Imperial Guard

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The Imperial Guard were an originally small group of elite soldiers under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. They acted as his bodyguards and commandos, and he rarely used them in battle.

The Guard had its origin in the "Garde du Directoire" which protected the revolutionary Government of France. They were originally comprised of fanatical Republican supporters. Eventually, as Napoleon rose to power he adopted them as his personal guard.

The Guard was comprised of three wings. The Old Guard were the elite of the elite, and had served Napoleon since his earliest campaigns. The Middle Guard were his veterans from the 1806 to 1809 campaigns. The Young Guard were his newest proven veterans. In 1805 the Guard numbered eight thousand men. By the time of the invasion of Russia in 1812, it had swelled to over 80,000 men. The Guard had artillery, infantry and cavalry just like a normal Army corps.

The Guard played a major part in the climax of the Battle of Waterloo. They were thrown into the battle at the last minute to salvage a victory for Napoleon. They faced terrible fire from the British lines, and began to retreat. It was the first time the Guard had ever been defeated in battle. At the sight of this Napoleon's army lost all hope of victory.

"La Garde meurt, elle ne se rend pas!" "The Guard dies, it does not surrender!" is attributed to general Cambronne during their last stand at the Battle of Waterloo and it makes a suitable Epitaph