Napoleon's Balkan Troops

[Boleslaw]

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[Felix the Cat]

Where did they fight?

[Zrinski]

Excellent pictures!

[Cortes]

Those are scans from Osprey books(best books regerding military illustrations).

You can find many of scans here (http://www.totalwar.org.pl/board/viewtopic.php?t=5249&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=3c7e82257efbd39bfdf2311641e7a00b).(I'm only promoting Osprey-visit official site (http://www.ospreypublishing.com/).)

[Watzy]

Where did they fight?

Austria, Balkans and Russia for the greatest part - against Russians, Austrians (fighting on both sides) and Orthodox Montenegrins.

Napoleon's Invasion of Russia

450,000 French troops made up the majority of the army with French allies making up the rest. In addition to the dettached Austrian corps under Schwarzenberg there were some 95,000 Poles, 90,000 Germans (24,000 Bavarians, 20,000 Saxons, 20,000 Prussians, 17,000 Westphalians and several thousand from smaller Rhineland states), 25,000 Italians, 12,000 Swiss, 4,800 Spaniards, 3,500 Croats and 2,000 Portuguese.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon's_invasion_of_Russia

Two Croatian regiments of Royal Cravate were under the French flag in military operations undertaken by Napolen I in Russia. Especially important was their ensurance of Napoleon's retreat from Russia across Berezino in 1812/13. More than two thirds of the Croats lost their lives: 400 soldiers and 10 officers, plus 357 dead of famine and freezing. Only 296 survived. According to Marmont, Napoleon declared: "I never had more curageous and better soldiers''. According to [Dolbeau], p 18, Napoleon addressed the following message to these 296 Croatian survivors:

"Hier, j'ai pu m'assurer de mes propres yeux de votre courage et de votre fidélité. Vous avez acquis la gloire immortelle et l'estime, et je vous place parmi mes meilleurs troupes. Pour votre courage, je vous promets de vous accorder tout ce que vous me demanderez de bon droit lorsque nous serons de retour. Je suis satisfait de vous, très satisfait."

Demobilized in 1814, only several officers stayed in France, like the "fameux général" Marko Sljivaric, comte de Heldenburg (1762-1838), who became commander of the city of Antibes.

In the French Military Museum in Paris (Maison des Invalides) there is a memorial tablet containing the following words (``To the memory of Croatian regiments that under the French flag have shared the glory of the French Army''):

http://www.hr/darko/gif/inval.jpg

"A LA MEMOIRE DES REGIMENTS CROATES
QUI SOUS LE DRAPEAU FRANCAIS
ONT PARTAGE LA GLOIRE
DE L'ARMEE FRANCAISE"

http://www.hr/darko/etf/cravate.html

Napoleon Bonaparte in Croatia
1806 – 1813

Written by Mislav Miholek

In 1805, Napoleon had defeated Austrians in battle of Austerlitz. Peace treaty was signed in Bratislava and Austria lost Venice and Croatian parts of West Istria, Dalmatia and Boka Kotorska Bay. These territories became part of French satellite "Kingdom of Italy". French Generals Molitor and Lauriston have crossed West Croatia and came in Knin and Split in February 1806. On 26 May 1806, Lauriston had seized "Republic of Dubrovnik" (Ragusa), small Croatian state that was only free Croatian territory for centuries. Officially "Republic of Dubrovnik" was disbanded on 31 January 1808. In the meantime, Russian forces have seized Boka Kotorska Bay (they were called by Austrians) and isle of Korčula. Russians with help of Montenegrins tried to capture Dubrovnik with no success. In 1807, French troops managed to capture Boka Kotorska and Korčula. The governor of these Croatian parts was Vicenzo Dandolo (Venetian) and military commander was general Marmont.

In 1809, new war between Austria and Napoleon started. Croatian troops and volunteers under the command of General Petar Knežević, have attacked and in August captured Dalmatia except cities of Zadar, Knin, Klis and ex-territory of Dubrovnik Republic and Boka Kotorska. But Austrians lost the battle against Napoleon again. Peace in Scönbrunn, gave Napoleon the 1805 territories plus West Slovenia and entire Croatia south of Sava river. From these territories, Napoleon decided to organise "the Illyrian Provinces" as part of French Empire. The Governor of these provinces was General August Marmont, duke of Spalato.

In 1813, Napoleon lost war against Russia, "the Illyrian Provinces" collapsed and came under Austrian rule. Officially there were given to Austria in 1815.

During the years of French ruling in Croatian-Slovenian parts, Croatians served in many French military formations. Napoleon was one of many rulers that were fascinated by Croatian war skills, he said to General Marmont: "I never had more braver and better soldiers". Napoleon also said this: "Croatians, there are best soldiers in the world. If I had only 100000 Croatians, I would conquer the entire world!".

Sources:

* Trpimir Macan, Povijest hrvatskog naroda, Školska knjiga, Zagreb 1971.
* Tomislav i Višeslav Aralica, Hrvatski ratnici kroz stoljeća, Znanje, Zagreb 1996.

http://www.vojska.net/history/france/napoleon.asp

[Watzy]

http://pubwww.srce.hr/husar/0603-French%2024th%20Chasseur%20a%20Cheval%201809.jpg
Chasseur a Cheval 24th Regiment 1809

http://public.srce.hr/husar/0615-French%20Old%20Guard%20Grenadier1815.jpg
Old Guard Grenadier 1815

http://public.srce.hr/husar/0610-8th%20Cuirassier%20Officer%201810.jpg
8th Cuirassier Officer 1815

http://public.srce.hr/husar/0614-French%20Guard%20Lancer%201815.jpg
Imperial Guard Lancer 1815

http://public.srce.hr/husar/

[Watzy]

The Croats.

Four Regiments

The Croats lived in the mountains and formed good light infantry serving in the Austrian and French armies. French general Teste said: "they were always organized and always ready." The Croats were experts in skirmish-order hill fighting but had very little passion for fighting for France. Some troops even mutined. Under Napoleon served four regiments of so-called provisional regiments of Croat infantry. The 1er Regiment d'Infanterie Provisories Croate was formed in 1811 from the 1st btns. of 1er and 2e Regiment de Chasseurs Illyriens. The 2e Regiment d'Infanterie Provisories Croate was raised in 1813 from the 1st btn. of 4e Regiment de Chasseurs Illyriens and 2nd btn. of 3e Regiment de Chasseurs Illyriens. The 3e Regiment d'Infanterie Provisories Croate was formed in 1812 from the 1st btns. of 1er and 2e Regiments du Banat. The 3e Regiment d'Infanterie Provisories Croate was formed in 1813 from the 2nd btns. of 1er and 2e Regiments du Banat. All four regiments were disbanded in 1813.

Below is a list of Croatian regiments and their war record in French service during Empire (1804-1815).

# 1er Regiment d'Infanterie Provisories Croate
8 Battles: 1812 - Ostrowno, Kalouga, Maloyaroslawetz, Orsha, Krasnoie, and Beresina, 1813 - Glogau and Lubnitz
Colonels:1811 - Slivarich de Heldenbourg, 1813 - Joly

# 2e Regiment d'Infanterie Provisories Croate
2 Battles: 1813 - Radebourg and Wurschen
Colonels:Robert Gordon, Mamulla von Turkenfeld

# 3e Regiment d'Infanterie Provisories Croate
2 Battles: 1812 - Polotsk and Beresina
Colonels: Joly

# 4e Regiment d'Infanterie Provisories Croate
0 Battles: none
Colonels: none

There were also other troops from Balkans, for example the six regiments of so-called Chasseurs Illyriens. They entered the French service in 1809 and fought only in very few engagements.

http://web2.airmail.net/napoleon/infantry_Napoleon_3.htm