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How did the French Foreign Legion perform at the Battle of Magenta in 1859?

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French Foreign Legion soldiers in uniform with white hats and rifles stand in formation during a Bastille Day parade on the Champs Elysees in Paris. — French Foreign Legion Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion in a parade celebrating Bastille Day in Paris.

At the Battle of Magenta in 1859, the French Foreign Legion performed with such distinction that it earned the high praise of its former commander, General Patrice de Mac-Mahon.

Mac-Mahon famously remarked that the presence of the Legion on the battlefield meant that victory was dans le sac—or "in the bag"—signifying his absolute confidence in the unit's combat effectiveness and reliability during the conflict.1