Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer
Encyclopedia
Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer (December 18, 1747 – August 19, 1804), born in Delle
, near Belfort
, became a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars
and on three occasions led armies in combat.
army long before the Revolution
, but defected to France in 1775. In 1780 Schérer became a major
in an artillery regiment stationed in Strasbourg
. He entered Dutch
service in 1785 as a major in the Légion de Maillebois. In 1790 he was released from Dutch service with the rank of lieutenant colonel
.
to General Jean de Prez de Crassier at the Battle of Valmy
. In 1793 he served as a senior aide-de-camp to general Alexandre de Beauharnais
on the Rhine. In 1794, Schérer was promoted to the rank of général de division
and commanded a division
in the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, serving with distinction at the Battle of Aldenhoven
. On May 3, he married Marie Françoise Henriette Caroline Müller in a civil ceremony at Delle
in the Franche-Comté
. On November 3, 1794, he was named commander of the Army of Italy before his transfer to command the Army of the Eastern Pyrenees
on March 3, 1795. On June 14, a 35,000-strong Spanish army defeated Schérer's 25,000 men in battle at Bàscara
in Catalonia
province in Spain
.
On August 31, 1795 he was again sent to Italy to replace François Kellerman (the older)
as commander-in-chief of the Army of Italy
. As commander of the Army of Italy, Schérer won the Battle of Loano
(22-24 November 1795) against an Austrian army but failed to exploit his advantage due to his own caution and winter weather. He was relieved of the command of this army on February 23, 1796 and replaced by Napoleon Bonaparte. Schérer was then unemployed for a number of months until being named Inspector-General of Cavalry, first of the Army of the Interior and then of the Army of the Rhine and the Moselle.
from July 22, 1797 to February 21, 1799. When the War of the Second Coalition
broke out, Schérer was given command of the Army of Italy once again. He won an initial clash at Pastrengo
on March 26. But he proved unable to stop the Russo-Austrian advance. He was defeated by Austrian General Pál Kray at the Battle of Magnano
on April 5. "Schérer went into this battle without forming a reserve and was thus unable to react to crisis or opportunities effectively." Forced to retire behind the river Mincio
, he gave up command to Jean Moreau
. Because of his loss of Italy he was forced to appear before a committee of inquiry. After securing an acquittal, he retired to private life on his estate at Chauny
in Picardy
, where he died in 1804.
Delle
Delle is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France.Delle is the last French town on the railway line from Belfort to Berne, in Switzerland....
, near Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
, became a French general during 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...
and on three occasions led armies in combat.
Early career
Schérer served in the AustrianHabsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
army long before the Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, but defected to France in 1775. In 1780 Schérer became a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in an artillery regiment stationed in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. He entered Dutch
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
service in 1785 as a major in the Légion de Maillebois. In 1790 he was released from Dutch service with the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
.
French Revolution
He returned to France in 1791 and in 1792 was made a captain in the 82nd Infantry Regiment, serving as aide-de-campAide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to General Jean de Prez de Crassier at the Battle of Valmy
Battle of Valmy
The Battle of Valmy was the first major victory by the army of France during the French Revolution. The action took place on 20 September 1792 as Prussian troops commanded by the Duke of Brunswick attempted to march on Paris...
. In 1793 he served as a senior aide-de-camp to general Alexandre de Beauharnais
Alexandre, vicomte de Beauharnais
Alexandre François Marie de Beauharnais, Vicomte de Beauharnais was a French political figure and general during the French Revolution...
on the Rhine. In 1794, Schérer was promoted to the rank of général de division
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and commanded a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
in the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, serving with distinction at the Battle of Aldenhoven
Battle of Aldenhoven (1794)
The Battle of Aldenhoven, a French victory, was fought on 2 October 1794. The French general, Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, opposed an Austrian army under General Clairfayt. The battle took place near the town of Aldenhoven, twenty kilometres northeast of Aachen, in present-day Germany.-References:...
. On May 3, he married Marie Françoise Henriette Caroline Müller in a civil ceremony at Delle
Delle
Delle is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France.Delle is the last French town on the railway line from Belfort to Berne, in Switzerland....
in the Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...
. On November 3, 1794, he was named commander of the Army of Italy before his transfer to command the Army of the Eastern Pyrenees
Armée des Pyrénées orientales
The Army of the Eastern Pyrenees was one of the French Revolutionary armies. It fought against the Kingdom of Spain in Rousillon and Catalonia during the War of the Pyrenees. The army was formed a few days after Spain invaded France in April 1793...
on March 3, 1795. On June 14, a 35,000-strong Spanish army defeated Schérer's 25,000 men in battle at Bàscara
Bàscara
Bàscara is a municipality in the comarca of Alt Empordà, Girona, Catalonia, Spain....
in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
province in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
On August 31, 1795 he was again sent to Italy to replace François Kellerman (the older)
François Christophe Kellermann
François Christophe Kellermann or de Kellermann, 1st Duc de Valmy was a French military commander, later the Général d'Armée, and a Marshal of France...
as commander-in-chief of the Army of Italy
Army of Italy (France)
The Army of Italy was a Field army of the French Army stationed on the Italian border and used for operations in Italy itself. Though it existed in some form in the 16th century through to the present, it is best known for its role during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic...
. As commander of the Army of Italy, Schérer won the Battle of Loano
Battle of Loano
The Battle of Loano occurred on 23-24 November 1795 during the War of the First Coalition. The French Army of Italy led by Barthélemy Schérer defeated the combined Austrian and Sardinian forces under Olivier, Count of Wallis. -Context:...
(22-24 November 1795) against an Austrian army but failed to exploit his advantage due to his own caution and winter weather. He was relieved of the command of this army on February 23, 1796 and replaced by Napoleon Bonaparte. Schérer was then unemployed for a number of months until being named Inspector-General of Cavalry, first of the Army of the Interior and then of the Army of the Rhine and the Moselle.
War of the Second Coalition
He served as French Minister of WarMinister of Defence (France)
The Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs is the French government cabinet member charged with running the military of France....
from July 22, 1797 to February 21, 1799. When the War of the Second Coalition
War of the Second Coalition
The "Second Coalition" was the second attempt by European monarchs, led by the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Russian Empire, to contain or eliminate Revolutionary France. They formed a new alliance and attempted to roll back France's previous military conquests...
broke out, Schérer was given command of the Army of Italy once again. He won an initial clash at Pastrengo
Pastrengo
Pastrengo is a comune in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 120 km west of Venice and about 15 km northwest of Verona...
on March 26. But he proved unable to stop the Russo-Austrian advance. He was defeated by Austrian General Pál Kray at the Battle of Magnano
Battle of Magnano
In the Battle of Magnano on 5 April 1799, an Austrian army commanded by Pál Kray defeated a French army led by Barthélemy Schérer. In subsequent battles, the Austrians and their Russian allies drove the French out of nearly all of Italy...
on April 5. "Schérer went into this battle without forming a reserve and was thus unable to react to crisis or opportunities effectively." Forced to retire behind the river Mincio
Mincio
Mincio is a river in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.Called the Sarca River before entering Lake Garda, it flows from there about 65 km past Mantua into the Po River....
, he gave up command to Jean Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States.- Early life :Moreau was born at Morlaix in Brittany...
. Because of his loss of Italy he was forced to appear before a committee of inquiry. After securing an acquittal, he retired to private life on his estate at Chauny
Chauny
Chauny is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Geography:Built on the banks of the Oise and the Saint-Quentin canal, the town still retains its port to this day...
in Picardy
Picardie
Picardy is one of the 27 regions of France. It is located in the northern part of France.-History:The historical province of Picardy stretched from north of Noyon to Calais, via the whole of the Somme department and the north of the Aisne department...
, where he died in 1804.