Charles Pierre Corvisart
Encyclopedia
Baron Charles Pierre René Victoire Corvisart (KCMG) (June 29, 1857 – May 7, 1939) was a general in the French Army
who rose to prominence in World War I
and a diplomat.
's personal physician Jean-Nicolas Corvisart
, and son of Baron Francois Remy Corvisart Lucien (1824–1882), medical officer of Heath Service of the French Second Empire. He was born at Château de Saint-Cloud
, outside of Paris
, and was a playmate of the Prince Imperial as a child. In 1877 he entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr
, where he specialized in cavalry
.
From January 1900 to July 1904, Corvisart was a lieutenant-colonel and military attache
at the French Embassy in Tokyo
, Japan
, and subsequently served as an official observer to Japanese operations in the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904-1905. He was promoted to colonel in 1906. During his stay in Japan, he learned Japanese
, and translates and annotated the official Japanese Field Service Regulations of the Imperial Japanese Army
in 1907.
On July 28, 1911, Corvisart was promoted to brigadier general
and was in command of the 11th Dragoon
Brigade at the start of World War I
. He was transferred to command the French 9th Infantry Division on August 2, 1915, and the 123rd French Infantry Division of June 14, 1915. He rose to command the French 17th Army Corps on April 30, 1917. He was awarded the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor by the French government and the Army Distinguished Service Medal by the United States
government for his role in the Battle of Verdun
.
After the end of the war, he served as a military attache to the French Embassy in London
from September 2, 1918. He went into the reserves on June 29, 1919 and retired completely from military service on October 31, 1919.
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
who rose to prominence in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and a diplomat.
Biography
Corvisart was the grandnephew of Napoleon INapoleon I
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...
's personal physician Jean-Nicolas Corvisart
Jean-Nicolas Corvisart
Jean-Nicolas Corvisart was an important figure in the history of French medicine. Born in the French village of Dricourt, Ardennes in 1755, Corvisart gained early notoriety for his translation of Leopold von Auenbrugg's Inventum Novum from Latin into French...
, and son of Baron Francois Remy Corvisart Lucien (1824–1882), medical officer of Heath Service of the French Second Empire. He was born at Château de Saint-Cloud
Château de Saint-Cloud
The Château de Saint-Cloud was a Palace in France, built on a magnificent site overlooking the Seine at Saint-Cloud in Hauts-de-Seine, about 10 kilometres west of Paris. Today it is a large park on the outskirts of the capital and is owned by the state, but the area as a whole has had a large...
, outside of 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...
, and was a playmate of the Prince Imperial as a child. In 1877 he entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr
École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr is the foremost French military academy. Its official name is . It is often referred to as Saint-Cyr . Its motto is "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre": literally "They study to vanquish" or "Training for victory"...
, where he specialized in cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
.
From January 1900 to July 1904, Corvisart was a lieutenant-colonel and military attache
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
at the French Embassy in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and subsequently served as an official observer to Japanese operations in the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904-1905. He was promoted to colonel in 1906. During his stay in Japan, he learned Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, and translates and annotated the official Japanese Field Service Regulations of the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
in 1907.
On July 28, 1911, Corvisart was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and was in command of the 11th Dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
Brigade at the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was transferred to command the French 9th Infantry Division on August 2, 1915, and the 123rd French Infantry Division of June 14, 1915. He rose to command the French 17th Army Corps on April 30, 1917. He was awarded the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor by the French government and the Army Distinguished Service Medal by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government for his role in the Battle of Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
.
After the end of the war, he served as a military attache to the French Embassy in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
from September 2, 1918. He went into the reserves on June 29, 1919 and retired completely from military service on October 31, 1919.
Honors
- Legion of Honor (07/10/1999), Officer (30/12/2008), Commander (27/04/16), Grand Officier (01/10/17)
- Croix de GuerreCroix de guerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
1914–1918 2 fins - Commander and Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of ItalyOrder of the Crown of ItalyThe Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
( Italy ) - Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George ( UK )
- Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service Medal (United States)The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
, US, 1923.
Selected works
- 1909 — Reglement du 14 octobre 1907 sur le service en campagne dans l'armee japonaise, suivi des prescriptions pour les manoeuvres. Traduit du japonais et annoté par le colonel Corvisart. Avec 19 figures ou tableaux (translated from the official Japanese Field Service Regulations). Paris, Berger Levrault.