Croatian Troops in French Service

This was Napoleon's address to his Croatian soldiers (Two Croatian regiments) who fought bravery during the retreat from Moscow losing 757 men and 10 officers, only 296 men from surviving to hear Napoleon's speech.

He said:

Quote:
Hier, j'ai pu m'assurer de mes propres yeux de votre courage et de votre fidélité. Vous avez acquis la gloire immortelle et l'estime, et je vous place parmi mes meilleurs troupes. Pour votre courage, je vous promets de vous accorder tout ce que vous me demanderez de bon droit lorsque nous serons de retour. Je suis satisfait de vous, trčs satisfait.

I don't actually speak French, but as far as I can tell it says something like:

Quote:
Yesterday, I saw with my own eyes of your courage and your fidelity. You acquired immortal glory and esteem, and I place you among my best troops. For your courage, I promise to you to agree all that you will ask me of as soon as we are home. I am satisfied with you, very satisfied.

So who were these troops?

The Peace of Vienna in 1809 ceded the Croatian frontier of the Austrian Empire to France. France divided this area into six geographic area's, each of which was then required to produce two battalions of infantry.

These regiments abandoned the traditional Austrian uniforms and adopted a French style uniform with a green jacket and breeches. The voltigeurs had green epaulets, the carabiniers wore red epaulets and the chasseurs had shoulder straps of the regimental color. The cuffs, collar and turnbacks were also of the regimental colors.

Regiment Color
1st Orange
2nd Crimson
3rd Light yellow
4th Light Brown
5th Sky Blue
6th Light Green

In 1811, two provisional regiments were raised, each of two battalions, for service with the Grande Armee.

The 1st Provisional Regiment served in Brigade Rousel as part of the 13th Division (Delzons) IV Corps (Eugene) and,
The 3rd Provisional Regiment served in Brigade Amey as part of the 9th Division (Merle) of the II Corps (Oudinot)

1st Provisional Regiment

The 1st Provisional Regiment was formed on the 26 October 1811 from the 1st Battalion of the 1st Croatian Regiment (Lika) and the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Croatian Regiment (Ottochaz) totaling about 1,700 men when they marched from Trieste to join the IV Corps.

Their Regimental Colonel, Slivarich, was promoted to General by Napoleon, but only 53 men survived the campaign to return to Konigsberg. The men of the 1st Provisional Regiment were awarded six crosses of the Legion d’honneur.

3rd Provisional Battalion

The 3rd Provisional Regiment was formed on the 21 September 1811 from the 1st Battalion of the 5th Croatian Regiment (1st Banat) and the 1st Battalion of the 6th Croatian Regiment (2nd Banat), and proved itself to be an extremely brave and hard fighting regiment at the second battle of Polotsk, and throughout the Campaign, only 17 officers and 141 men out of almost 2,000 remaining under arms on the 30 December 1812.

On their return the survivors of these regiments were absorbed into their parent units and the provisional regiments were never re-raised.

Uniforms

Both regiments wore dark green uniforms cut in the style of the French light infantry, with yellow facings and piping. The 3rd Provisional Regiment were distinguished by a light blue collar patch; the 1st Provisional Reigment by a red collar patch.


Fusilier 2nd Company, 1st Provisional Regiment (Croatian)

Voltigeur, 3rd Provisional Regiment (left), Officer, 1st Provisional Regiment (right)


Uniform details from the Histofig website, showing the full uniform details.

References and links

http://www.croatians.com/MILITARY-CR...20NAPOLEON.htm
http://empire.histofig.com/

Its a shame really that these regiments aren't featured in the DLC, or amongst special units, as at least they are different to the standard line units CA chose to include.

There is a Commemorative plaque in the french army museum in the Invalides in Paris about the croatians soldiers who fought (and died) for France.

http://www.amb-croatie.fr/actualites/invalides.htm

I really want these units in my army now