After the Schönbrunn peace treaty in October 1809 there were so-called "peaceful" provinces: Istria, Dalmatia, Carniola and others among the Illyrian Provinces. There were not only those who were accustomed to fight guarding the border against the attacks of the Turks (eg militant Croatia).
The Military service was not traditional for the residents of these newly clicked to France. Therefore, the decree of November 16th, 1810 was ordered to create a military formation from the natives of peaceful provinces by conscription. French officers were appointed as officers as well as those who had previously served in the Austrian military service and who was a native of Illyria. Soon the established part was called "Illyrian Regiment".
Formation of the Illyrian Regiment was completed on May 8th, 1811. It was consisted of former captive natives of the provinces of Illyria, Istria and Fiume. Besides the French, Belgians and former officers of the Austrian were about a third of soldiers in the regiment.
In 1812, the regiment was commanded by Colonel Nicolas Shmitz. Under his command there were the 1st, the 2nd, the 3rd and the 4th fighting battalions of the regiment. On July 24th, 1812 it was comprised of 65 officers and 2,505 lower ranks. The regiment was in the 1st Brigade of the 11th Infantry Division (which was under the command of Major-General Baron Jean Nicolas Razu) of the Third Army Corps of Marshal Ney.
As soon as the regiment had acted in the campaign the troubles appeared. Illness and disorder demoralized the personnel of the regiment and significantly reduced its numbers. However, the main problem in the regiment was a desertion. Till July 12th, 1812 about 800 people disappeared from the regiment. For this reason, the regiment was left by a garrison in Kovno .
By the time of the second battle in Krasnoe on November 18th there were only about 400 people in the regiment. In this battle the regiment lost only nine killed and 20 wounded officers.
Also regimental commander Nicolas Schmitz was injured.
Marshal Ney who was a Commander of the Third Corps noted the courage of
the soldiers and officers who fought in the Illyrian Regiment. All who
remain in service fought valiantly under Smorgon and Vilna.
The regiment participated in the battles in such cities as: Ostrovno, Krasnoe, Smorgon, Vilna, Yuterbog, Leipzig .
Eventually, the regiment was almost destroyed and ceased to exist. In
1813, the remains of the personnel of the regiment became a part of the
3rd colonial battalion.
Illyrian Regiment
Large and small buttons of the Illyrian Regiment of the French Army.
Buttons were made by casting into a metal mold. Drawing on the button
symbolizes a belonging to the regiment of light infantry. The
inscription "Reg. De Illyrie" is in huntsman’s horn. Besides, around the
circle of the buttons there are two inscriptions that written on the
top (EMPIRE) and under huntsman’s horn (FRANCAIS).
The regimental buttons of the Illyrian Regiment are rare, so they could
be classified as R 3, using the rarity scale from 0 to 5.
In any case, the buttons which are made of tin are almost always caught with broken edges or they just crumble in your hands. Large buttons of bigger mass and volume of metal are destroyed less intensively than small though it is hard to find them in a good condition.
It happens because of the so-called "tin pest". Because of that tin buttons and other parts of the uniform that made of tin just fall apart, becoming completely inaccessible to historians and collectors.
Officers’ buttons are found only in single copies and we can evaluate their rarity only approximately. Several officers’ buttons were found near Oshmyany and Vileika area. They are the silver buttons the inscriptions that are repeating the buttons of lower ranks of the regiment. The basis for the officers' buttons could serve as wood, bone or brass round plate with solder "eye " for attaching it to the unif
