Victrix Miniatures Napoleon's Old Guard Grenadiers
The Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard were formed on May 18th 1804. They were soldiers of exceptional loyalty and experience, and operated as Napoleon's bodyguard and tactical reserve under the Emperor's direct control.

Initially there was only one regiment of Grenadiers, made up of two Battalions. They saw action in such famous battles as Austerlitz in 1805 where they punched a hole through the allies' centre on the Pratzen Heights and fought valiantly at Jena were they helped crush the Prussian army in 1807. By 1808 they had marched into the frozen winter of Eastern Europe fighting the Russians to a standstill at Eylau followed a few months later by defeating the Russians at Freidland. By 1809 the Guard were facing the Austrians again at the battle of Wagram where they acquitted themselves valiantly in this great French victory.
Napoleon expanded the Imperial Guard in 1810, adding a second regiment of Grenadiers. In 1811 a third regiment was added with the incorporation of his brother Louis Bonaparte's Dutch Grenadiers. All three regiments went on the campaign against Russia in 1812. The 3rd Grenadiers were all but killed or captured during the ill-fated venture but the rest of the Old Guard was able to act as a rock of stability to the remnants of the shattered Grand Armee during its retreat through the freezing wastes of Russia.

The Grenadiers fought hard during the 1813 campaign against the allied armies of Europe and the subsequent 1814 campaign in the defence of France. They were victorious in every action but they were too few. Not even ‘les Grognards' as they were known could prevent the collapse of France and Napoleon's abdication.

On Napoleon's return to France in 1815 he raised four regiments of Guard Grenadiers. Although a shadow of their former glory they were still formidable soldiers. The first and second Grenadiers being composed of many veterans of over twenty campaigns and bearing the legion of honour and were the Elite of the French army at Waterloo.

At Waterloo the Guard Chasseurs were driven back in retreat for the first time in their history. The Grenadiers helped cover the withdrawal of the army and many died where they stood rather than lay down their arms.

The Grenadiers were the epitome of bravery, loyalty. Summed up by the immortal words of General Pierre Cambronne of the Guard when asked to surrender at Waterloo, ‘La Garde meurt mais ne se rend pas!' ‘The Guard dies but never surrenders'.