Napoleon'sSwissTroops

Eversincethe15thcenturySwitzerlandhadbeenexportingprofessionalsoldierstoserveasmercenariesforforeignmonarchies.Napoleon,therefore,wasnotthefirsttomakefulluseofthemartialqualitiesoftheSwissandobtainedSwissagreementtoexpandtherecruitmentofregimentsforserviceintheFrenchArmy.NapoleonwoulduseSwisstroopsonthebattlefieldsofItalyandSpain,andin1812re-organizethefouroriginalregimentsintoasingledivisionfortheinvasionofRussia,witheachregimenthavingthreefull-strengthbattalions.Inalltheatreswheretheywereengaged,Swisscontingentswouldoftenbereliedupontoactasrearguardssootherforcescaughtinatightsituationcouldescape.TimeandagaintheywouldbeaskedtosavethedayfortheFrenchsoldierswithwhomtheyfought,inItalyandSpainandmostfamouslyforNapoleonhimself,inRussia.InNovemberof1812,meetingupwithNapoleon'smainforceretreatingfromMoscowattheBerezinaRiver,theSwissonthewestbankguardedtheapproachestothepontoonbridgesfromtheRussianattacktothesouth.1,200Swiss,outofapproximately8,000thatenteredRussia,werelefttoface,alongwith8,000menfromotherunits,the30,000-strongRussianarmy.TheSwissheldtheirgroundandwhentheirammunitionranouttheychargedtheRussianswithbayonets.ThisbookrevealstheproudcombathistoryoftheSwisstroopsofNapoleon'sarmyaswellasthecolourfuluniformstheywore.