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Napoleon's Irish Brigade - a History

Napoleon's Irish Legion was created in August 1803 with a view to spearheading an invasion of Ireland. Napoleon thought that the force would be regarded as a liberating force rather than an invading one, few French troops would need to be committed and it would tie up a good number of English troops. To achieve these goals, the Legion was expanded from battalion to regiment, men were recruited from Scottish and Irish Jacobite expatriates, POW camps, press-ganged Irish sailors and German and Polish recruits. It was a truly multi-national force, with commands given in French but officers and troops conversing in their own native tongues. The Regiment received it's own flag and an eagle, on one side of the flag was a large gold harp with the motto, L'Independence D'Irlande and on the other was the inscription Napoleon Empereur Des Francais A La Legion Irlandaise. Their original purpose was thwarted as plans for an invasion of Ireland were shelved after the British victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. With Russia and Austria preparing to renew the struggle in Central Europe, Napoleon turned his attention East. The Legion were involved in combat with English forces at Walcheren Island outside Antwerp in 1809. From 1808-1813 they were involved in the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal where they served with honour at the Siege of Astorga, the Siege of Almeida, the invasion of Portugal, the Battle of Busacco and the Battle of Fuentes de Onor. In 1812 they were drafted east to fight the Russians where they fought at the Battle of Bautzen under the direct order of Napoleon himself. During the course of this campaign the Legion were to suffer horrendous casualties with only 117 of the initial 2, 000 men surviving the first eight months. After the abdication of Napoleon in 1814, the Irish Regiment were re-organised by the Bourbon government, they lost their distinctive green uniforms which were replaced by sky blue uniforms. During the Hundred Days War, Louis XVIII requested the Regiment to join with him, they replied that they would gladly escort him to the frontier but that they would never fight against their adopted country of France. The Regiment was officially disbanded on 28 September 1815, the officers were discharged while the troops were sent to Toulon where a Royal Foreign Regiment was being formed.

Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source: http://www.exploringireland.net

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