Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-05-27
HEROIC VETERANS
Napoleon's Famous Fighters, the
Imperial Guard.
LIVED UP TO THEIR MOTTO.


Even at Waterloo the Survivors of the
Old Guard Fought Their Way on
Their Retreat and None Surrendered.
Their Shameful and Pathetic End.
Probably no household troops or
bodyguards in the world yer achieved
the reputation of Napoleon's imperial
guard, and they had their origin in a
nj that shows that imperial
guards, like inventions, generally are
often mothered by necessity.
1t was during his Milan campaign,
in the days of the republic, while Ma
poleon was still General Bonaparte,
that the A%ustrians nearly captured the
Little Corporal. If they had succeeded
probably the whole history of Europe
would have been different and Water
loo would be still waiting for a reputa-
ton.
He was passing along the bank OF a
river with a small escort lent from the
divisions of Auguereau and Massena.
AL <AoSLA1dh wi % as ioSlCIiliS w ehO
banks of the same stream to join Beau
lieu. After General Bonaparte had rid
den some distance in company with Au-
guereau he then returned to Valeggio,
where he stopped. He had been suffer-
ing from headache and believed that a
foot bath would effect a cure.
So during his stop he pulled off his
boots and sought to battle his feet at
q house in the village. While he was
thus engaged the Austrians appeared.
They came so rapidly that there was
scarcely time to sound al alar1a. How
ever, the alarm was sounded, the gates
Of the c%arriageway closed, and the post
began to make adefense.
Pulling one boot on one leg and fear
ing to spend the time to boot the 9th
er, B%onaparte rushed out through a
back way and thus made his escape on
his horse. He rushed as hard as his
horse would carry him to Messina.
they were quickly gathered and start
ed off after the Austrians, who. when
they We're met, were forced to flee.
But the experience taught Napoleon
a lesson. He found that it was perfect
ly possible for a commanding officer
to be taken prisoner with comparative
ease, and he soon found a way to make
this more difficult.
He organized a command, at first
called guides, whose principal duty was
to protect the commanding officer. By
degrees this body was increased, and
under the consulate it was known as
the Garde ConSulaire. receiving that
title in 1899. At that time it consisted
of 0775 men and was a mere body Of
household troops, although naturally
with a man like Napoleon it was a
combatant force and not for ornamen-
tai purposes.
In 1904. with the creation of the EN-
guard. 1t grew in size and Importance.
and in 1909 it was divided into the
Vielle garde and the Jeune garde. 1t
was a place of honor. To be admitted
the soldier must have served in three
campaigns. Consequently it was known
as the elite Of the imperial troops. Ey-
cry man was a veteran. 1t could be
depended upon to do its utmost. In
1914, when Napoleon abdicated for the
first time, the Imperial guard had been
increased to 112.4S2 men of all branches
of service.
1t was owing to the fact hat this
army, called the imperial guard. was
,,,~c &c -,,,> w I, 4
seen service and were old campaigners.
that Napoleon believed them to be I'M
conquerable. The brunt of battle al,
ways had to be borne by the imperial
guard. They consequently were al
ways fearfully cut up. Only a rem
nant of the guard returned from Rus
STA. and at Waterloo their ranks were
cut down until few of the old guard
remained. 1t was their motto that the
old guard never surrenders, and those
who were able to walk away from the
battlefield at the foot of Mont st. Jean
fought their way on their retreat. and
none surrendered.
After Waterloo the old guard was
treated shamefully. AS many as could
be caught were court martialed, anG
the remainder were regarded as sc
many banditti. General LallemanG
brought 200 Of them to America anl
with them founded a colony in Texas
then not United States territory. This
settlement, which was unsuccessful
was named Champ d'Asile, or Field O
Refuge. The Mexican government
compelled them to leave, and they mex
sought refuge at Galveston, but agar
were made to move on, and finally
5 after a few months, the Al of the 20t
that survived arrived in New Orleans
They came here in 1918, and it was no
until 1920, when there were only q few
9 survivors, that a sum Of $4,000 franc!
l reached the exiles.-Exchange.