La Grande Armée (Episode 2) - The Infantry & Officer Corps [63:25-64:46]

and a long bayonet. You can imagine Lagranda may making quite the racket as it marched with the sound of thousands of pots and pans, swords and scabbards clanging together. All of this equipment, official or not weighed nearly 30 kilos. Perhaps it's unsurprising then that many soldiers ditched everything that wasn't essential. Kitchen utensils went first, either sold to locals or dumped at the roadside. The space freed up was filled with whatever the soldier deemed essential, be it food, ammunition or war trophies taken in battle. On the return trip for the campaign, the ratio tipped in favour of valuables to trade for favours or sell back home. Of course, officers noted general lack of discipline when it came to keeping army equipment. As a campaign dragged on, it fell on the officers to make good the shortfall. Sometimes, with purchases at their own expense, sometimes by requisition. Some companies, even entire regiments, faced strict punishments for failing to return a full load of equipment. Many weren't even permitted to ditch their kit before battle for fear they'd simply be discarded. Even so, no punishment or entreaty could convince the soldiers to carry shovels or picks for entrenchment work. Following some cursory experiments, the moping proved too great. After all, said the soldiers, that's what the engineers are for.