Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)

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The Imperial Guard (French: Garde Impériale) was the imperial guard formation of the French Imperial Army. Under the direct command of Napoleon, the formation expanded considerably over time and acted as his personal bodyguard and tactical reserve. The Imperial Guard was divided into a general staff and infantry, cavalry and artillery regiments along with battalions of sappers and marines. It distinguished between experienced veterans and less experienced members by being separated into three formations: the Old Guard, Middle Guard and Young Guard. The Young Guard was virtually annihilated in the Battle of Krasnoi during the French invasion of Russia.