please tell me what/who were the Pupilles?
Glad you ask.
Louis Boneparte, King of Holland, had a decree which states all boys who stayed in orphanhouses and the like, and thus who lived on costs of the state, were automaticly available for militiary service. They were called 'Kweekelingen', and later on 'Velites'. Originally split up and with their parent regiment, later on they were formed together (or other way around, I always forget).
In 1810, Napoleon brought Holland into France and the army was incoorparted into the French. The velites were originally intended for the war ships (Yes, France had a fleet, it just was incapable of doing anything), but when Napoleon saw their great drill and spirit, he took them into his guard as a sort of ultra-young guard. They became 'le Regiment de Jeunes Hollandais' (Regiment of young dutchmen), of two battalions. However, soon enough, Napoleon expanded the original decree to entire France - Which included parts of Germany and Italy, as well as modern-day Belgium. The regiment renamed to 'Pupilles de la garde' and was expanded to eight battalions of four companies each, and another depot battalion of 8 companies. They numbered (at least on paper) almost 8000 men and officers, making them the biggest regiment in the guard. Also, the lowest paid and priviliged.
Half the battalion was dressed in Green habits, the other half in white with green labels. However, many pupilles kept woring the old Dutch white coats with different colours of labels. They were armed with Dragoon muskets.
In 1813, after Napoleon was in dear need of new soldiers, the 7e Tirallieur de la garde was raised from their ranks, of pupilles older then 19 and higher then 1.59 cm. Some sources also say the 8th and 9th, but I'm yet to find more proof. Many pupilles had already been passed to, or did so later on, such other regiments of the guard, as (to name one) the 13e voltigeurs.
The 7e Served in different battles, including Bautzen and Leipzig, and was eventually disbanded in 1814. They show up again in 1815, but it's likely they were raised from new soldiers and they only numbered about a hundred men.
What happend to the Pupilles who stayed in France? It's hard to say. They were spread out over all of northen France, but we know for sure that the depotbattalion defended the gates of Clichy, during the battles of Paris. They were aged 12 to 16 (officers were, of course, adults), and according to legend they begged, after being ordered to retreat, to fire 'just one more shot'.
on the right
(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2F5%2F5c%2FHorace_Vernet_-_La_Barri%25C3%25A8re_de_Clichy.jpg&hash=78c2eaaed3904ace2ecf94aef11d1e9ac555d55a)
BUT THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE! Of the two remaining battalions of Pupilles, one was disbanded, the other one returned to the Netherlands with all their arms. They became the Corps of Velites, which was disbanded a few months later. They consisted of 300 Dutchmen and 96 other nationalites. Most of them were put in the 3rd Jagers, which became the 18th Jagers in 1815. They remained in Hal during Quatre-bras and Waterloo, but joined the Fortress war in late 1815.
However! A few dozen of them were incorparated into the 5th Jagers, which would become the 27th Jagers - A regiment of 809 men and officers, which would see both Quatre-bras and Waterloo, and lost a great percentage of their men. 37% KIA, wounded and missing at Quatre-bras alone. Other Pupilles, who had joined Young guard regiments, had deserted those regiments in '14 and joined the Dutch army. A few of them show up in the 27th, and maybe they were in other regiments too.
A Dutch Lieutenant of Pupilles, which had also served in the 7e Tirailleurs (and gained the Legion D'Honneur at Wachau!), became a captain of the 2nd Battalion of Infantry and served at Waterloo. His name was H.L. Bemffer.
And here ends todays lesson. ;)