Moustache (dog)

Moustache

An engraving of Moustache at the Battle of Austerlitz, from 1836
Other name(s)	Mous, Mustache
Species	Dog
Breed	Barbet
Sex	Male
Born	Approx. September 1799 Falaise, Normandy, France
Died	11 March 1812 (aged about 12) Badajoz, Spain
Resting place	Badajoz, Spain
Nation from	French
Occupation	Military dog
Employer	French Army
Years active	1800–1812
Known for	Participating in several battles of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
Awards	Awarded a medal by Marshal Jean Lannes

Moustache, sometimes abbreviated to Mous, (September 1799 – 11 March 1812)^{[nb 1]} was a barbet who is reputed to have played a part in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. His story is recounted in many publications but may be partly fictionalised. Moustache is said to have been born in Falaise, Normandy, France, in 1799 and to have joined a grenadier regiment at Caen.^[1] He followed the regiment through the Italian Campaign of the Revolutionary Wars and is said to have alerted the regiment to a surprise night attack by Austrian forces. He is reported to have been present at the Battle of Marengo, during which he lost an ear, and with a cuirassier regiment at the Battle of Austerlitz.

At Austerlitz Moustache was apparently responsible for the discovery of an Austrian spy, and the recovery of the regiment's standard from the Austrians. As a result of wounds taken at Austerlitz Moustache had a leg amputated and was reportedly rewarded with a medal by Marshal Jean Lannes. He is later said to have followed a unit of dragoons to Spain where he fought in several actions of the Peninsular War. Seeing action in the Sierra Morena and later, with a gunboat unit, at the Battle of Badajoz, where he was killed by a cannonball. Moustache was interred beneath a gravestone on the battlefield but his memorial is said to have been smashed and his bones burned after the war.

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