Memoirs of Sergeant Bourgogne, 1812-1813

A young man from a modest cloth‑merchant family, he entered the elite Vélites of the Guard with a dream of glory. Their rigorous training in writing, arithmetic and gymnastics prepared him for the harsh realities of war, and he soon found himself marching into Poland in 1806, earning his first promotion to corporal. Over the next few years he fought in Austria, Spain and Portugal, sustaining wounds at Essling and learning the brutal rhythm of campaign life.

By 1812 he had risen to sergeant and joined Napoleon’s grand march toward Russia. His notes capture the stark contrast between the grandeur of the Imperial Guard and the grim suffering of ordinary soldiers—snow‑bound marches, dwindling rations, and the eerie, drunken organ music that echoed through a ruined Smolensk church. Through candid sketches and personal reflections, he reveals the psychological toll of endless reverses, the camaraderie that sustains men, and the moments of unexpected kindness that flicker amid the chaos. The memoir offers a vivid, ground‑level portrait of a soldier’s world during the Napoleonic era.