| Napoleon’s Irish Legion was created in August | | | | Europe, Napoleon turned his attention East. The |
| 1803 with a view to spearheading an invasion of | | | | Legion were involved in combat with English |
| Ireland. Napoleon thought that the force would be | | | | forces at Walcheren Island outside Antwerp in |
| regarded as a liberating force rather than an | | | | 1809. From 1808-1813 they were involved in the |
| invading one, few French troops would need to be | | | | Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal where they |
| committed and it would tie up a good number of | | | | served with honour at the Siege of Astorga, the |
| English troops. To achieve these goals, the Legion | | | | Siege of Almeida, the invasion of Portugal, the |
| was expanded from battalion to regiment, men | | | | Battle of Busacco and the Battle of Fuentes de |
| were recruited from Scottish and Irish Jacobite | | | | Onor. In 1812 they were drafted east to fight the |
| expatriates, POW camps, press-ganged Irish | | | | Russians where they fought at the Battle of |
| sailors and German and Polish recruits. It was a | | | | Bautzen under the direct order of Napoleon |
| truly multi-national force, with commands given in | | | | himself. During the course of this campaign the |
| French but officers and troops conversing in their | | | | Legion were to suffer horrendous casualties with |
| own native tongues. The Regiment received | | | | only 117 of the initial 2,000 men surviving the first |
| it’s own flag and an eagle, on one side of the | | | | eight months. After the abdication of Napoleon in |
| flag was a large gold harp with the motto, | | | | 1814, the Irish Regiment were re-organised by |
| L’Independence D’Irlande and on the | | | | the Bourbon government, they lost their |
| other was the inscription Napoleon Empereur Des | | | | distinctive green uniforms which were replaced by |
| Francais A La Legion Irlandaise. Their original | | | | sky blue uniforms. During the Hundred Days War, |
| purpose was thwarted as plans for an invasion of | | | | Louis XVIII requested the Regiment to join with |
| Ireland were shelved after the British victory over | | | | him, they replied that they would gladly escort |
| the combined French and Spanish fleets at the | | | | him to the frontier but that they would never |
| Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. With Russia and | | | | fight against their adopted country of France. |
| Austria preparing to renew the struggle in Central | | | | |