2nd Regiment Gardes d'Honneur

They're Baaaack!

The 2nd Regiment of the Gardes d' Honneur was raised from the 2nd (Mézières), 3rd (Metz), 4th (Nancy), 5th (Strasbourg), 17th ( Amsterdam ), 18th (Dijon ), 25th (Wesel), 26th (Mainz), 28th (Genoa) Military Divisions. 

Thus it can be seen that a fair number of recruits, while citizens of the Empire, were not part of the main body of France. The loyalty of these men, and of some of the nobility (as potential Royalist supporters) was suspect, thus as well as a source of troops, so in some ways these troops were hostages as well. Indeed, their nickname in the Army was "The Hostages"!

  The Guards of Honor were complimented on their conduct at Hanau by Napoleon and a number of its soldiers were awarded the Legion of Honor. By December morale in the Gardes remained high, though it was notably lower among the troopers of foreign origin. 

It saw action at Leipzig, Worms, and Mayence. 

The 2nd Regiment was disbanded on July, 15, 1814. About 900 men of the Gardes d' Honneur from the French Departments were taken into the the Bodyguard of King Louis XVIII, the Gardes du Corps.