Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

I believe the Anglo-Allied Army destroyed the French Imperial Guard in a little known battle fought on June 18, 1815 if my memory serves me correctly.

Salute!

Retreating infantry passed along the road to Tortona; it seemed as if the whole French line were giving way…But no, here came the grenadiers and chasseurs of the Guard, drums beating, singing ‘On va leur percer le flanc’ to the accompaniment of Guiardel’s bandsmen, as well as the 19th Legere of General Monnier, with Bonaparte leading the lot. Nine hundred bearskin bonnets formed a square between Lannes and Carra St. Cyr and stopped the Lobkowitz Dragoons in their tracks. The horse grenadiers, with the light artillery in support, attacked a ‘cloudful of cavalry in battle array’ which was outflanking Murat and the dragoons of Champeaux. This would protect their retreat…But the infantry of the Guard stood firm. Without artillery, it braced itself to sustain the shock from the Austrian center. Harassed, charged three times by enemy cavalry, fired on at a hundred paces by their infantry, this ‘fortress of granite’ surrounding the flag and the wounded ran out of cartridges. Whereupon Brabant, a grenadier of uncommon strength, took over an abandoned four-pounder and worked it alone for half an hour. Ensign Aune swept his comrades on. Then they retreated lest the enemy should reach their headquarters before them.’

Regards,

Gentlemen

A "Waterloo" denier, you will be telling me "the World is Round" next

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Jim Hall
Field Marshall
Commander Anglo-Allied Army

Herr Mark most be out duck hunting with the Roberson. The British did not destroy the Old Guard but stop the Middle Guard who retreated in 1815. Oh did I tell you I was History Major sorry! Bon try Monsieur excellent history lesion .

Salute!

Certain aspects of the pivotal Battle of Marengo in 1800 which was so critical to the survival of both Napoleon and France, have recently come into historical contention. One incident in particular that has been called into doubt is the famous thirty-minute fight of the Consular Guard infantry against odds of three to two on the French right flank. In that famous fight, where it lost 260 out of 800 engaged, and then retreated with the rest of the French army, the Guard, composed of two battalions of grenadiers a pied and one company of chasseurs a pied, the Guard infantry won undying fame, being referred to by Napoleon as the ‘fortress of granite.’

This generally accepted account has been brought into doubt for two reasons: first, this version supposedly originated from the Bulletin issued the next day and is considered unreliable by some. Second, there is disputable Austrian evidence that the Guard’s losses in killed, wounded, and ‘missing’ approached 700 out of the 800 or so engaged, and that 400 of these were prisoners.

The earliest Austrian account I could find, that contained in Volume XXIX of the Austrian Military Review of 1823, a second hand source, stated that ‘Frimont arrived, moved like lightning on the rear of the Consular Guard, charged it at the head of four squadrons of hussars…the guard was driven in, broken; the men composing it were nearly all killed or captured and its guns taken.’ There are no references, no eyewitnesses mentioned, and no total losses given. On the other hand Melas, the Austrian commander at Marengo, does not mention the incident at all in his after action report, which is interesting to say the least. I submit that a defeated commander would list an apparent ‘victory’ over the personal Guard of the French First Consul as a highlight of the battle for the Austrians in reporting yet another Austrian defeat to his master.

Regards,

Whereas it is true that the Middle Guard was repulsed on the field, precipitaing a disaster of epic proportions for the abmitions of the Corsican Ogre, it remains a fact the the Old Guard was decimated trying to cover the panicked rout that followed. Ever heard of a fellow by the name of Cambronne?

My god he does go on and on and on! if I was you I would sue Osprey books for putting false information out in the best books made on that era. Did he say" nuts" or did he say "Nay" I forgot being from the bayou! maybe I can use some bloody mary this morning! did I say on and on aND ON on an on

The Middle Guard were repulsed, not broken.

The Old Guard did indeed 'stand like granite' to cover the retreat of their fellow comrades.

One battalion of the L'Guard retook Plancenoit with the bayonet without firing a shot against a large force of Prussians who ha just taken it.

"It was almost dark. The Emperor himself gave the order for us to leave our positions, which were no longer tenable...The two squares (1st and 2nd Battalions 1st Regiment of Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard) withdrew in good order; the 1st Battalion across country and the second along the road."
Marechal de Camp Petit, Commanding Oficer of the 1st Battalion 1st Regiment of Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard. The Waterloo Companion, Mark Adkin.

That is why they covered themselves in Glory even when advancing in the other direction!

Yes we can go on and on and on .... about them as so many books and references do.

Never has so much Glory, Honour, Loyalty and Dedication been displayed by such men to one man, one army, one nation, one ideal.

Their deeds still inspire true men and will do so as long as humanity exists.

La Garde ne se rend pas!

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Marechal Jeff Bardon
Duc de Castiglione et Prince de Wagram
Commandant de la Garde Imperiale