Scientists have identified the presence of deadly bacteria in the DNA of Napoleon’s soldiers, offering new insights into the causes of death during the catastrophic 1812 retreat from Russia. A study published in the journal Current Biology analyzed DNA from the teeth of French soldiers buried in a mass grave in Vilnius, Lithuania, revealing that paratyphoid fever and louse-borne relapsing fever were significant contributors to the high mortality rate.
Historians have long documented the extreme conditions faced by Napoleon’s Grande Armée during the Russian campaign, including the harsh winter, dwindling supplies, and fierce counterattacks. However, this new research provides concrete evidence of the role of infectious diseases in the soldiers’ demise. The study’s lead author, Nicolás Rascovan, noted that the findings help to clarify the medical challenges the soldiers faced, as well as the impact of poor sanitation and crowded living conditions on the spread of disease.
The mass grave in Vilnius, which contains the remains of up to 3,000 soldiers, was a critical waypoint during the 1812 retreat. Rascovan highlighted that the soldiers arrived in a state of exhaustion, starvation, and illness, leading to many deaths and rapid burial. The study’s analysis of the soldiers’ remains, including the identification of four cases of paratyphoid fever and two of louse-borne relapsing fever, illustrates how the combination of environmental stressors and infectious diseases contributed to the Grande Armée’s collapse.
Rascovan emphasized that these findings provide a more nuanced understanding of the historical events, as well as the broader implications for studying historical pandemics and disease spread. The research underscores the importance of paleomicrobiology in uncovering the medical history of past conflicts and highlights the ongoing relevance of understanding how infectious diseases interact with human populations under extreme conditions.