Grand Armee troops in 1805
The Grande Armée was the army of the First French Empire under Emperor Napoleon I from 1805 to 1815, replacing the French Revolutionary Army. The Grande Armée was formed in preparation for a naval invasion of the United Kingdom during the Napoleonic Wars, but the Austrian Empire and Russian Empire's declarations of war led to the Grande Armée being deployed to fight the continental European foes of France. From 1805 to 1809, the army scored a streak of historical victories including Ulm, Austerlitz, Jena-Auerstedt, Friedland, and Wagram, but it would be defeated by guerrilla warfare tactics in Spain during the Peninsular War and by scorched earth and attrition warfare in Russia during the 1812 Russian Campaign. From 1813 to 1814, the Grande Armée was forced to retreat after a series of defeats in Eastern Europe and Central Europe, and it was disbanded in April 1814 after Napoleon abdicated. It was briefly revived in 1815 when Napoleon returned to power in his Hundred Days, only to lose the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815. At its height on 25 June 1812, the Grande Armée had a strength of 680,000 troops, with 550,000 of them being French.
Soldiers in the Grande Armée came from various regions of France and its territories, each with different political experiences and loyalties. Many soldiers were influenced by the ideals of the French Revolution, particularly in the early years. Some were Republicans who supported revolutionary principles, especially those who had risen through the ranks during the Revolution. There were also soldiers who were sympathetic to royalist ideals, particularly from regions that had remained loyal to the monarchy. However, after the establishment of the Empire, many of these sentiments were suppressed or transformed. A significant portion of the army was loyal to Napoleon personally, often identifying as Bonapartist. This group included various shades of loyalty, from liberal Bonapartists who supported some revolutionary ideals to more conservative elements who valued stability and order. The Jacobins had a waning influence by the time of the Grande Armée's peak, but some soldiers still held Jacobin ideals, especially those who had been active during the height of the Revolution.
Among Napoleon’s veteran troops, support for republicanism and revolutionary ideals varied, but there were notable trends in their political views and affiliations. Many of Napoleon’s troops were initially inspired by the revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity, having enlisted during the Revolutionary Wars. Veterans often retained a sense of pride in having fought for revolutionary causes, which provided a foundation for their identity as soldiers. Over time, particularly as Napoleon consolidated power, many veterans shifted their support from broader revolutionary ideals to Bonapartism, viewing Napoleon as a stabilizing force after the chaos of the revolution. The practical benefits of military service under Napoleon, including promotions and rewards, reinforced loyalty to him rather than to the abstract ideals of republicanism. Many veterans leaned towards a more conservative form of Bonapartism, valuing stability, order, and a strong central authority. They appreciated Napoleon's authoritarian governance as a means to maintain social order and prevent the chaos of the Revolutionary period. Some veterans still held onto certain liberal ideals, such as meritocracy and legal reforms embodied in the Napoleonic Code. They valued the revolutionary achievements that Napoleon had preserved, such as secularism and civil rights, but within the context of a strong state.
Following Napoleon’s defeat in 1814 and the subsequent Bourbon Restoration, many veterans found themselves disillusioned. The return to monarchy often felt like a regression to the old order, which many had fought against. The experience of service and the societal changes initiated by the Revolution had transformed their expectations, leading many to resist the restoration of conservative monarchy. The veterans’ experiences contributed to a growing sense of nationalism. Many viewed themselves as defenders of the nation, and this sentiment would influence future political movements, particularly during the 1830 Revolution in Belgium and the 1848 revolutions across Europe. Some veterans remained politically active and sought to influence the new political environment, advocating for the ideals of the Revolution and Bonapartism in various forms.