“Moustache” was born in 1799 to a grocer living in Caen, and lived the life of, well, a grocer’s dog. Perhaps it was the uniforms that attracted him, or maybe it was the call of adventure, but one day, “Moustache” chose to follow behind the 40th Regiment of grenadier passing through town. After three days, the drum major took him in, and thus began the adventure of “Moustache.”
And an adventure it was. Though the little dog wasn’t trained to be a military dog, he took to military life swimmingly. When the regiment marched to Italy to fight the combined forces of the Austrians and the Italians, “Moustache” was there. During the Battle of Marengo, he saved a Warrant Officer being attacked by an enemy’s dog that was far bigger and stronger than “Moustache.” “Outdogged,” “Moustache” engaged the Austrian dog until the other dog was shot dead, but lost an ear from the musket ball that shot the other dog. “Moustache” was now officially a grenadier entitled to a grenadier’s rations, and entitled to a visit to the unit’s barber once a week for a proper grooming.
When Napoleon had one of his finest victories at the Battle of Austerlitz, “Moustache” was there. When “Moustache” ran into a group of Russian soldiers who’d just felled the French standard bearer and came back with the regimental standard, he prevented its capture by the enemy. For the incredible courage shown in saving the regimental banner, “Moustache” was awarded a specially minted silver medal.
“Moustache” was a true dog of war who ultimately met his end in 1812 at the Battle of Badajoz in Spain when he fell to a cannonball. Not many can claim to have participated in both the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic War, but “Moustache” did. The brave, black Barbet was already being written about in 1826, and in England, no less, a tribute given that Anglo-French relations at the time were less than friendly.
Barbet by LA Shepard
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Napopleon’s “barbet” was at the time in France, a synonym for a poodle. The word barbet is a generic word to describe a dog with a beard and a long coat. The dog can be any size. Standards clarified the issue and the Barbet was/is a GUNDOG, cousin to the Griffon Boulet and used in making the Korthals. those are documented fact. The Barbet MODERNE,was re-created by Jean Claude HERMANS in the 1980’s, by crossing standard Poodles together and adding some dogs with unknown origins.The Modern breed is not old.
Thanks for the additional insight into this, Elaine.
Hopefully you won’t mind me passing along info on “Moustache, A Dog In Napoleon’s Army”, a screenplay centered on this same brave hero!
Vive L’Empereur!