Hi Andreas,
This may be more helpful, if you were just to cut and paste the whole article . These are not my words or those of Andanna . But can be found at this wonderful site under Foreign infantry. for those interested in the Napoleonic Wars .
http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/index.html
The French, being practical people, have always been eager to let any available foreigners assist them in any necessary bleeding and doing for France. The foreigners served for the French kings, for Napoleon and during the 20th Century. Today the French Foreign Legion is an elite unit.
French reliance upon foreign mercenary regiments varied considerably over time. To put the Napoleonic period in perspective, it is necessary to begin with the Italian Wars. The French created their armies around a core of foreign infantry. The reign of Francois I marked the high point of dependence on Swiss, German, and Italian infantry. "During the 16th century, the proportion of foreigners was not only high in general; it was particularly great in front-line units. Native militias assisted by second-echelon French troops might man the walls of towns, and mixed forces might garrison threatened provinces, but highly prized Swiss and Germans concentrated in the field armies. ... From 1600 until French entry into the Thirty Years' War in 1635, foreign regiments comprised about 10 % of the infantry regiments maintained by Louis XIII. ... Francois I looked upon Swiss and German infantry as superior troops that the French could not match; for him, they were not only convenient but indispensable. Although the Swiss retained some of their elite aura in the 17th century, Louis XIII and Louis XIV ceased to regard them as supermen." (Lynn - "Giant of the Grand Siecle" pp 329-332)
"The (French) revolutionary armies had been manned practically by Frenchmen only. But as Napoleon's empire expanded, and embroiled him into more and more wars, he came to call upon the populations of annexed and 'allied' countries to contribute to the manpower needs of his army." (- Marc Raeff)
Napoleon's foreign troops comprised three categories:
- Foreigners who enlisted in French regiments
(When German, Dutch and Italian territories
were annexed the foreigners in French service
became very numerous.)
- Entirely foreign units in the French service
Dutch Guard Red Lancers
Dutch Guard Grenadiers
Swiss Regiments
Croatian regiments
Polish Vistula Legion
Hannoverian Legion
Portuguese Legion
Irish Legion
and few others
- Forces of allied or dependent states.
Polish Corps
Westphalian Corps
Bavarian Corps
Saxon Corps
and other smaller units
List of French light regiments formed of foreigners:
In 1811-1813 in the ranks of 8th Regiment of Light Infantry served many Croats.
11th Light - disbanded in 1803 and reraised in 1811 from Italians and Swiss
(Tirailleurs Corses, Tirailleurs du Po, Tirailleurs de la Legion de Midi, and Valaison)
32th Light - raised in 1808 from Italians (Grand Duchy of Toscany)
33rd Light - raised in 1808 from provisional regiment,
in 1809 were disbanded and reraised in 1810 from Dutch troops.
35th Light - raised in 1812 from 1st Regiment de la Mediterrane (formed in 1810)
36th Light - raised in 1812 from Regiment de Belle-Ile (formed in 1811)
French line regiments formed of foreigners:
47th Line - served many Irishmen
113th Line - formed in May 1808 from troops of Tuscany.
123rd, 124th, 125th Line - formed in Sept 1810 from Dutch, disbanded in 1813.
126th Line - formed in 1810 from Dutch, disbanded in 1813 and amalgamated to 123e.
127th Line - formed in 1811 from Garde de Hambourg and Garde de Lubeck (Germans)
128th Line - formed in 1811 from Garde de Breme (Germans)
(One of our visitors, John Groweg, wrote: „ Napoleon’s troops occupied my ancestral hometown of Diepholz, Germany. Historical documents and accounts passed down show that families hid their sons or helped them sneak off to Holland in order to avoid conscription into Napoleon’s army. One of my ancestors did not escape service and was drafted into the French 128th Line Infantry Garde de Breme. He later died in a Minsk hospital of unknown causes, probably of illness after the rains of June 1812. Many foreign troops were forced against their will into Napoleon’s army.”)
129th Line - formed in 1811 from Reg. d'Oldenbourg (Germans),
detachments Garde de Westphaliens (Germans) and French troops. Disbanded in 1813.
133rd Line - formed in 1811 (or 1812 ?) from the 2nd Meditarranean Regiment (Italians).
The foreigners also served in Napoleon's Imperial Guard. The Dutch formed 3rd Regiment of Foot Grenadiers and 2nd Regiment of Lancers (the famous Red Lancers). The Italians formed Velites of Turin and Velites of Florence.
The Poles formed the 1st and 3rd Regiment of Lancers and in 1812 Napoleon attached the entire 'Vistula Legion' to his Guard. The Germans in the Guard in 1813 were represented by the Saxon Grenadier Battalion and the Westphalian Guard Fusilier Battalion. Earlier on the Berg lancers were attached to the Guard. There were no Swiss in Napoleon's Imperial Guard.
The number of foreigners in major battles was often significant.
Below is a comparison list for the Battle of Borodino (1812):
Battalions of infantry:
French - . . . . . . . . .144 . . . (75 %)
Polish - . . . . . . . . . . 27 . . . (15 %)
Westphalian - . . . .14 . . . (7 %)
Italian - . . . . . . . . . . .5
Wirtembergian - . . .3
Spanish - . . . . . . . . . 2
Croats - . . . . . . . . . . .2
Hessian, Portug. and others
With the exception of desertion of Saxons at Leipzig, followed by the defection of the Bavarians, the foreigners were loyal and fought well. Below is a comparison list showing average officer casualties per battalion suffered at the Battle of Leipzig. The more battalion or regiment was involved in fighting the heavier were their casualties.
1. French 1st,2nd,4th Marine Infantry Reg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 10.5*
2. French II Corps (Victor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 8.8 **
3. Polish Vistula Regiment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 8.5
4. French III Corps (Souham) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 8
5. Polish (Independent) 27th Division (Dabrowski) . . . . . . . . . . - 7.8
6. Polish VIII Corps (Poniatowski) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 7.0***
7. French V Corps (Lauriston) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 6.5
8. French IX Corps (Augereau) .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 6.4
9. Germans [6th Div., Wirtembergians and Westphalians] ... . - 6.2
10. Germans [Wurzburg Line Reg. in 32nd Division] . . . . . . . . - 4
11. Germans [Westphalian 8th Line Reg., and Light Btn.] . . . . - 3.6
12. Italians [3rd Light, 5th Line Reg.] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 1.5
13. Italians [Milan Guard, 1st, 2nd Light, 5th Line Reg.] . . . . . . -1.3
14. Germans [Saxons in 24th Division, von Zeschau] . . . . . . . . - 1.3
15. Germans [Baden 1st,3rd Line Reg.] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 0.3
16. Germans [1st, 2nd Btn. Erfurt in Lefol's Division] . . . . . . . . .- 0
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......As I have said a hundred times , Thank you , Constantine and all the staff at First Legion for just doing what you do. It is not hard to see your love for the Napoleonic period, and your continued dedication to that line is brilliant
