French soldiers huddle in the deep freeze of the 1812 Russian winter. Many recorded the sordid details in their personal correspondence.
Young infantrymen, many of whom were far from their Catholic households for the first time, frequently found girlfriends in the occupied countries. Love stories and sexual encounters were frequent among soldiers the French army. Soldiers drinking and fraternizing in a café. French soldiers often had to forage or pay out-of-pocket to supplement their meagre diets. The bread was dry while the meat was often rotten and infested with worms. (Image source: WikiCommons) “Is that edible?”įorget gourmet French cuisine – the food was usually pretty bad in Bonaparte’s army. Napoleon once remarked that an army marches on its stomach, yet decent rations were hard to come by for his soldiers. Far from the beautiful illustrations seen in historical books and magazines, the gear that was issued was usually dirty and filled with holes. Once in the army, most conscripts were eager to receive their first uniform. Those dealt the lowest digits would automatically go while the others were placed in the reserve. At least once a year, all men aged 20 to 25 would gather to draw a number. Chance decided who went to serve in the army. (Image source: WikiCommons) Gambling Your FateĬonscription was introduced during the French Republic, but was perfected under Napoleon. Most tunics were holed, stained and threadbare after years of use. Few French soldiers had uniforms as fancy as these. His presence on the battlefield or a chance encounter was always an electrifying moment for the rank and file. When describing for what reasons they fought, soldiers almost always mentioned the Emperor as the main cause. Most men felt strongly connected to their region, such as Normandy or Provence, but not to France as a country. (Image source: WikiCommons) For the Emperor (Not France) But what was it really like to fight for Napoleon? How does the reality compare to the legend? French soldiers didn’t fight for their country per se, they fought for Napoleon.
Screaming “ merde!” before the final volley at the end of the Battle of Waterloo, French soldiers are the tragic figures of an odyssey going from Madrid to Moscow. Beautifully-dressed guardsmen are often seen among reenactors or on the silver screen. THE GRANDE ARMÉE is surrounded by enduring myths. (Image source: Armchair General) “What was it really like to fight for Napoleon? How does the reality compare to the legend?” What was it like to be a ground-pounder in Napoleon’s Grande Armée? The author of a new collection of letters home from French soldiers offers some fascinating insights.
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