Note 135 — SECTION III: CHAPTER III

Bessières’ army seems to have consisted of the following elements:—

Infantry. Cavalry.

(1) One regiment of the Fusiliers of the Imperial Guard (three batts.) 1,900

Three squadrons of cavalry of the Imperial Guard 300

(2) From Verdier’s Division:

Ducos’ Brigade

13th Provisional Regiment (four batts.) 2,000

14th Provisional Regiment (one batt.)^a 500

Sabathier’s Brigade

17th Provisional Regiment (four batts.), and

18th Provisional Regiment (four batts.)^b 2,800

(3) From Merle’s Division:

D’Armagnac’s Brigade

47th of the Line (one batt.)^c, and

3rd Swiss Regiment (one batt.) 1,600

(4) From Mouton’s Division:

Reynaud’s Brigade

4th Léger (three batts.), and

15th of the Line (two batts.)^d 3,000

(5) Lasalle’s Cavalry Brigade:

10th Chasseurs, and

22nd Chasseurs 850

11,800 1,150

We may add 750 men for the five batteries of artillery and the train, and so get a total strength of 13,700. Napoleon (Corresp., 14,213) called the force 15,000.

Note a: The other three batts. of the 14th were with Verdier at Saragossa. This odd battalion was in the battle attached to D’Armagnac’s brigade. Merle was given Ducos’ and D’Armagnac’s brigades to make up a division.

Note b: These battalions were much weakened by detachments.

Note c: A very strong battalion: it was 1,200 strong on June 1, and must still have had 1,000 bayonets.

Note d: Both regiments were incomplete, having dropped men at Vittoria and Burgos.