French Revolutionary Wars general and commander of the Guadeloupe expedition
Commander of the Guadeloupe expedition Napoleon sent in 1801–1802; he suppressed Delgrès's resistance but died of yellow fever at Basse-Terre on 3 September 1802, and the insurgency continued until 1804.
Born in Metz in 1770, he joined his father's Conti Dragoon Regiment as a cadet at five. A supporter of the Revolution, he rose from second lieutenant in 1791 to captain in 1793 and chef d'escadron in 1794, and Kléber made him a brigade general in 1796. He served under Hoche in the Army of Sambre and Meuse and distinguished himself at Neuwied. In 1800 he commanded a division in Moreau's Army of the Rhine, leading the flank envelopment at Hohenlinden on 3 December that decided the victory. After the army was dissolved in 1801 he became inspector-general of cavalry of the Batavian Republic. In 1801–1802 Napoleon named him commander of the Guadeloupe expedition; he suppressed Delgrès's resistance and enforced the forcible reinstatement of slavery. He died of yellow fever at Basse-Terre on 3 September 1802.
Career Timeline
- 1785Quartermaster sergeant, Conti Dragoon Regiment
- 1791Second lieutenant
- 1796Promoted brigade general by Kléber
- 1797Fought at Neuwied in the Army of Sambre and Meuse
- 1800Divisional commander in Moreau's Army of the Rhine; enveloped the Austrian left at Hohenlinden, 3 December
- 1802Commander of the Guadeloupe expedition; landed at Pointe-à-Pitre on 6 May and suppressed Delgrès's resistance