Antoine-Louis Decrest de Saint-Germain
Encyclopedia
Antoine-Louis Decrest de Saint-Germain, Count de Saint-Germain and of the Empire
(born 8 December 1761 in Paris
, died 4 October 1835 in Neuilly
) was a French soldier of the French Revolutionary Wars
, who later rose to the top military rank of General of Division, taking part to the Napoleonic Wars
as a commander of cavalry.
, but was expelled from this arm in 1784 for indiscipline and transferred to the cavalry branch. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary Wars in 1792, he held the rank of captain and was sent to serve in the Army of the North and then in Army of the Ardennes
. In April 1794, he was arrested due to his aristocratic ascendance and was reintegrated in the army only in August 1795, but, in exchange, was immediately promoted to the rank of colonel
and given the command of a chasseurs à cheval regiment. In this capacity, Saint-Germain fought in campaigns on the Rhine and received a first battle wound when a cannonball
broke his right leg on 20 September 1796. He recovered and resumed his duties but was again wounded in action a few months later, at the battle of Wiesbaden (22 April 1797), suffering a broken arm. Placed under the command of General Michel Ney
, Saint-Germain took part to the battle of Hohenlinden on 3 December 1800.
division and thus campaigned with the Grande Armée during the War of the Third Coalition and War of the Fourth Coalition
during 1805-1806. A Baron of the Empire in January 1809, Saint-Germain led a brigade of Nansouty's cuirassier
s at the battle of Aspern-Essling
and was promoted to general of division in July 1809. In 1812, he took part to the Campaign in Russia, receiving a wound at the battle of Borodino
. In September 1813, Saint-Germain was created a Count of the Empire and took part to the battle of Hanau
, where he had a hand in forcing the passage of the debris of the Grande Armée towards France. During the 1814 campaign in France, he led several noted cavalry actions. During the Bourbon Restoration
he fared well and in 1818 was named Inspector general of cavalry.
The name Saint-Germain is one of the names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe
in Paris
.
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
(born 8 December 1761 in Paris
Paris
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...
, died 4 October 1835 in Neuilly
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
) was a French soldier of the French Revolutionary Wars
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...
, who later rose to the top military rank of General of Division, taking part to 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...
as a commander of cavalry.
Revolutionary Wars
Born in Paris on 8 December 1761, Antoine-Louis Decrest de Saint-Germain descended from a noble family of the Ancien Régime. In 1778, he joined the "Lunéville" gendarmerieGendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
, but was expelled from this arm in 1784 for indiscipline and transferred to the cavalry branch. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary Wars in 1792, he held the rank of captain and was sent to serve in the Army of the North and then in Army of the Ardennes
Army of the Ardennes
The Army of the Ardennes was a French Revolutionary Army formed in 1792 by splitting off the right wing of the Army of the North, commanded from July to August that year by La Fayette...
. In April 1794, he was arrested due to his aristocratic ascendance and was reintegrated in the army only in August 1795, but, in exchange, was immediately promoted to the rank of 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...
and given the command of a chasseurs à cheval regiment. In this capacity, Saint-Germain fought in campaigns on the Rhine and received a first battle wound when a cannonball
Round shot
Round shot is a solid projectile without explosive charge, fired from a cannon. As the name implies, round shot is spherical; its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the gun it is fired from.Round shot was made in early times from dressed stone, but by the 17th century, from iron...
broke his right leg on 20 September 1796. He recovered and resumed his duties but was again wounded in action a few months later, at the battle of Wiesbaden (22 April 1797), suffering a broken arm. Placed under the command of General Michel Ney
Michel Ney
Michel Ney , 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskowa was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I...
, Saint-Germain took part to the battle of Hohenlinden on 3 December 1800.
Napoleonic Wars and beyond
In April 1805, Saint-Germain was named general of brigade and given a command in Etienne de Nansouty's 1st heavy cavalryHeavy cavalry
Heavy cavalry is a class of cavalry whose primary role was to engage in direct combat with enemy forces . Although their equipment differed greatly depending on the region and historical period, they were generally mounted on large powerful horses, and were often equipped with some form of scale,...
division and thus campaigned with the Grande Armée during the War of the Third Coalition and War of the Fourth Coalition
War of the Fourth Coalition
The Fourth Coalition against Napoleon's French Empire was defeated in a war spanning 1806–1807. Coalition partners included Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and the United Kingdom....
during 1805-1806. A Baron of the Empire in January 1809, Saint-Germain led a brigade of Nansouty's cuirassier
Cuirassier
Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. They were the successors of the medieval armoured knights...
s at the battle of Aspern-Essling
Battle of Aspern-Essling
In the Battle of Aspern-Essling , Napoleon attempted a forced crossing of the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were driven back by the Austrians under Archduke Charles...
and was promoted to general of division in July 1809. In 1812, he took part to the Campaign in Russia, receiving a wound at the battle of Borodino
Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino , fought on September 7, 1812, was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia and all Napoleonic Wars, involving more than 250,000 troops and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties...
. In September 1813, Saint-Germain was created a Count of the Empire and took part to the battle of Hanau
Battle of Hanau
The Battle of Hanau was fought on between Karl Philipp von Wrede’s Austro-Bavarian corps and Napoleon's retreating French during the War of the Sixth Coalition....
, where he had a hand in forcing the passage of the debris of the Grande Armée towards France. During the 1814 campaign in France, he led several noted cavalry actions. During 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...
he fared well and in 1818 was named Inspector general of cavalry.
The name Saint-Germain is one of the names inscribed under 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 ....
in Paris
Paris
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...
.
Sources
- Fierro, Alfredo; Palluel-Guillard, André; Tulard, Jean - "Histoire et Dictionnaire du Consulat et de l'Empire”, Éditions Robert Laffont, ISBN 2-221-05858-5