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Napoleon’s Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard

Di Ronald Pawly e Patrice Courcelle

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Lunghezza: 129 pagine1 ora

Editore:: Bloomsbury Publishing
Pubblicato:: Feb 20, 2012
ISBN:: 9781780964072
Formato:: Libro

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A concise history of the hand-picked elite cavalry guard that served as Napoleon's close personal escort and were committed to the most dangerous areas of combat on the battlefield. Formed from his original escort of 'Guides' and the 'Consular Guard' in 1799, the Mounted Chasseurs were a personal favourite of the Emperor, who wore their uniform on campaign. Ronald Pawly's unique research into regimental archives has uncovered unprecedented detail about this exceptional unit and its soldiers and officers. With their colourful uniforms recreated in full-colour artwork and accounts of their actions in the most critical Napoleonic battles, this book provides a comprehensive description of these legendary elite soldiers.

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Napoleon’s Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard

Di Ronald Pawly e Patrice Courcelle

Lunghezza: 129 pagine1 ora

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Editore:: Bloomsbury Publishing
Pubblicato:: Feb 20, 2012
ISBN:: 9781780964072
Formato:: Libro

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Ronald Pawly

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Napoleon’s Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard - Ronald Pawly

COMMENTARIES

NAPOLEON’S MOUNTED CHASSEURS OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD

THE ORIGINS OF A LEGEND

THE STORY OF the Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard is the story of Napoleon himself and of his campaigns, since on almost every field – from Arcole to Waterloo – he kept his ‘Guides’ closer to him than any other troops. (This old 1790s title survived in everyday use long after their official renaming as Mounted Chasseurs.)

In exile on St Helena, Napoleon would write that after the battle of Borghetto (30 May 1796) during his first Italian campaign, when his army were pursuing the Austrians, he felt unwell and returned to his field headquarters, where he took a warm footbath. He did not enjoy it for long, since a patrol of Austrian lancers suddenly appeared close by. Alarmed, he and his staff leapt into the saddle to flee for their lives, and he had to leave his boots and breeches behind. He wrote that it was this event that prompted him shortly afterwards to create a company of Guides to serve and guard him and his staff – and thus were born the Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde Impériale.

Like much else in Bonaparte’s memoirs, this colourful anecdote is untrue, at least in its claimed consequences. In fact the commanders-in-chief of French Revolutionary armies in the field had been allowed to have a unit of so-called Guides since April 1792, and such a unit had been organized for the first Army of Italy in 1793. The only difference from the Guides of later years was that in the early 1790s they were dispersed, serving with other senior officers or guarding the paperwork of the general staff.

Captain Hypolite Thomas entered the Mounted Guides of the Army of Italy on 28 July 1797, and became a brigadier-fourrier (quartermaster corporal) on 3 January 1800. Passing into the Mounted Chasseurs of the Consular Guard, he was promoted maréchal-des-logis chef (sergeant-major) in June 1801, and adjudant sous-lieutenant in October 1802. He was present at many major battles, rising to the rank of captain before being commissioned major in the 11th Line Chasseurs. Here he wears full dress, showing clearly the more elaborate braiding of his dolman and the rich light grey fur of his pelisse – the latter tended to vary according to fashion. (Private collection, France)

When Gen Bonaparte took command of the Army of Italy on 2 March 1796 his predecessor Gen Kellermann must already have had a corps of Guides, but probably this was so dispersed that it needed to be reorganized. On 24 April, Bonaparte ordered that each day a 30-strong mounted piquet, commanded by a lieutenant and a sub-lieutenant, was to serve at his field headquarters. Each time he rode out, half of them were to follow him while the rest stayed behind on guard. This order was followed on 29 May by another creating two battalions of Foot Grenadiers, and stating that these, with 50 mounted Guides, were to be available to protect the headquarters. On 2 May 1796 the Guides had been instructed to ride to Milan to be fitted out with uniforms, equipment and arms. Chef de brigade (Colonel) Jean Lannes, the future marshal of the Empire, was commander of the entire Guides corps, with Capt Jean-Baptiste Bessières commanding the mounted element. Nearly all sources give 5 June 1796 as the date when Bessières – a captain in the 22nd Line Chasseurs, who had distinguished himself during the early stages of the Italian campaign – took up his post. However, a letter signed by Bonaparte and dated 12 Prairial An IV (31 May 1796) already informs Capt Bessières that he has carte blanche to dismiss or engage men for his company of Guides.

The Italian campaign

On 3 August 1796 the Guides saw their first action in the combat of Lonato, outside this small fortified town at the southern end of Lake Garda. Here Bonaparte struck the Austrian Gen Quosdanovic’s smaller force as it marched – divided by the lake from its main body – to raise the siege of Mantua. During the battle a number of Guides were selected by Bonaparte’s aide-de-camp Andoche Junot to make a charge against the Austrians. Junot, like Joachim Murat, was one of those officers who could achieve wonders by the sheer example of their personal élan; at Lonato he took that handful of troopers, placed himself at their head in front of the 15th Dragoons, and charged like a madman, pulling the dragoons after them. The charge was the catalyst for a French victory that brought them several thousand prisoners and 20 guns. This debut was followed by further interventions on Italian battlefields, and on each occasion the Guides covered themselves with glory. On the evening after the battle of Rovereto on 4 September, Bessières was promoted to chef d’escadron (squadron-leader) for his participation in this action; he had successfully charged, again with only a handful of Guides, an Austrian gun battery that was trying to flee the field. They were not always so lucky; in the engagement at Bassano on 6 November they lost two Guides killed and Lt Guérin wounded.

The Guides received their first regulated organization on 25 September 1796. They now numbered 1 squadron-leader (Bessières), 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 2 sub-lieutenants, 1 sergeant-major, 6 sergeants, 8 corporals, 136 troopers, 1 veterinary, 2 farriers, 1 saddler and 2 bourreliers (leather-workers – i.e. harness-makers). They were also allowed to have a band, for which the sum of 1,200 francs was reserved, and a four-horse wagon to carry their equipment. To fill the gaps in the ranks, Bonaparte ordered that every cavalry regiment in the Army of Italy should send a number of troopers to the Guides (not a popular order with their colonels). Steadily the corps increased in size and in capability; by 30 May 1797, like the infantry of Bonaparte’s Corps of Guides, they had even received two 8-pounder guns of a mounted battery, manned by 26 officers and men.

Guide of General Bonaparte during the first Italian campaign. For full dress they wore the Revolutionary hussar-style uniform with the typical mirleton headdress – scarlet with white edging, cords and flounders and a scarlet plume. The pelisse was dark blue and the breeches and dolman scarlet, all with white braiding. (Drawing by Maurice Toussaint from Marcel Dupont’s Guides de Bonaparte)

On 15–17 November 1796 the French Army of Italy, with 20,000 men, met a new Austrian army under Baron Allvintzy, 60,000 strong, at Arcole, and a three-day battle on the banks of the Adige river followed. With mobility limited to the few raised dykes which

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Napoleon’s Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard

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Azioni libro

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Napoleon’s Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard

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