns.
Those who were too old, or crippled were sent to Company of Veterans in Paris.
This small unit was full of soldiers, some lacking an arm, others striped like
zebras with saber cuts.
Members of The Guard could however, allow themselves such freedom for each and every man was a highly trained soldier and mustered into regiments; a formidable sight on any battlefield. Almost always above average height (1,85m) and being imposingly well-built a Guard was taught to fight unlike any other soldier in the French Army. Any cowardly tendencies or otherwise cautious habits would be thoroughly purged through the help of a longer and more intense training (often including advanced bayonet and hand-to-hand combat techniques). Yet The Old Guard earned their fearsome reputation through the many military engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. From the Battle of Ligny, to the battle of Dresden, to the famous and final battle at Waterloo (June, 1815).
(mounted grenadiers), Chasseurs à Cheval (mounted chasseurs), Dragons de l'Impératrice (the Empress's Dragoons), and the 1st Polish Lancers
.
The Mameluke
s squadron was also considered part of the Old Guard cavalry.
The Legion de Gendarmerie d'Elite (elite Gendarmes) was counted as Old Guard cavalry. It was deployed in detachments as escorts for Napoleon's headquarters and the General Staff of the Guard, and for Imperial Guard field camps.
, the Old Guard was reformed, and fought at the Battle of Waterloo
.
The 2e Regiment de Grenadiers-à-Pied were pivotal in the defense of the town of Plancenoit
against the Prussians
. The 1er Regiment, charged with protecting the field position around Napoleon himself, served as a rear guard after the failure of the attack of the Middle Guard on the British center. The Old Guard cavalry was involved in the unsuccessful midday charges against the British infantry, and was unavailable at the battle's decisive moments.
In August 1815, Louis XVIII
ordered the Imperial Guard abolished. By December all the Old Guard regiments were disbanded. Ex-guardsmen ended up in a variety of places after their units disbandment. Some re-enlisted into the king's army. Others traveled to a French colony in Texas. Most lived out their lives watched with suspicion by Bourbon police. When Napoleon's body was returned to France
in 1840, many of the surviving Old Guard paraded in threadbare uniforms.
Emperor Napoleon's Imperial Guard. As such it was the most prestigious formation in Napoleon's Grande Armée.
The Old Guard was formed of veteran soldiers who had served Napoleon since his earliest campaigns.
It is believed that Napoleon hand-selected members of his Old Guard based on physical traits, most notably above-average height. Their imposing stature was likely impressive to foes and allies alike. Serving in the army for several years as well as a citation for bravery were also taken into consideration when selecting troops into the Old Guard.
Old Guard infantry
Requirements for Old Guard candidates:
- under 35 age
- at least 10 years' service
- at least 3 campaigns (some had as many as 12 campaigns)
In 1814 the 1st Chasseurs still had many old-timers: for example sapper Rothier
- 21 years' service, 2 wounds, Private Stoll - 22 years' service and 20 campaigns.
Those who were too old, or crippled were sent to Company of Veterans in Paris.
This small unit was full of soldiers, some lacking an arm, others striped like
zebras with saber cuts.
Members of The Guard could however, allow themselves such freedom for each and every man was a highly trained soldier and mustered into regiments; a formidable sight on any battlefield. Almost always above average height (1,85m) and being imposingly well-built a Guard was taught to fight unlike any other soldier in the French Army. Any cowardly tendencies or otherwise cautious habits would be thoroughly purged through the help of a longer and more intense training (often including advanced bayonet and hand-to-hand combat techniques). Yet The Old Guard earned their fearsome reputation through the many military engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. From the Battle of Ligny, to the battle of Dresden, to the famous and final battle at Waterloo (June, 1815).
Old Guard cavalry
There were four regiments of Old Guard cavalry: the Grenadiers à ChevalGrenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale
The Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale constituted a heavy cavalry regiment in the Consular, then Imperial Guard during the French Consulate and First French Empire respectively...
(mounted grenadiers), Chasseurs à Cheval (mounted chasseurs), Dragons de l'Impératrice (the Empress's Dragoons), and the 1st Polish Lancers
Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard
The [Polish] 1st Light Cavalry Lancer Regiment of the Imperial Guard was a formation of Polish light cavalry that served Emperor Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars.The Regiment, as part of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, fought in many battles,...
.
The Mameluke
Mameluke
Mameluke was an American Thoroughbred race horse. Bred and raced by Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, he was out of the mare, Schwester, and was sired by the 1936 Epsom Derby winner, Mahmoud who became the Leading sire in North America in 1946 and the Leading broodmare sire in North America in...
s squadron was also considered part of the Old Guard cavalry.
The Legion de Gendarmerie d'Elite (elite Gendarmes) was counted as Old Guard cavalry. It was deployed in detachments as escorts for Napoleon's headquarters and the General Staff of the Guard, and for Imperial Guard field camps.
End of the Old Guard
The Old Guard was disbanded by the victorious Sixth Coalition in 1814, along with the rest of the Imperial Guard. During Napoleon's 1815 return from exileHundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
, the Old Guard was reformed, and fought at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
.
The 2e Regiment de Grenadiers-à-Pied were pivotal in the defense of the town of Plancenoit
Plancenoit
Placenoit is a village in the commune of Lasne, Walloon Brabant, Belgium. The village was a key strategic point during the Battle of Waterloo as it was the main focal point of the Prussians' flank attack on Napoleon's army....
against the Prussians
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
. The 1er Regiment, charged with protecting the field position around Napoleon himself, served as a rear guard after the failure of the attack of the Middle Guard on the British center. The Old Guard cavalry was involved in the unsuccessful midday charges against the British infantry, and was unavailable at the battle's decisive moments.
In August 1815, Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
ordered the Imperial Guard abolished. By December all the Old Guard regiments were disbanded. Ex-guardsmen ended up in a variety of places after their units disbandment. Some re-enlisted into the king's army. Others traveled to a French colony in Texas. Most lived out their lives watched with suspicion by Bourbon police. When Napoleon's body was returned to France
Retour des cendres
The retour des cendres was the return of the mortal remains of Napoleon I of France from the island of St Helena to France and their burial in the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris in 1840, on the initiative of Adolphe Thiers and King Louis-Philippe.-Previous attempts:In a codicil to his will, written...
in 1840, many of the surviving Old Guard paraded in threadbare uniforms.