15 Only Surviving Photos Of Veterans of the Napoleonic Wars

In 1815, Napoléon Bonaparte and his Grande Armée were finally defeated during the Battle of Waterloo. Even after Napoléon’s death in 1821, the warriors who fought with him continued to revere him and pay their respects every 5th of May — the anniversary of his death.

Wearing the uniforms they fought in, complete with epaulettes, medals, sashes, plumes and swords, the proud veterans marched to Paris’ Place Vendôme to pay homage to the Emperor.

It was during one of these occasions that these photographs were taken, possibly in 1858, when these men were well into their 70s and 80s. These are their only surviving images.

Grenadier Burg, 24th Regiment of the Guard, 1815

nw1

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Mauban, 8th Dragoon Regiment, 1815

nw2

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Moret, 2nd Regiment, 1814-15

nw3

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

[wp_ad_camp_2]

Monsieur Ducel Mameluke de la Garde, 1813-1815

nw4

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Vitry, Departmental Guard

nw5

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Dupont, Fourier for the 1st Hussar

nw6

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Quartermaster Fabry, 1st Hussars

nw7

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Schmit, 2nd Mounted Chasseur Regiment, 1813-14

nw8

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Maire, 7th Hussars, c. 1809-15

nw9

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Quartermaster Sergeant Delignon, in the uniform of a Mounted Chasseur of the Guard, 1809-1815

nw10

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Sergeant Taria, Grenadiere de la Garde, 1809-1815

nw11

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Loria, 24th Mounted Chasseur, Regiment Chevalier of the Legion of Honor

nw12

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Lefebre, Sergeant 2nd Regiment of Engineers, 1815

nw13

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Dreuse of 2nd Light Horse Lancers of the Guard, c. 1813-14

nw14

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Monsieur Verlinde of the 2nd Lancers, 1815

nw15

BROWN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Credit: Brown University Library

The base and railings of the column of the Place Vendôme appear this day decked out with the annual offerings to the memory of the man whose statue adorns the summit. The display of garlands of immortelles, and other tributes of the kind, is greater than usual…the old soldiers of the Empire performed their usual homage yesterday at the same place.”

– as noted by the Times of London in May 1855