The IV Corps of the Grande Armée was a French military unit that existed during the Napoleonic Wars. It consisted of several different units and commanders.
The IV Corps formed part of the extended center of the French line at the Battle 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 General Kutuzov almost broke through the line of IV Corps, but aid from Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte's I Corps allowed the French to maintain their control of the Heights. The survivors then moved south and enveloped General Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden's column, sending the Allies into a retreat.[3]
War of the Fourth Coalition
The corps formed the right wing of the French line at the Battle of Jena in October 1806.[1][4] At Eylau in February 1807, the corps was beaten back by the Russian Army under Generals Tutchkov and Dmitry Dokhturov.[5]
In 1808, Soult was transferred to Spain, where he took command of the II Corps in the Peninsular War.[1]
Corps artillery under General de division d'Anthouard de Vraincourt
Later, it also fought at the battles of Malojaroslavec and Viazma. The corps suffered heavy casualties during the retreat. In the Battle of Krasnoi it was cut off from Napoleon and the Viceroy of Italy refused to surrender.[7] The remnants made a detour.
