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Overview of all Swiss mercenaries
Although the four new regiments were authorized by articles signed on 27 November 1803, it was not until 5 July 1805 that the 1st Regiment was actually formed by decree, with the others following on 12 September 1806. Napoleon took pains over their formation, demanding that the French rather than the Swiss authorities select officers, and personally appointing those above the rank of major. He also had to approve all grenadier-company officers, from names put forward by the Colonel- General of the Swiss (a French appointment, held in 1808 by Marshal Lannes). To ensure that Switzerland did not evolve military institutions that would attract volunteers away from his Swiss regiments, Napoleon forbade the development of Swiss military academies or a general staff, and limited the home forces to a self-defence militia of no more than 20,000 men.
In 1805, the emperor directed his minister to `write to the Landamann, write to the colonels; use M. de Maillardoz [the representative of the Confederation in Paris] a lot. Don’t let us be short of money! I mainly rely on these regiments to defend the French coast.’ On 18 May 1807, Napoleon told the Landamann that the units should be `composed of citizens of the area, with no admixture of deserters or other foreigners.’ It was `not the number of soldiers that take up arms, but their fidelity and their good attitude’ that mattered to him. He `wanted my Swiss units to be composed of Swiss, who are known for their loyalty, and not of my enemies.’
Even though most recruits came from the disbanded Swiss demi-brigades, the 1st Swiss Regt in northern Italy, Corsica and Elba was not declared fully operational until 4 July 1806 – and even then, with only 2,887 men, to be increased by piecemeal arrivals from Switzerland over the following months. Colonel Raguettly, the former commander of the 3rd Demi-Brigade, was appointed to command the 1st Swiss Regiment.
The formation of the 2nd Swiss in Provence followed between October 1806 and April 1807; only 666 recruits had arrived by 31 January 1807, but another 2,768 joined the ranks by that spring. Lieutenant Louis Bégos – one of five sons of an officer who had served the French Ancien Régime before becoming the foreign minister of the Helvetian Republic – joined on 26 March 1807. He had served in the Helvetian light battalion under Clavel, then in the 2nd Demi-Brigade until June 1805, but he wrote that in his new regiment `most of the officers and men were conscripts who had no prior military experience.’
The 3rd Swiss Regt was formed in the spring of 1807, at Lille in Belgium. A 19-year-old volunteer named Bussy wrote that he had to argue `like the very devil’ to be accepted, because `I was of a small stature; I wasn’t even 5ft tall’; however, `an officer declared “Since he wants to go, let him go! He will make a good light infantryman.”‘ By the end of 1807, despite such easing of the criteria, only 2,711 men were under arms.
The 4th Swiss Regt got off to a similarly slow start. Its Col Perrier arrived at its base at Rennes in Brittany on 22 November 1806. The first 466 recruits turned up in February and March 1807, but of these 300 had to be sent back after Napoleon heard that many Prussian prisoners of war had been included. He ordered an inspection to `dismiss on the spot anyone who is Prussian or, more generally, anyone who is not Swiss’. It was not until two years later that the 4th Regt could count 3,902 men under arms.
The Swiss population then included only some 225,000 men of military age (from 16 to 40 years – the average recruit was 23.7 years old); therefore, if the four regiments were to be at full strength no fewer than 1 in 16 men needed to become a soldier – and that still excluded the notional 20,000 men allowed for the cantonal militias. In December 1807 the Landamann wrote to the cantons explaining the benefits of the French alliance, and stated that maintaining the regiments at full strength was `a rigorous and urgent obligation.’ Maillardoz suggested that cantons be given quotas for recruitment, and this unpopular policy was adopted. The Landamann pointed out that the numbers the cantons said they were providing and those entering the depots did not tally. This was due `partly to desertions that took place between canton and depot, but especially to the rejection of a fairly large number of recruits that the cantonal authorities had accepted,’ and was more prevalent in cantons that had seen a rapid increase in the number of recruits they provided. In 1809, when numbers fell off, d’Affry explained to Talleyrand that the extraordinary effort that had been made in 1807 simply could not be maintained, and conscription would not solve the problem. Certain cantons were stung into action, however, and did organize a press.
Many of the foreign troops that Napoleon recruited found themselves sent to disease-ridden colonies blockaded by the omnipotent Royal Navy, but this was not to be the fate of the new Swiss regiments, since Article 18 of the November 1803 convention stipulated that they could not be asked to serve outside Europe. Even so, such was the size of the contingent envisaged, and the care taken over its selective recruitment, that it is not surprising that the units took some time to become fully operational. The consequence was that while the 1st Regt served complete in one theatre of war from 1805 to 1811, the battalions of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Swiss were deployed piecemeal across Europe.
“The Swiss, like all mountaineers, make capital soldiers when drilled; and, wherever they have served as regular troops under foreign banners, they have fought exceedingly well. But being rather slow-headed, they need drilling much more, indeed, than either French or North Germans, to give them confidence in themselves and cohesion.” (Source -“The Armies of Europe” in Putnam’s Monthly, No. XXXII, published in 1855 )
The Swiss troops served Napoleon but they also served Spain, Austria and the Pope. Swiss mercenaries have played their important roles in France. Francis I of France used some 120,000 Swiss levies in his wars. Under King Louis XIV, the Swiss troops were organized in two categories, with the king’s guard separate from the ordinary Swiss regiments. In August 1792 the Swiss Guards defended the Tuileries Palace in Paris during the French Revolution, when several hundred of the Guard were massacred by the Parisian mob that stormed the Palace. Their stand permitted the royal family to escape across the gardens.
The French Revolution abolished mercenary troops in its citizen army but Napoleon used them. The Swiss served loyally so long as they were paid regularly. There was saying “No money, no Swiss.” They were well trained and disiplined. Their musket volleys were perfectly controlled, their shots well aimed. French General Merle said: “it was pity that the Swiss couldn’t handle two muskets at once, if they only could he would issue them”.
Marshal Lannes was titular colonel of the Swiss troops in the French service. The Swiss served Napoleon well, in 1812 they distinguished themselves in Russia. The only setbacks they suffered were at Maida and at Baylen where after some fighting they surrendered to the Spanish troops. (The French provisional and reserve troops and the Guard Marines did surrender too.)
While Napoleon was exiled on Elba (1814-1815) the grenadier companies of the Swiss regiments in French service served as part of King Louis XVIII’s royal guard.
Below is a list of Swiss regiments and their war record during Empire (1804-1815).
4eme Battles
4eme Regiment d’Infanterie Suisse
22 Battles: 1807 – Heilsberg and Friedland, 1808 – Lisbonne, Alcolea, Obidos, Rolicia, and Vimeiro, 1809 – Chaves, Tuy, and Oporto, 1810 – Vallavoid, 1811 – Magas, 1812 – Zoa, Llanguez, Polotsk, Beresina, Borisow, Cedano, Wilna, and Kowno, 1813 – Delfzyl, 1814 – Bescanon
Colonels
1806 – Perrier
1806 – Freuler
1810 – Affry |
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