third of its strength. The remainder of the Belgian Legion performed well in subsequent clashes but by the late summer of 1866, with the French army preparing for evacuation, morale amongst the foreign contingents attached to the Mexican Imperial army was low. Thirty Belgian officers petitioned to return to Europe on the grounds that their contracted terms of service were about to expire. Others transferred to mixed Mexican/foreign units. On 12 December 1866 the Legion was disbanded and 754 of the contingent returned to Belgium where they dispersed. Aftermath A small group of elderly survivors of the Belgian Legion escorted the coffin of Charlotte after her death at the Castle of Bouchout in 1927. See also Belgian Expeditionary Corps in Russia Free Belgian Forces Belgian United Nations Command - the Belgian volunteer battalion that served in the Korean War (1950-1953) References Further reading External links Austrian and Belgian Volunteers Serving in Mexico at United States Combined Arms Research Library 1792 establishments in Europe Expatriate military units and formations Military units and formations established in 1792 Military units and formations of Belgium Volunteer units and formations of the French Revolutionary Wars