Alexandre, vicomte Digeon
Encyclopedia
Alexander Elisabeth Michel vicomte Digeon, born 27 June 1771 - died 2 August 1826, fought in the French Revolutionary Wars
in the cavalry. He became a general officer during the Napoleonic Wars
, fighting in a number of important battles. After 1814, he gave his loyalty to the Bourbon Restoration
and briefly served as Minister of War.
, France on 27 June 1771, Digeon was the son of a Ferme générale
, a tax collector. He entered the army as a lieutenant
in the 104th Infantry Regiment, and after a few months transferred to the 9th Chasseurs à cheval Regiment. Appointed chef d'escadron
(captain) in the 19th Dragoon Regiment, he was wounded by a bayonet attack on the bridge of Kehl
. Later at the Battle of Trebbia, he became the acting commander of the regiment after the death of his colonel. His younger brother was wounded at the Battle of Marengo, where he served in the Artillery of the Consular Guard. Napoleon Bonaparte sent Colonel
Jean-Baptiste Bessières
to Digeon's father to give him the news. Père Digeon asked for a favor for his eldest son, which Napoleon granted. Digeon returned to France and was appointed colonel
of the 26th Chasseurs à cheval Regiment.
in 1805, including Lensberg, and Battle of Austerlitz
, where he took three standards. He received the decoration of Commander of the Legion of Honor after the battle, where he was wounded. He was near Stralsund
in 1807. Elevated to the rank of general of brigade, he served in General Marie Victor de Fay, marquis de Latour-Maubourg
's 1st Dragoon Division as the brigadier in command of the 20th and 25th Dragoons. The same year he commanded with great distinction in the Battle of Heilsberg
and in the Battle of Friedland
.
Assigned to Spain, he commanded a dragoon brigade under Marshal
Jean Lannes
. On 23 November 1808, he fought in the Battle of Tudela
where Francisco Castaños
was defeated. Appointed in 1812 the civilian and military governor of the provinces of Córdoba and Jaén
, he managed by a wise administration, to win the trust of people that the ravages of war had angered and reduced to the deepest misery. For six months, he kept over 7,000 people from suffering famine.
By his brilliant leadership during Marshal Nicolas Soult's retreat from Andalusia
, Digeon earned the rank of general of division on 3 March 1813. He found himself in that capacity in the Battle of Vitoria
, where he was wounded for the fifth time. At the end of that year he went to the Army of Catalonia under Marshal Louis Gabriel Suchet
, and was in command of all the cavalry and the First Infantry Division.
Seconded in 1814 to the army defending Lyon
, commanded by Marshal Pierre Augereau, he led a notable feat of arms. On 20 March 1814, the Austrians had advanced to the suburb of Saint-Just-d'Avray
and street fighting began. Digeon suddenly resumed the offensive, captured a battery, and cut off part of the Austrian Hiller Infantry Regiment # 2 with nearly 400 prisoners. This setback arrested the progress of the enemy. The Allied occupation of Lyon only took place the next day under a formal capitulation, which spared the city the pillaging that often occurred when a large city was stormed.
, Digeon was employed as inspector general of cavalry. He was in that capacity at Nevers
, when the Emperor Napoleon I of France
returned from Elba
. The minister of war appointed him to command a cavalry division at Lyon. He arrived there on 5 March, but after many fruitless efforts to keep the soldiers from joining Napoleon, he left that city with the Jacques Macdonald, Duke of Taranto. King Louis XVIII of France
appointed him aide-de-camp. Digeon declined to serve Napoleon during the Hundred Days
. In return, the restored king appointed him commander of the Cavalry Division of the Royal Guard, and later created him a peer of France with the title of Viscount
.
In the Upper House, he constantly supported the rightist policy and the ensuing ministerial system. In political trials he voted for the party rigorously. In March 1823, in the absence of Claude Victor-Perrin, Duke of Belluno, he was appointed Acting Minister of War. Three months afterward he was appointed Minister of State and member of the Privy Council, then commander of the army of occupation. He died on August 2, 1826, at his estate at Ronqueux, near Paris. He had married, shortly before his death, a lady of the house of Saulx Tavannes. The name DIGEON is inscribed on Column 22 of the Arc de Triomphe
.
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
in the cavalry. He became a general officer during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, fighting in a number of important battles. After 1814, he gave his loyalty to the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
and briefly served as Minister of War.
Early career
Born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France on 27 June 1771, Digeon was the son of a Ferme générale
Ferme générale
The Ferme générale was, in ancien régime France, essentially an outsourced customs and excise operation which collected duties on behalf of the king, under six-year contracts...
, a tax collector. He entered the army as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 104th Infantry Regiment, and after a few months transferred to the 9th Chasseurs à cheval Regiment. Appointed chef d'escadron
Chef d'escadron
In the French armed forces , Chef d'escadron is the title of a commandant in the Artillery and Baggage Train Corps and in the Gendarmerie....
(captain) in the 19th Dragoon Regiment, he was wounded by a bayonet attack on the bridge of Kehl
Kehl
Kehl is a town in southwestern Germany in the Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the river Rhine, directly opposite the French city of Strasbourg.-History:...
. Later at the Battle of Trebbia, he became the acting commander of the regiment after the death of his colonel. His younger brother was wounded at the Battle of Marengo, where he served in the Artillery of the Consular Guard. Napoleon Bonaparte sent Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Jean-Baptiste Bessières
Jean-Baptiste Bessières
Jean-Baptiste Bessières, 1st Duc d' Istria was a Marshal of France of the Napoleonic Era. His younger brother, Bertrand, followed in his footsteps and eventually became a Divisional General...
to Digeon's father to give him the news. Père Digeon asked for a favor for his eldest son, which Napoleon granted. Digeon returned to France and was appointed colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 26th Chasseurs à cheval Regiment.
Napoleonic Wars
Still leading the 26th Chasseurs, Digeon took part in the Ulm CampaignUlm Campaign
The Ulm Campaign consisted of a series of French and Bavarian military maneuvers and battles to outflank and capture an Austrian army in 1805 during the War of the Third Coalition. It took place in the vicinity of and inside the Swabian city of Ulm...
in 1805, including Lensberg, and Battle of Austerlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
, where he took three standards. He received the decoration of Commander of the Legion of Honor after the battle, where he was wounded. He was near Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
in 1807. Elevated to the rank of general of brigade, he served in General Marie Victor de Fay, marquis de Latour-Maubourg
Marie Victor de Fay, marquis de Latour-Maubourg
Marie Victor Nicolas de Fay, marquis de Latour-Maubourg was a French cavalry commander starting under the Ancien Régime of France, and rising to prominence during the First French Empire...
's 1st Dragoon Division as the brigadier in command of the 20th and 25th Dragoons. The same year he commanded with great distinction in the Battle of Heilsberg
Battle of Heilsberg
The Battle of Heilsberg took place on 10 June 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars.-Overview:On 24 May 1807, the Siege of Danzig ended when Prussian General Friedrich Adolf, Count von Kalckreuth capitulated to French Marshal Francois Joseph Lefebvre. With Gdansk secured, Napoleon was now free to turn...
and in the Battle of Friedland
Battle of Friedland
The Battle of Friedland saw Napoleon I's French army decisively defeat Count von Bennigsen's Russian army about twenty-seven miles southeast of Königsberg...
.
Assigned to Spain, he commanded a dragoon brigade under Marshal
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
Jean Lannes
Jean Lannes
Jean Lannes, 1st Duc de Montebello, was a Marshal of France. He was one of Napoleon's most daring and talented generals. Napoleon once commented on Lannes: "I found him a pygmy and left him a giant"...
. On 23 November 1808, he fought in the Battle of Tudela
Battle of Tudela
The Battle of Tudela was a battle of the Peninsular War fought on November 23, 1808 near Tudela, Spain. The battle resulted in the victory of the French and Poles under Marshal Lannes against the Spanish under General Castaños....
where Francisco Castaños
Francisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén
Francisco Javier Castaños Aragorri Urioste y Olavide, Count of Castaños y Aragones, 1st Duke of Baylen , was a Spanish general.Castaños was born at Madrid.He is remembered for his victory over the French under Dupont, whom he...
was defeated. Appointed in 1812 the civilian and military governor of the provinces of Córdoba and Jaén
Jaén, Spain
Jaén is a city in south-central Spain, the name is derived from the Arabic word Jayyan, . It is the capital of the province of Jaén. It is located in the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, he managed by a wise administration, to win the trust of people that the ravages of war had angered and reduced to the deepest misery. For six months, he kept over 7,000 people from suffering famine.
By his brilliant leadership during Marshal Nicolas Soult's retreat from Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, Digeon earned the rank of general of division on 3 March 1813. He found himself in that capacity in the Battle of Vitoria
Battle of Vitoria
At the Battle of Vitoria an allied British, Portuguese, and Spanish army under General the Marquess of Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan near Vitoria in Spain, leading to eventual victory in the Peninsular War.-Background:In July 1812, after...
, where he was wounded for the fifth time. At the end of that year he went to the Army of Catalonia under Marshal Louis Gabriel Suchet
Louis Gabriel Suchet
Louis Gabriel Suchet, 1st Duc d'Albufera was a Marshal of France and one of Napoleon's most brilliant generals.-Early career:...
, and was in command of all the cavalry and the First Infantry Division.
Seconded in 1814 to the army defending Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, commanded by Marshal Pierre Augereau, he led a notable feat of arms. On 20 March 1814, the Austrians had advanced to the suburb of Saint-Just-d'Avray
Saint-Just-d'Avray
Saint-Just-d'Avray is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...
and street fighting began. Digeon suddenly resumed the offensive, captured a battery, and cut off part of the Austrian Hiller Infantry Regiment # 2 with nearly 400 prisoners. This setback arrested the progress of the enemy. The Allied occupation of Lyon only took place the next day under a formal capitulation, which spared the city the pillaging that often occurred when a large city was stormed.
Restoration
After the Bourbon RestorationBourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
, Digeon was employed as inspector general of cavalry. He was in that capacity at Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
, when the Emperor Napoleon I of France
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
returned from Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
. The minister of war appointed him to command a cavalry division at Lyon. He arrived there on 5 March, but after many fruitless efforts to keep the soldiers from joining Napoleon, he left that city with the Jacques Macdonald, Duke of Taranto. King Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
appointed him aide-de-camp. Digeon declined to serve Napoleon during the Hundred Days
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
. In return, the restored king appointed him commander of the Cavalry Division of the Royal Guard, and later created him a peer of France with the title of Viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
.
In the Upper House, he constantly supported the rightist policy and the ensuing ministerial system. In political trials he voted for the party rigorously. In March 1823, in the absence of Claude Victor-Perrin, Duke of Belluno, he was appointed Acting Minister of War. Three months afterward he was appointed Minister of State and member of the Privy Council, then commander of the army of occupation. He died on August 2, 1826, at his estate at Ronqueux, near Paris. He had married, shortly before his death, a lady of the house of Saulx Tavannes. The name DIGEON is inscribed on Column 22 of the Arc de Triomphe
Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe
The following is the list of the names of the 660 persons inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris. Most of them are generals who served during the First French Empire with additional figures from the French Revolution ....
.
Books
- «Alexandre Elisabeth Michel Digeon», dans Charles Mullié, Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850, 1852
- Smith, DigbyDigby SmithDigby Smith is a British military historian. The son of a British career soldier, he was born in Hampshire, England, but spent several years in India and Pakistan as a child and youth. As a "boy soldier," he entered training in the British Army at the age of 16...
. The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill, 1998. ISBN 1-85367-276-9