Danube Legion The Danube Legion ( ; or the Rhine Legion - ) was a unit of Poles in the service of Napoleonic France . It was also known as the 3rd Polish Legion . Origin . It was formed on 8 September 1799 in the Batavian Republic from Polish volunteers , mostly French prisoners of war from the Austrian Army . Numbering about 6 , 000 the legion was commanded by general Karol Kniaziewicz . The legion fought at the Battle of Marengo and Battle of Hohenlinden . However during treaty negotiations between the French and the Austrians , the French were finding the Polish issue to be a problem ; the Poles wanted the French to continue fighting against the partitioners of Poland ; the future Polish national anthem , Mazurek Dąbrowskiego , created by Józef Wybicki , promised ' the return of the Polish army from Italy to Poland ' . Instead , the French used Polish troops to quell down uprisings in conquered territories , which led to much unrest amongst the Polish troops . The prospect of being assigned to Louis I of Etruria , Napoleons appointee as the King of Etruria did not sit well with their republican sympathies . As the King also felt reluctant to take financial responsibility for them , Napoleon re - assigned them to quell the Haitian Revolution which was currently giving him problems . General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski initially complained from his headquarters in Milan , but subsequently acquiesced . After Stanisław Fiszer had turned down the command in favour of returning to Poland , Fortunat Bernard , a Frenchman , was appointed . After a storm had thwarted an initial attempt to depart , the 3rd Polish Demibrifrade left Livorno on May 17 , 1802 , recahing Cadiz by July 11 . It was here that Bernard applied to the French government that the demibridae be reassigned as a French demibrigade of the line . The fleet set sail again on July 24 , and it was only at this stage that many of the Poles were informed that they were bound for Haiti . 113th Demibrigade of the Line . On 4 September 1802 , two days after arriving in Cap Francais , Haiti , Louis - Alexandre Berthier , the French War Minister redesignated the 3rd Polish Demibriagde as the 113th Demibrigade . However news of this change of name did not reach Haiti until November , by which time the demibrigade had suffered major casualties . Eventually combat casualties and tropical diseases ( like the yellow fever ) reduced the 5 , 280 strong Legion to a few hundred survivors in the space of less than two years . By the time French forces retreated from the island in 1803 about 4 , 000 Poles were dead ( either from disease or combat ) , few hundreds chose to switch sides and remain on the island . 1st Battalion . The 1st Battalion was commanded by Wodzinski and joined the French Northern Division led by General Jean Boudet , but soon to be replaced by General Bertrand Clausel . Upon arrival on September 2 Charles Leclerc reckoned their strength as 984 . By the end of November they were estimated to be 80 men who were then attached to the 74th French Demibridage of the Line . By September 23 , 1803 , French military records state that only 6 officers and 14 men were still alive . 2nd Battalion . The 2nd Battalion was commanded by Wojciech Bolesta and was assigned to Jean - Jacques Dessalines mixed division . It comprised eight regular companies plus accompany of grenadiers consisting of 775 men in all . 3rd Battalion . The 3rd Battalion were commanded by Frannciszek Grabski . They were assigned to the Right Northern Division commanded by General Jean Baptiste Brunet . Of the original 21 officers and 768 soldiers only 634 men joined Brunet ' s division , the remainder being in hospital . The 3rd Company was under the command of Captain Sangowski , who understood little French . He unwisely led them into an exposed position at Dubrail , an unfortified plantation where they were attacked by rebels . After running out of ammunition they surrendered , only to find that the rebels started massacring them . However Navarrez led some troops of the 86th Demibrigade to their rescue , by which time only four were still alive , a total of thirty five having been killed . Sangowski , who had escaped by hiding in a swamp late died of pneumonia , thus avoiding court - martial .