DESCRIPTION:
The Captain Jean Roch Coignet really existed.

He represents the new possibilities of social advancement which allowed in Europe the revolution, the French Republic and the Empire, promotion in reasons of its merits and not because of its social status

Poor peasant was born in august 16, 1776 in the little village of Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines (Yonne), entered soldier illiterate in the citizen army of the young French Republic attacked of all share in 1799, he finishes, after having learned how to read and write, Captain in the Imperial Guard of Napoleon and the Empire in 1815 (he was in Waterloo)

Historical character marking of the imperial "Old guard", he is one of largest grenaders of Napoleon and the image even of "Vieux Grognard" as we can imagine them, "grognon" but faithful until the end

He is the first decorated by the "Legion d'Honneur" of the first promotion of the history and by the emperor himself on June 14, 1804 in Paris (in "Invalides")

He took part in all the campaigns of the Consulate and of the Empire and was never wounded in the combats during 16 campaigns and 48 battles between 1799 and 1815 !!!

After the defeat vs the "coalition" of all kingdoms of Europe, he opened a tobacconist's shop in the City of Auxerre

he benefitted from it to write its memories of campaigns which were published later under the title of "Les cahiers du Capitaine Coignet" ("the books of the Captain Coignet")

He died in Auxerre in 1865

"Voilà un brave !!!" ("Here is a brave man !!!")


You see here an extract of a french TV serie of the seventies do in following its books who show grenaders of the Republic (the empire was not founded yet and we are under the Consulate) singing the famous patriotic song "Le Chant du départ", "La victoire en chantant", the song will become the official Anthem of the empire
(special thks to my friend maximumuse for this video)

!!!!!!!!
Singing Victory is opening the barrier for us;
Freedom is leading our steps,
And from the North to the South the war trumpet sounded
The hour for the fights.
Tremble, enemies of France,
Kings drunk of blood and pride!
The sovereign people is coming;
Tyrants go down in coffins.

The Republic is calling us,
Let's know vanquish or let's know perish;
A French man must live for it,
For it, a French man must die. (bis - the two last verses)
...

I put here english subtitles
Sorry for my bad english but i think that you will understand despite that ;-)