Swiss troops at the Battle of Wavre, 1815
The Swiss Foot was the name given to regiments of mercenary infantry from Switzerland during the Napoleonic era. Four regiments (8,000 men) of Swiss troops served in the Grande Armee of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars, and it was the Swiss who covered the French retreat at the Battle of Berezina in 1812 while under Russian fire. Their brave service, which was survived by just 300 troops, was immortalized in the song "Beresinalied".