About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherBloomsbury Publishing USA

ISBN-101849086788

ISBN-139781849086783

eBay Product ID (ePID)109100880

Product Key Features

Book TitleNapoleon's Swiss Troops

Number of Pages48 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2012

TopicMilitary / Special Forces, Military / Napoleonic Wars, Military / Strategy, Europe / France, Modern / 19th Century

IllustratorYes, Embleton, Gerry

GenreHistory

AuthorDavid Greentree

Book SeriesMen-At-Arms Ser.

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height0.1 in

Item Weight6 Oz

Item Length9.9 in

Item Width7.3 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2012-372765

Dewey Edition23

Series Volume Number476

Dewey Decimal940.2740944

Table Of ContentIntroduction France and Switzerland: military service under the Ancien Regime Enlistment of Swiss demi-brigades and legions - Line Regiments - Valais and Neuchatel battalions The Demi-brigades: in Switzerland, the West Indies and Trafalgar - absorption of demi-brigades and legions into Line regiments 1st Swiss Line Regt 1805-11, Italy 2nd, 3rd & 4th Line Regts, Valais & Neuchatel Bns, 1805-11, the Peninsular War Russia 1812 Germany and Belgium 1813-15

SynopsisEver 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 all theatres where they were engaged, Swiss contingents would often be relied upon to act as rearguards so other forces caught in a tight situation could escape. Time and again they would be asked to save the day for the French soldiers with whom they fought, in Italy and Spain and most famously for Napoleon himself, in Russia. 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. 1,200 Swiss, out of approximately 8,000 that entered Russia, were left to face, along with 8,000 men from 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., Based on years of research in Swiss archives and museums, this book draws together the combat history of Napoleon's Swiss troops, with full-colour artwork and illustrations of the uniforms, kit and equipment.

LC Classification NumberDC226.6.P362