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Napoleon’s Swiss Troops

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Napoleon’s Swiss Troops Synopsis

Ever since the 15th century Switzerland had been exporting professional soldiers to serve as mercenaries for foreign monarchies. Napoleon, therefore, was not the first to make full use of the martial qualities of the Swiss and obtained Swiss agreement to expand the recruitment of regiments for service in the French Army. Napoleon would use Swiss troops on the battlefields of Italy and Spain, and in 1812 re-organize the four original regiments into a single division for the invasion of Russia, with each regiment having three full-strength battalions. In November of 1812, meeting up with Napoleon's main force retreating from Moscow at the Berezina River, the Swiss on the west bank guarded the approaches to the pontoon bridges from the Russian attack to the south. Just 1,200 Swiss out of the approximately 8,000 that entered Russia were left to face, along with 8,000 other remnants of other units, the 30,000-strong Russian army. The Swiss held their ground and when their ammunition ran out they charged the Russians with bayonets. This book reveals the proud combat history of the Swiss troops of Napoleon's army as well as the colourful uniforms they wore.

About This Edition

ISBN: 9781849086783
Publication date: 20th March 2012
Author: David Greentree
Illustrator: Gerry Embleton
Publisher: Osprey Publishing an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Paperback
Pagination: 48 pages
Series: Men-at-Arms
Genres: Specific wars and campaigns
Early modern warfare (including gunpowder warfare)
Military institutions