La Grande Armée (Episode 2) - The Infantry & Officer Corps [64:49-66:24]

Now that we've thoroughly explored life in the infantry of La Grande Arme, it's time to meet the men who led them, the Officer Corps. No army can function without solid leadership, and then this regard La Grande Arme was fortunate. Napoleon inherited a highly experienced and competent Officer Corps. Junior officers, lieutenants on up to captains, were battle-tested veterans. Senior officers, being colonels on up to generals, were highly adept tacticians and strategists. The font of this talent was twofold, France's military schools and the crucible of combat. With France engaged to near continuously from 1792 to 1802, incompetence was soon spotlighted. Reform and professionalization cleared the chaff, resulting in by 1804, the superb French Officer Corps that led Napoleon's armies throughout his rule. These officers came from two places, both of which will cover in a bit of detail to get an idea of the Officer Corps' demography. The smallest portion were a continuation of Royal Army officers who supported the Revolution and remained in service, managing the tightrope act of keeping their stations and their heads through the turn of Revolution. All Officer positions, say for a smattering of junior ranks, had been monopolized by the French nobility, specifically the Noblesse Tepé, Nobles of the Sword. Richard, Noblesse Tepé, from prestigious lineages, dominated the senior ranks, while Noblesse Tepé of Humblemines filled the junior ranks. Some former nobles who served the Revolution and later Empire include