At september 1806, a new regiment has been created and called ''Fusilliers de la Garde Impériale ''. In the structure of the Imperial Garde, this regiment would come just after the ''Old-Guard'' and it has been called the ''Middle-Guard'' and becomes a part of the Imperial Garde. In 1806, the French empire was 2 years old. And its master ( Napoleon Bonaparte ) wants to reform his precious Imperial Garde. Through a lot of new rules, Napoleon decided to create a new - regiment of infantry. His idea is to have another Garde regiment, younger then the old guard, so he could deploy them more often on the battlefield, but with the same mind of sacrifice and pugnacity. Napoleon decided to open the Imperial Garde to conscription, like normal line infantry. Those new recruits would be under command & training of the best officers of the Great Army. This new system would give him one of the best regiments of the Great Army for the next 10 years.
The 4e Grenadiers has been created in 1815, with the same system. This regiment included Veteran's from the French Campaign of 1814, conscripts and volunteers who want to help their emperor in the war against Monarchy's who declared war against France in 1815. The whole Imperial Garde fought at Waterloo, including the 4e Grenadiers. And under the eyes of the Emperor they charged Wellington's Centre in the last chance to beat the Coalition's Army in Belgium.
At 7:00 PM, June the 18th. Napoleon ordered the Imperial Garde to charge up to Wellington's Centre. If this charge would succeed, Wellington would command the retreat of his own army. At 7:30 PM, the Imperial Garde got engaged by British Lines for a final fight! 9 Battallions of the Imperial Garde are charging Wellington's Lines, including the 4e Grenadiers. 5 battallions were in front, and 4 battallions 500 meter behind, the Brave 4e Grenadiers were in the 1st line, on the right flank. Wellington's Artillery shot them during the charge, and the British infantry ambushed them. But they kept on charging and fought against the enemy which was outnumbering them by 10 times. The Charge of the first line had failed, and the morale broke, and the French army retreated. The whole army was falling back, Waterloo was lost! The 2nd line of the Garde, composed by survivers of the 1st Line ( Including 4e ) formed squares and defended the French troops while falling back.
