polish napoleonic period polish known napoleonic period polish military units served mainly units continued serve partition poland poles believed allies come poland aid france enemies included poland prussia austria polish soldiers officers volunteers emigrated especially italy leading expression polish italy france joined forces local military number polish recruits soon reached thousands support polish military units formed bearing polish military ranks commanded polish officers known polish polish army exile french command best known polish commanders included polish serving alongside napoleonic wars saw combat napoleon campaigns west_indies italy egypt created veterans formed core army raised force fought victorious war austria fight alongside french army numerous campaigns culminating disastrous invasion russia marked end napoleonic empire including allied states like numbers historians degree uncertainty period existed notes activity falls years defines units operated similarly davies defines time existence years polish defines units operating period reorganized brigades polish notes ended death personnel campaign concluded history polish works describe operations polish units french period smaller formations existed time notable existed estimates strength polish vary believed men served ranks time course existence estimate period davies suggests period offer estimate period soldiers came ranks percent drawn nobility origins partition poland poles believed revolutionary france public opinion sympathetic ideals polish constitution come poland aid france enemies included poland prussia austria paris seat polish organizations laying claim polish government exile agency polish soldiers officers volunteers emigrated especially italy france eventually agency successful convincing french government organize polish military unit french constitution allow employment foreign troops french soil french decided use poles bolster allies italy high ranking officer army polish lithuanian commonwealth began work year total destruction commonwealth time went paris later milan idea received support saw poles promising source new recruits appeared receptive idea poland soon authorized french allied create polish army newly created republic agreement drafted napoleon signed january marked formal creation operational history war coalition polish italy polish soldiers serving granted citizenship paid wage troops allowed use unique polish style uniforms french symbols commanded polish speakers early february legion strong having bolstered arrival new recruits deserted austrian army austrians allies italy march garrisoned end month took combat days end april ranks legion time lobbied plan push polish territories eventually rejected napoleon instead decided use troops italian april legion took uprising known treaty signed month promised peace austrians french blow polish morale correctly assumed sources vary regards singular expanded multiple note legion reorganized formations commanded second numbering infantry counting artillery support davies states formed july suppressed insurrection time treaty signed october resulted short period relative peace hopeful renewal war seen pro french foreign forces poles helped french secure putting peasant revolts garrisoned rome entered obtained number trophies roman representative polish king sent victory ottoman_empire siege vienna ottoman standard subsequently colors accompanying end fighting anti french forces defeating battle december soon afterward supplies captured fortress allowed creation legion cavalry unit poles fought naples january war second coalition italian end beginning marked beginning war second coalition year formation legion new series struggles proved difficult anti french coalition advanced italy elite french units napoleon egypt overall saw significant casualties legion general fought russians june suffered heavy casualties battalions survived battle wounded polish fought battle july second battle september suffered heavily particularly battles march april estimated lost half thirds complement men commander general killed battle april remainder second legion garrison soon placed siege austrians finally end siege april july french commander decided release polish soldiers austrian custody austrians claimed marked end small number poles able evade capture french allowed withdraw forces condition remain neutral war second coalition german end reorganized france napoleon ascended power consul decreed foreign troops serve february remnants italian reorganized near strong unit soon reduced legion fought sources vary organized strong legion danube legion fight austrians bavaria bolstered cavalry unit fought fortress armistice july polish forces fought december according davies danube legion suffer significant casualties short period battle end campaign december year size decreased treaty february disappointment mention poland transferred police duties morale weakened poles fights directly affect chance poland regaining independence including general felt french resigned remained command reorganized milan strong units march december reorganized french government brigades italian legion forming core second foreign brigades danube second legion foreign brigade campaign france sent brigades strong haiti revolution caribbean island haiti known napoleon wanted regain colony preferred save main french army important matters closer home polish units accompanied contingents germans swiss french allies french units fallen favour napoleon french high command campaign proved disastrous combat casualties tropical diseases including yellow fever reduced strong polish contingent survivors space years time french forces retreated island poles died disease combat survivors remained island dozen dispersed nearby islands united_states returned france claims sent returned poles little interest desire support french cause distant colonies fighting people desired independence haiti popular myth polish soldiers sympathetic slaves cause deserted french supporting significant numbers entire units changing sides fact actual rate lower nonetheless polish soldiers joined rebels loss patriotic military personnel caribbean blow polish aspirations regaining independence experience cast doubts poles france napoleon good intentions poland wars fourth coalition war coalition polish troops italy renamed 1st legion attached left old brigade consisting infantry regiment cavalry regiment service fought franco turning austrian attack november july suffered severe defeat polish officers served french army allied formations war fourth coalition napoleon decided encourage polish prussian army september decreed creation northern legion general napoleon want commit polish cause legion explicitly polish napoleon words gathering children north french armies including legion units defeated battle poles entered polish territories near city resulted influx recruits legion year later napoleon having defeated russian armies met russian alexander ensuing negotiations agreed new small polish state french control created creation main period active chose remain french forces fought italy veteran formed new february remaining infantry cavalry regiments continued french service italy reorganized near polish italian legion new infantry regiments added newly liberated polish lands february legion relocated france reinforced poles french formations incorporated french army march year legion officially named strength july napoleon attempted form second polish polish prisoners war new formation attract sufficient recruits merged original war spain gained fame battle small polish force managed defeat anglo spanish expeditionary force capturing commander process troops served napoleon polish regiment distinguished battle polish cavalry regiment fought spain distinguished times including battle destroyed british infantry brigade conflict inspired british create units equipped polish style uniforms weapons napoleon entered russia poles rallied napoleon hope commonwealth withdrawn spain early reorganized division planned strength fully attained napoleon invasion forces poles formed largest foreign contingent strong entire french strong unit cross grand entered russia unit enter moscow distinguished battle personally saved napoleon life units served rear guard napoleon retreat later led claim enter leave russia sustained heavy losses campaign original strong contingent returned elite entering russia strong strength end campaign definitive end polish came conclusion napoleon career abolition occupied prussian russian troops following napoleon retreat russia polish troops remained loyal bitter end polish units holding ground battles leipzig october october sustained major losses legion recreated early fought napoleon defeat war sixth coalition napoleon forced exile unit allowed guards polish poles returned polish territories unit men colonel fought napoleon final campaign days participating napoleon second final defeat said accompanied exile assessment remembrance analyzing creation polish historians argued napoleon poles source recruits little desire invest creation polish state notable napoleon contemporary polish detractors refused join arguing napoleon restore poland form regard stated created napoleon supported polish sovereignty memory napoleon polish strong poland napoleon regarded hero napoleon reputed said poles equal enemy soldiers despite destruction legendary poland helping spread civic democratic ideals french revolution country formed later notable source themes contained future polish national anthem poland lost created anthem includes words promising return polish army italy poland states poland lost long live reference polish fiction song novel origin isbn
Polish Legions (Napoleonic period)