The war drama of the Eagles

by Edward Fraser

INDEX

• Alexander, Czar of Russia, [96], [104], [109], [111], [275], [292], [318], [324], [326]
• Aspern, Battle of, [204–10];
• Eagle buried on the battlefield, [204];
• two Eagles lost at, [205];
• at bay in the burning village, [207];
• Napoleon demands to see both Eagle and colonel, [208]
• Auerstadt, Battle of, [127], [133–6];
• Davout under fire at, [134–5];
• Eagles under fire at, [135];
• Napoleon and the Third Corps, [136]
• Augereau, Marshal, [37], [145], [155], [156], [157], [158], [164], [169];
• wounded at Eylau, [158];
• sends Marbot to save a regiment, [179];
• in disgrace, [364]
• Austerlitz, Eagles in the battle:
• Eagle of the 15th Light Infantry rescued by the Commandant, [101];
• Eagle of the 111th rallies the regiment, [102];
• Eagle of the 108th in peril, [103];
• Eagle of the 10th Light Infantry rescued, [106];
• Eagle of the 24th Light Infantry lost, [108];
• fate of Eagle of 4th, [108–10];
• Eagle of the Chasseurs of the Guard saved by a dog, [112], [113];
• trophies sent to Notre Dame, [120–121];
• trophies disappear in 1814, [342]
• Barrosa, Battle of, trophy stolen from Chelsea Hospital, [227–8];
• Colonel Vigo-Roussillon’s narrative, [229–31];
• how the 87th advanced, [229];
• fighting with their fists, [231];
• French colonel and General Graham, [230];
• French account of taking of “Eagle with Golden Wreath,” [232–3];
• as reported in the Moniteur, [233];
• Napoleon refuses to replace lost Eagle, [234];
• the “Aiglers,” [235]
• Battalion Eagles, abolished, [183], [187–8];
• Napoleon’s anger at the Amsterdam review, [188];
• some supplied surreptitiously, [188];
• final orders issued, [189]
• “Battle-honours,” as first authorised by Napoleon, [14], [15];
• adopted in other armies, [14];
• only selected names allowed, [191];
• on the flag of the Old Guard, [315];
• abolished at the Restoration, [350]
• Beauharnais, Eugène, Viceroy of Italy, [29], [204], [275], [88]
• Berlin, insolence of Prussian officers, [124];
• their fate, [146];
• Napoleon’s triumphant entry, [144–6];
• in the uniform of a French general, [145];
• demeanour of the citizens, [145];
• French soldiers in the streets, [143];
• march through, of Davout’s corps, [143–4];
• parade of captured Prussian flags in, [144];
• deputation of Senate carries trophies to Paris, [147]
• Bernadotte, Marshal, [38], [98], [112], [139], [144], [151], [152], [295], [364];
• surprised at Möhringen, [150]
• Berthier, Marshal, chief of the general staff of Grand Army, [10], [11], [39], [40], [41], [125], [145], [188], [194], [195], [288], [296], [322], [323], [364];
• on campaign with Napoleon, [39–41];
• at an Eagle presentation, [194]
• Bessières, Marshal, [29], [38], [110], [111], [177], [364]
• Borodino, in the battle, [269–72];
• Eagles have several narrow escapes, [270–2];
• soldier’s personal narrative, [270]
• Boulogne Camp, [10], [15], [19], [58], [61]
• British trophies, destroyed at the Invalides, [333–5];
• naval flags among them, [335];
• the trophies now there, [344]
• Brune, Marshal, [34], [39], [363]
• Caesar, Eagle of, adopted by Napoleon, [9], [10]
• Cambronne, General, [355], [60]
• Campaign of 1813, fate of Eagles in: at the battles of the Katzbach, Dennewitz, Kulm, Grossbeeren, [298];
• Irish Legion saves its Eagles, [294–5];
• heroic feat of a soldier, [295–6];
• a short-sighted colonel, [297];
• the Eagle of the 17th escapes, [297–302];
• one lost in first day’s fighting at Leipsic, [303];
• Eagles buried or flung into the Elster, [304–305];
• dashing rescue by young officer, [306];
• Eagles after the capitulation of Dresden, [306–307];
• Eagle lost in a river in Eastern France, [307–8];
• “One against eight,” [308]
• Caulaincourt, [169], [172], [173], [305], [322], [323], [373], [374]
• “Champ de Mai,” 1815, [362–72];
• distribution of Eagles to the Last Army at, [369–72];
• why so called, [362];
• varying opinions on effect of, [372]
• Champ de Mars, presentation of Eagles on, [15], [16], [20–1], [22–3], [43–59];
• personages who were there, [28–9], [31], [32], [35–42];
• taking the oath, [46–7];
• the final contretemps, [56–7]
• Chapel Royal, Whitehall, reception of Wellington’s trophies in, [226], [242], [430–1]
• Charlemagne, Eagle and Insignia of, [8], [9], [27], [44]
• Chasseur Eagles ordered to be withdrawn, [182]
• Chasseurs, 4th, deputation to Napoleon, [31]
• Chasseurs of the Guard, [25], [111], [416–20]
• Chelsea Hospital, trophies, [214], [227], [243], [255];
• Barrosa trophy stolen, [227–8]
• Clark-Kennedy, Sir A. K., takes an Eagle at Waterloo, personal narrative, [399], [401], [402], [403]
• Cock proposed as National Emblem, Napoleon objects to it, [3], [4], [6]
• “Cou-cous,” barrack-room nickname for the Eagles, [53];
• adventure of one at Jena, [133]
• Cüstrin, surrender of fortress, [126], [142]
• Danube flotilla in Austerlitz campaign, [82–3]
• Davout, Marshal, [19], [29], [42], [98], [100], [101], [103], [4], [14], [34], [35], [36], [143], [145], [166], [167], [267], [268], [269], [275], [363], [369]
• Decoration of “Trois Toisons d’Or” proposed for Eagles, [186]
• De Coster, Napoleon’s Waterloo guide, [377], [386], [397]
• D’Erlon, General Drouet, at Waterloo, [381], [382], [384], [388], [392]
• Disbandment of the Grand Army, Eagles at, [434–5]
• Donzelot, General, at Waterloo, [391], [392], [410]
• Dragoon Eagles ordered to be withdrawn, [182]
• Dresden, surrender of, 1813, fate of the Eagles at, [307], [348–349]
• Dupont, General, [64], [65], [66], [82], [83], [86–91], [93], [94], [106], [135];
• surrender of Bailen, fate of, [336], [7], [338];
• Minister of War at the Restoration, harsh conduct of, [349], [350]
• Dürrenstein, combat at: Napoleon’s alarm on hearing sudden cannonade, [81–2];
• forlorn-hope charge of the 100th and 103rd to save the Eagles, [89];
• heroism of Marshal Mortier at, [90];
• Eagles of the 9th and 32nd taken and retaken, [91];
• just saved at the last, [93]
• Durutte, General, at Waterloo, [391], [410]
• Eagle lost in Masséna’s retreat found in a river in Spain and now at Chelsea, [259–60];
• of Chasseurs of the Guard at Waterloo, [415];
• captured at Bailen recovered at Cadiz by French officer, [337]
• “Eagle with the Golden Wreath,” taking of, at Barrosa, [231–3];
• fate of, at Chelsea, [227];
• origin of the Wreath, [235], [6]
• “Eagle Guard,” institution of, after Eylau, [183–6];
• why Napoleon created it, [182];
• costume designed for Napoleon by Baron Lejeune, [185]
• Eagles, allowed by Napoleon to be kept back on occasions, [260];
• ordered to be withdrawn from Spain, [261];
• proscribed at the Restoration, [246], [350], [434–6];
• those now at Invalides, [307–8], [435];
• two that were taken and retaken at Waterloo, [403–4];
• how all but two got through in the end, [420–1]
• “Elba Guard,” Eagle of the, [353–5]
• Elchingen, Ney’s heroism at, [66–8]
• Elephant proposed as National Emblem, [5]
• Ewart, Sergeant Charles, of the Scots Greys, takes an Eagle at Waterloo, personal account, [396], [397], [398]
• Eylau Campaign, twelve Eagles lost, [166];
• Eagle of the 9th Light Infantry lost at Möhringen and found in a Russian ammunition wagon, [151–3];
• two Eagles taken on first afternoon of Battle of Eylau, [154];
• the 14th and 24th annihilated, and their Eagles carried off by Cossacks, [155–63];
• Marbot’s daring ride and narrow escape, [158–63];
• 10th Light Infantry and 28th also annihilated and Eagles lost, [164];
• the 25th saves its Eagle, but loses all its officers, [165–7];
• Eagles of the 18th and 51st taken, [166–7];
• narrow escapes of the Eagles of the 17th and 30th, [168–9];
• four cuirassier regiments lose their Eagles, [169];
• Eagle of the Old Guard shot down, [172–3];
• two more Eagles lost at Friedland, [175–6]
• “Fanions,” institution of, [183], [190];
• ordered for all second and third and extra battalions, [183];
• regulation colours of, [190];
• Napoleon’s opinion of their value, [190]
• “First Grenadier of France,” Heart of the, narrow escapes in battle, [164–5], [382]
• Flag on the Eagle, design and details of, [10], [12–14], [191–3], [371]
• Flags lost under the Republic recovered in arsenal at Innsbrück, [79];
• Marshal Ney presents on parade, [79];
• Napoleon’s special Bulletin, [80]
• Fleur-de-lis proposed as National Emblem, [4], [7]
• Fontainebleau, Eagle of the Old Guard at, [312–14]
• Frederick the Great, [123], [124], [127], [134], [137], [144], [148], [149], [239], [292], [293], [330], [332], [336], [344];
• his sword seized by Napoleon at Potsdam, [148], borne through the streets of Paris, [149];
• fate at the Invalides, [330], [332], [336]
• Garcia Hernandez, action at, French square broken by the Hanoverian Dragoons, [255–8], [400]
• Gazan, General, [82], [83], [86], [92], [94], [95], [232], [233], [262]
• Golden Wreaths voted by Paris municipality for Eagles of Jena and Friedland, [177], [235–8];
• Napoleon orders the Austerlitz Eagles to be also decorated, [236]
• Gough, Major Hugh, commanding 87th at Barrosa, [222], [235]
• Graham, General, at Barrosa, [228], [229], [233]
• Grätz, combat at, special inscription, “One against ten,” placed on Eagle of the 84th, [202–4]
• Grouchy, General, [363], [385], [389], [390], [410], [411], [421], [422]
• Guillemin, Porte-Aigle, of 8th of the Line, killed at Barrosa, [232]
• Günsburg, storming of the bridge of, in the Ulm Campaign, heroism of Eagle-bearer of the 59th, [63–5]
• Halle, rearguard, action at, after Jena, [125], [136–7]
• Haslach, brilliant defence by Dupont, [65–6]
• Horse Grenadiers after Waterloo, British officer’s tribute to, [414–415]
• Horse Guards Parade, display of captured Eagles on, [217–27], [241–2], [429–31]
• Hussar Eagles ordered to be withdrawn, [182]
• Ice disaster at Austerlitz, [114–15]
• Invalides, on the day of the destruction of the Eagles, [30];
• Frederick the Great’s sword and Jena trophies sent to, [148], [149];
• destruction of trophies at, in 1814: no orders till too late, [328–9];
• holocaust in the Court of Honour, [331–9];
• Russian officer sent to demand an account, [339–42];
• dome gilded by order of Napoleon from Moscow, [338];
• attempt at salvage of trophies, [339];
• Napoleonic trophies now at, [344], [435]
• Irish Legion Eagle, presented by Napoleon on the Field of Mars, [51];
• narrow escape of coming to Chelsea, [293];
• saved from the Prussians in 1813, [294]
• Jena Campaign, in the battle, [127–133];
• Napoleon and the Eagle of the 64th at Jena, [129];
• Eagle of the 76th at bay, [131];
• Eagle pocketed by a soldier, [132–3];
• Eagle of the 111th of the Line at Auerstadt, [135];
• Eagle of the 32nd at Halle, [136–7];
• Eagles paraded at the surrender of Magdeburg, [140];
• in the triumphal march through Berlin, [144];
• trophies paraded in Paris, [147–9];
• half trophies recovered in 1814, [343]
• Jourdan, Marshal, [39], [363]
• Katzbach, incident in battle at the, colonel sacrifices his life for his Eagle by mistake, [296–7]
• Kazan Cathedral, St. Petersburg, Napoleonic trophies in, [150], [263–5], [292]
• Kempt, General, at Waterloo, [393], [407]
• Keogh, Ensign Edward, 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers, heroic attempt to capture Eagle at Barrosa, [232]
• Kleist, General, Governor of Magdeburg, surrenders to Ney, [139], [140–1];
• insulted by his officers, [143]
• Kulm, defeat of Vandamme at, 1813, Eagle of the 17th saved after extraordinary adventures, personal narrative, [297–302]
• Lannes, Marshal, [37], [38], [82], [98], [113], [114], [131], [132], [137], [139], [145], [176], [332], [364]
• Last Eagle presented to a regiment, [433–4]
• Lefebvre-Desnouettes, General, [34], [288], [364]
• Legion of Honour decoration affixed to a regimental standard, [186–7]
• Leipsic, Battle of, fate of the Eagles cut off on right bank of the Elster, [303–6]
• Light Infantry Eagles ordered to be withdrawn, [182]
• Lion proposed as National Emblem of France, [7], [8]
• Lobau, Count, at Waterloo, [383–384], [390], [416–17]
• Lübeck, Blücher’s surrender at, and spoils from, [125], [139]
• Macdonald, Marshal, at Wagram, [210], [211], [283], [293], [294], [318], [364]
• Mack, General, in Ulm Campaign, [61], [62], [71], [72], [82]
• Magdeburg, surrender of, to Marshal Ney, [125], [139–143]
• Mamelukes of the Guard, [24–5], [110]
• Marbot and the Eagle of 14th at Eylau, [158–63]
• Marcognet, General, at Waterloo, [391], [393], [394], [395], [397], [410]
• Marmont, Marshal, [75], [82], [244], [245], [246], [255], [317], [318], [319], [320], [323], [324], [326], [327], [328], [364]
• Masséna, Marshal, [35], [36], [79], [206], [209], [210], [259], [364], [415];
• heroic defence of Aspern, [206–10]
• Masterton, Sergeant, 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers, captor of Eagle at Barrosa, [232–3]
• “Mes braves Enfants de Paris,” Napoleon and 45th of the Line, [395–6]
• Möhringen, surprise of Bernadotte at, [150–3]
• Moncey, Marshal, [38], [149], [363]
• Morlay, Lieutenant, Eagle-bearer of the Old Guard at Eylau, [171]
• Mortier, Marshal, [29], [38], [81–7], [90–4], [106], [288], [317–19], [320], [324], [326], [363]
• Moscow Campaign, Russian trophies, spoils, and other mementoes of the retreat, [263–266];
• fate of Eagles at Borodino, [270–1];
• Cuirassier regiment loses its Eagle and finds it again, [272];
• surprise of Murat, at Vinkovo, [275];
• at Wiasma, the only survivor of a regiment, [276–7];
• after Wiasma, midnight ride of two officers, [282];
• Ney orders the Eagles to be destroyed, [284];
• at Krasnoi, loss of the Eagle of the 18th, [285];
• concentrated near the Imperial Guard, [287];
• at the Beresina, Eagle broken up and buried, [289];
• after the Beresina, Eagles buried in the snow, [290]
• “Moustache,” dog of Chasseurs of Guard, at Austerlitz, [112–13]
• Murat, Prince, King of Naples, [23], [38], [43], [44], [45], [46], [57], [61], [66], [67], [113], [114], [125], [128], [138], [154], [169], [170], [182], [274], [283], [288], [352], [364]
• Napoleon: with Berthier on campaign, [40–1];
• oration at Eagle presentations, [46];
• at the surrender of Ulm, [70–4];
• sees the rout of the 4th at Austerlitz, [109–10];
• at Eylau, [158–9], [169–170], [172–4];
• meeting Eagles on the march, [193];
• numerous wounds of, [201];
• forlorn-hope attempt to save Paris, [319–23];
• during the battle at Waterloo, [386–7], [389–90], [397], [409–10];
• witnesses the rout of the Guard, [409];
• retreating in the square of the Old Guard, [411–14]
• Naval Eagle, only one now existing, [46–50]
• Ney, Marshal, [19], [42], [62], [63], [65–9], [71], [75], [78–9], [80], [82], [130], [131], [136], [139–41], [144], [150], [176], [259], [267], [276–7], [281–6], [288], [291], [293], [303], [318], [336], [354], [357–60], [377], [385], [389], [390–2], [406–8];
• superintends the surrender at Ulm, [70–1];
• defilade of garrison of Magdeburg before, [140–1];
• heroism of, in retreat from Moscow, [281–4], [286];
• orders his Eagles to be destroyed, [284];
• at Waterloo, [390], [2], [406–8].
• Officers’ guard accompanies Eagles throughout Moscow retreat, [286–7], [289–90]
• Official Eagle regulations and instructions, [11], [12], [13], [188–90], [268–9]
• Old Guard, full-dress uniform always carried for triumphal parades, [146], [273], [382];
• Eagle of, at Eylau, [169], [171–2];
• charge of, at Eylau, [170–1];
• how recruited and privileges, [179–80];
• Eagle of, recrosses the Niemen, [291];
• existing Eagle of the Grenadiers, [314–15];
• escort Napoleon from Waterloo, [411–415]
• Oudinot, Marshal, [54], [98], [112], [287], [293], [308], [318], [364]
• Pack, General, Sir Dennis, at Waterloo, [393], [407]
• Percy, Major the Hon. Henry (11th Light Dragoons), brings Wellington’s Waterloo despatch to England, [424–5], [427–428]
• Petit, General, at Waterloo, [311], [312], [313], [314], [350], [412], [413], [417]
• Picton, General Sir Thomas, at Waterloo, [246], [389], [393], [394], [399]
• Pierce, Lieutenant, 66th Regiment, takes Eagle at Salamanca, [253]
• Polytechnic, school flag burned after surrender of Paris, [327]
• Pope and the Coronation, Napoleon’s first views as to presence of in Paris, [3]
• Pratt, Ensign, 30th Regiment, takes Eagle at Salamanca, [254]
• Presentation of Eagles by Napoleon in the field, [194–6], [268–9], [305]
• Prussian army, before Jena, [123–5];
• hopeless demoralisation of after, [125–126], [137–8], [142–3];
• fugitives from Jena cause break-up of Auerstadt troops, [127–8]
• Prussian prisoners in France, Napoleon’s orders in regard to, [46], [7]
• Rapp, Colonel, of the Mamelukes, at Austerlitz, [110–11]
• Ratisbon, heroic fight in defence, [199];
• Eagle of 65th buried in cellar, [197–201]
• Reception of the Old Guard in Paris after Friedland, [177–9]
• Regimental numbers abolished by the Bourbons at Restoration, feeling among the soldiers, [351–2]
• Reille, General, at Waterloo, [381], [382], [383], [384], [385], [388], [410]
• Retiro, Madrid, two Eagles taken at surrender of, now at Chelsea, [259–60]
• Russian Cuirassiers of the Guard at Austerlitz, [108–9]
• St. Cyr, Marshal, [9], [283], [291], [302], [307], [348], [364]
• St. Hilaire, General, at Austerlitz and Eylau, [104], [7], [163]
• St. Petersburg Dragoons take two Eagles at Eylau, [153–4]
• Salamanca, Battle of, [243–5];
• Wellington’s diploma victory, [243];
• Marmont carried wounded off the field, [244];
• charge of Heavy Cavalry at, three regiments ridden down, [250–2];
• two Eagles taken at, [253–5]
• Saving of the Eagle of the Chasseurs of the Guard at Austerlitz, [418–20]
• Schönbrunn review after Austerlitz, 4th of the Line censured by Napoleon at, [116–20]
• Serrurier, Marshal, Governor of the Invalides, [34], [328], [9], [330], [331], [2], [363]
• Smolensk, Eagles in the attack on, [267–8];
• new regiment wins its Eagle at, [268–9]
• Soult, Marshal, [19], [29], [41], [42], [58], [98], [99], [100], [103], [4], [12], [13], [14], [16], [127], [129], [139], [155], [163], [164], [197], [337], [363], [377], [385], [386], [390], [414], [416]
• Spandau, surrender of fortress of, to squadron of hussars, [126]
• State procession of Napoleon to Champ de Mars for presentation of Eagles, [24–30]
• Stettin, surrender of, [126], [138]
• Styles, Corporal, 1st Royal Dragoons, at Waterloo, takes charge of captured Eagle, [402]
• “Temple of Victory” for the trophies of the Grand Army, Napoleon’s proposals for the Madeleine as, [175]
• Trophies taken in the Jena Campaign, Napoleon’s disposal of, [138–9], [141], [144], [147–8]
• Trophy Eagles at Vienna, [204–5], [292]
• Tyrol Campaign, 1805, storming of the heights before Innsbrück by Marshal Ney, Eagles signal main attack, [78–9]
• Ulm Campaign, Eagles in:
• Eagle of 59th at Günsburg, [63];
• Eagle of the 6th Light Infantry heads the attack at Elchingen, [67–8];
• paraded at the surrender of Ulm for the Austrian prisoners to pass before, [69];
• humiliating march past of defeated Austrian army, [69–77];
• trophies sent by Napoleon to Paris, [77–8]
• Vandamme, General, [104], [107], [116], [297], [298], [299], [300], [422]
• Victor, Marshal, [238], [287], [288], [318], [364]
• Vigo-Roussillon, Lieut.-Col., of the 8th of the Line, at Barrosa, [229], [230], [231], [233]
• Villeneuve, Admiral, after Trafalgar, [49], [50], [120], [382]
• Vincennes, Artillery Depôt of, Eagles sent to, for destruction at the Restoration, [346–7], [434]
• Wagram Campaign:
• Eagle of the 65th hidden in a cellar at Ratisbon, wrapped in Austrian flags, unearthed, and presented to Napoleon, [200–1];
• “One against ten,” the Eagle of the 84th, [202–4];
• Eagle of the 9th buried on the battlefield at Aspern, [204];
• Eagles of the 35th, 95th, and 106th taken, [204–5];
• Macdonald’s column at Wagram; five regiments rally round their Eagles, [212–13]
• Waterloo Campaign:
• Eagles in, Napoleon’s parade of, before the battle, [380–2];
• taking of Eagle of the 45th, [396–7];
• two other Eagles stated to have been taken and recovered, [398–9], [403–5];
• “fanion” of the 45th taken and lost while on the march, [399];
• taking of the Eagle of the 105th, [400–3];
• “fanion” of the 105th found at Abbotsford, [403];
• Eagle of the 1st of the Line before Hougoumont saved by colonel, [405];
• Eagles of the Guard in the last attack, [406];
• Eagles of the 8th and 95th, [408];
• Eagle of the Old Guard escorts Napoleon off the field, [412–14];
• news of, in London, [426–9];
• in Paris, [429].
• Wellington, mentioned, [51], [223], [224], [8], [33], [34], [242], [243], [245], [246], [250], [253], [259], [260], [336], [380], [383], [384], [385], [388], [389], [390], [399], [400], [404], [424], [429]

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