| IV Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1805–1807 1812–1814 1815 |
| Country |  First French Empire |
| Branch | French Imperial Army |
| Size | Corps |
| Engagements | War of the Third Coalition War of the Fourth Coalition Russian campaign War of the Sixth Coalition War of the Seventh Coalition |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Eugène de Beauharnais Henri Gatien Bertrand Étienne Maurice Gérard François Joseph Lefebvre André Masséna Horace François Sébastiani Jean-de-Dieu Soult |
TheIV Corps of theGrande Armée was a French military unit that existed during theNapoleonic Wars. It consisted of several different units and commanders.
The corps was formed in 1805, withMarshalJean-de-Dieu Soult being appointed as its commander.[1]
The IV Corps formed part of the extended center of the French line at theBattle of Austerlitz in December 1805.[2] During the battle, Napoleon ordered Soult to attack the Pratzen Heights, from which the Allies had been attacking the French right wing. Repeated attacks from the Russians under GeneralKutuzov almost broke through the line of IV Corps, but aid from MarshalJean-Baptiste Bernadotte'sI Corps allowed the French to maintain their control of the Heights. The survivors then moved south and enveloped GeneralFriedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden's column, sending the Allies into a retreat.[3]
The corps formed the right wing of the French line at theBattle of Jena in October 1806.[1][4] AtEylau in February 1807, the corps was beaten back by the Russian Army under Generals Tutchkov andDmitry Dokhturov.[5]
In 1808, Soult was transferred to Spain, where he took command of theII Corps in thePeninsular War.[1]
The corps consisted mainly of troops from theKingdom of Italy by the time of theinvasion of Russia in 1812. It was commanded byNapoleon's stepsonEugène de Beauharnais. The corps participated in theBattle of Borodino,[6] where it formed the left wing of the French line. Commanders at Borodino:
Later, it also fought at the battles of Malojaroslavec and Viazma. The corps suffered heavy casualties during the retreat. In theBattle of Krasnoi it was cut off from Napoleon and theViceroy of Italy refused to surrender.[7] The remnants made a detour.
Under the command of GeneralHenri Gatien Bertrand, it took part in the battles ofLützen,Großbeeren,Dennewitz,Wartenburg andLeipzig.
The corps was headed by GeneralÉtienne Maurice Gérard in 1815 and took part in theBattle of Ligny and theBattle of Waterloo.