Not sure if this is exactly the place to post this, but it seems the Russian Lads had help:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002703312_lice25.html


Study: Lice put bite on Napoleon in Russia

By Thomas H. Maugh II

Los Angeles Times

Louse-borne diseases such as typhus and trench fever devastated Napoleon Bonaparte's army during his ill-fated invasion of Russia in 1812, killing nearly one-third of his army, according to a study by French researchers.


Napoleon invaded Russia with 500,000 men that summer but escaped with only a few thousand. Twenty-five thousand French soldiers escaped to Vilnius, Lithuania, during the retreat, but only 3,000 of them survived. The rest were buried in mass graves.

More info at the link for those who would find it interesting.