Claude Testot-Ferry
Encyclopedia
Général Baron
Claude Testot-Ferry (20 May 1773, Arnay-le-Duc
- 25 August 1856, Châtillon-sur-Seine
, Côte-d'Or
) was a cavalry veteran of the armies of the First French Republic, First French Empire
and Bourbon Restoration
.
in Burgundy), which had "provided intellectuals, magistrates, army officers and ecclesiastics from an early date"
. To the name Testot was joined that of Ferry in 1698 when Miss Catherine Ferry (the general's great-grandmother), the last representative of a noble family whose origins in Normandy date back to 1220. It was registered at the Parliament of Paris in 1692, and its head was the noble Gilles Ferry, secretary of state to Jean, king of France. The arms of this family are decreed in the "Armorial Général de France". After the death of his great-uncle and godfather, Jean-Claude Testot-Ferry, knight of the order of Saint-Louis and captain in the Grenadiers Royaux, Claude Testot joined the name of Ferry to his own. This addition was confirmed by a royal ordinance of 17 January 1815.
on their way to Italy and the town's inhabitants turned out to protest against their emigration and imprisoned and insulted them in a very confined space for eleven days. Claude Testot-Ferry, then a sous-officier in the 10e Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval and dressed his uniform, climbed on a wall and greeted them in an ostensibly respectful and courteous manner. This courageous act was admired by the crowd; the "prisoners" were won over by this young man and offered him an audience to propose he accompany them on their trip.
It was with the 10e régiment de chasseur à cheval that he distinguished himself at the Battle of Valmy
in 1792 and participated in the Italian campaign
of 1795. In 1797, he became a Sous-lieutenant, under the orders of general Masséna
and until 1800 served in the Armée du Rhin
.
In 1803, he left for Russia as a young lieutenant with his friend Colonel Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais
on a diplomatic mission. On Colbert-Chabanais's recommendation, he became a captain and aide de camp of general Marmont, whose career he followed as far as Spain and then again from the Restoration
. Testot-Ferry and Marmont became great friends and were buried in the same cemetery, the cimetière Saint-Vorles in Châtillon-sur-Seine
. In 1805, Testot-Ferry distinguished himself at the battle of Reifling(Austria), where he captured a whole Austrian battalion (450 soldiers and 19 officers). In 1807, he fought at the battle of Castel Nuovo (Albania)
On 3 March 1808, having strongly impressed Napoleon on their first meeting, Napoleon personally named Claude Testot-Ferry chef d'escadron
, and he set out to join the 13e Cuirassiers for the Peninsular War
. In that campaign he recovered general Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais
's body shortly after his death, and distinguished himself at the siege of Saragossa.
In 1811 Napoleon summoned him to join the regiment of dragoons in the Imperial Guard, known as the "Empress's Dragoons", at the rank of major. In 1813, he was put in command of the 3rd squadron of the Old Guard at the battle of Leipzig
, then the 2nd squadron at the battle of Hanau
. At Hanau he received 22 sabre and lance cuts before safely reaching the rear to have his wounds treated. On this campaign he was promoted to colonel
, then Colonel-Major in 1813, and took command of the 1er Régiment des Eclaireurs de la Garde Impériale, with whom he served throughout the campaign in France in 1814. (The dolman
worn by him as a colonel-major in the 1er régiment des éclaireurs is now held at the musée de l'Armée in the château de l'Empéri
at Salon de Provence, as part of the famous Raoul & Jean Brunon collection).
His deeds at Craonne
are accounted his bravest. In effect, the regiment he was commanding was charged with clearing the plateaus of the Russian batteries located on the heights. Unfortunately, the cavalry found itself entirely routed by the Russian infantry but Testot-Ferry, saving the situation, reorganised his troops and led another charge within sight of Marshal Ney and Napoleon. This charge succeeded in clearing away the Russian batteries and Testot-Ferry was made a baron by Napoleon on the field of battle. However, he was taken prisoner two weeks later at the battle of Arcis-sur-Aube
but succeeded in escaping and rejoined his regiment at Sens
. During the Hundred Days
, Colonel Testot-Ferry was made first aide de camp of Marshal Marmont and in March 1815 escorted king Louis XVIII as far as the frontier on his way to exile in Ghent
. Following Marmont's tracks, in 1817 he participated in the organisation of the Garde Royale and the king made him Colonel in the Corps Royal d'État-Major.
In 1826, under Charles X
, he retired at the rank of Maréchal de Camp (equivalent of Général de Brigade). Aged around 70, he was one of only two officers of the army of the First Empire ever to be photographed, in a daguerréotype
, since the end of his life coincided with Daguerre's invention of this format in 1835.
The family motto is "In honore et virtute ferri".
The family has been inscribed by the Association d'Entraide de la Noblesse Française (ANF) since 1951, and is still represented today.
), whose descendents form the elder branch of the family, and Henry Testot-Ferry
, whose descendents form the cadet branch. Today, there are 18 people descended from the general, including the present Baron Testot-Ferry, who is Guy, Vè baron.
Nobility of the First French Empire
Napoleon Bonaparte created titles of nobility to institute a stable elite in the First French Empire, after the instability resulting from the French Revolution....
Claude Testot-Ferry (20 May 1773, Arnay-le-Duc
Arnay-le-Duc
Arnay-le-Duc is a commune of the Côte-d'Or department in Bourgogne in eastern France.-History:Arnay-le-Duc was the location of the worship of the Celtic god Abilus, who was associated with the goddess Damona.-Population:-Personalities:...
- 25 August 1856, Châtillon-sur-Seine
Châtillon-sur-Seine
Châtillon-sur-Seine is a commune of the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-Personalities:Châtillon-sur-Seine was the birthplace of:* Auguste Marmont, duke of Ragusa , Marshal of France...
, Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
) was a cavalry veteran of the armies of the First French Republic, First French Empire
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...
and 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...
.
Origins
Claude Testot-Ferry was descended from the Testot family (from Côte-d'OrCôte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
in Burgundy), which had "provided intellectuals, magistrates, army officers and ecclesiastics from an early date"
. To the name Testot was joined that of Ferry in 1698 when Miss Catherine Ferry (the general's great-grandmother), the last representative of a noble family whose origins in Normandy date back to 1220. It was registered at the Parliament of Paris in 1692, and its head was the noble Gilles Ferry, secretary of state to Jean, king of France. The arms of this family are decreed in the "Armorial Général de France". After the death of his great-uncle and godfather, Jean-Claude Testot-Ferry, knight of the order of Saint-Louis and captain in the Grenadiers Royaux, Claude Testot joined the name of Ferry to his own. This addition was confirmed by a royal ordinance of 17 January 1815.
Military career
In 1789, he signed on as a volunteer in the 10e régiment de chasseur à cheval. In 1791 Mesdames Victoire and Adélaïdes de France, daughters of Louis XV (and thus aunts of Louis XVI), passed Arnay-le-DucArnay-le-Duc
Arnay-le-Duc is a commune of the Côte-d'Or department in Bourgogne in eastern France.-History:Arnay-le-Duc was the location of the worship of the Celtic god Abilus, who was associated with the goddess Damona.-Population:-Personalities:...
on their way to Italy and the town's inhabitants turned out to protest against their emigration and imprisoned and insulted them in a very confined space for eleven days. Claude Testot-Ferry, then a sous-officier in the 10e Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval and dressed his uniform, climbed on a wall and greeted them in an ostensibly respectful and courteous manner. This courageous act was admired by the crowd; the "prisoners" were won over by this young man and offered him an audience to propose he accompany them on their trip.
It was with the 10e régiment de chasseur à cheval that he distinguished himself 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 1792 and participated in the Italian campaign
French Revolutionary Wars: Campaigns of 1795
The French Revolutionary Wars continued from 1794 between Revolutionary France and the First coalition.The year opened with French forces in the process of attacking the Dutch Republic in the middle of winter. The Dutch people rallied to the French call and started the Batavian revolution. City...
of 1795. In 1797, he became a Sous-lieutenant, under the orders of general Masséna
André Masséna
André Masséna 1st Duc de Rivoli, 1st Prince d'Essling was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
and until 1800 served in the Armée du Rhin
Armée du Rhin
The Army of the Rhine is the overall name for one of the main French Revolutionary armies, that operated in the German theater along the River Rhine...
.
In 1803, he left for Russia as a young lieutenant with his friend Colonel Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais
Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais
Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais, born 18 October 1777 in Paris - died 3 January 1809, Cacabelos, Spain), Comte de l'Empire joined the French army during the French Revolutionary Wars. He became a general officer of cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars and fought in a number of major...
on a diplomatic mission. On Colbert-Chabanais's recommendation, he became a captain and aide de camp of general Marmont, whose career he followed as far as Spain and then again from the 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...
. Testot-Ferry and Marmont became great friends and were buried in the same cemetery, the cimetière Saint-Vorles in Châtillon-sur-Seine
Châtillon-sur-Seine
Châtillon-sur-Seine is a commune of the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-Personalities:Châtillon-sur-Seine was the birthplace of:* Auguste Marmont, duke of Ragusa , Marshal of France...
. In 1805, Testot-Ferry distinguished himself at the battle of Reifling(Austria), where he captured a whole Austrian battalion (450 soldiers and 19 officers). In 1807, he fought at the battle of Castel Nuovo (Albania)
On 3 March 1808, having strongly impressed Napoleon on their first meeting, Napoleon personally named Claude Testot-Ferry 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....
, and he set out to join the 13e Cuirassiers for the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. In that campaign he recovered general Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais
Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais
Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais, born 18 October 1777 in Paris - died 3 January 1809, Cacabelos, Spain), Comte de l'Empire joined the French army during the French Revolutionary Wars. He became a general officer of cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars and fought in a number of major...
's body shortly after his death, and distinguished himself at the siege of Saragossa.
In 1811 Napoleon summoned him to join the regiment of dragoons in the Imperial Guard, known as the "Empress's Dragoons", at the rank of major. In 1813, he was put in command of the 3rd squadron of the Old Guard at the battle of Leipzig
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16–19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine...
, then the 2nd squadron at 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....
. At Hanau he received 22 sabre and lance cuts before safely reaching the rear to have his wounds treated. On this campaign he was promoted to 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...
, then Colonel-Major in 1813, and took command of the 1er Régiment des Eclaireurs de la Garde Impériale, with whom he served throughout the campaign in France in 1814. (The dolman
Dolman
A Dolman Originally, the term referred to a long and loose garment with narrow sleeves and an opening in the front. It was worn generally by the Turks, and is not unlike a cassock in shape.-Military dolman:...
worn by him as a colonel-major in the 1er régiment des éclaireurs is now held at the musée de l'Armée in the château de l'Empéri
Château de l'Empéri
The Château de l'Empéri is a 9th century castle built on the rock of Puech which dominates the immense plain of Crau in the commune of Salon-de-Provence in the Bouches-du-Rhône département of France. It is listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.The castle was the...
at Salon de Provence, as part of the famous Raoul & Jean Brunon collection).
His deeds at Craonne
Battle of Craonne
The Battle of Craonne was fought on March 7, 1814, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon I against Russians and Prussians under General Blücher.Craonne is a village on the Chemin des Dames, in the département of Aisne....
are accounted his bravest. In effect, the regiment he was commanding was charged with clearing the plateaus of the Russian batteries located on the heights. Unfortunately, the cavalry found itself entirely routed by the Russian infantry but Testot-Ferry, saving the situation, reorganised his troops and led another charge within sight of Marshal Ney and Napoleon. This charge succeeded in clearing away the Russian batteries and Testot-Ferry was made a baron by Napoleon on the field of battle. However, he was taken prisoner two weeks later at the battle of Arcis-sur-Aube
Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube
The Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube was Napoleon’s penultimate battle before his abdication and exile to Elba...
but succeeded in escaping and rejoined his regiment at Sens
Sens
Sens is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.Sens is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is crossed by the Yonne and the Vanne, which empties into the Yonne here.-History:...
. 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...
, Colonel Testot-Ferry was made first aide de camp of Marshal Marmont and in March 1815 escorted king Louis XVIII as far as the frontier on his way to exile in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
. Following Marmont's tracks, in 1817 he participated in the organisation of the Garde Royale and the king made him Colonel in the Corps Royal d'État-Major.
In 1826, under Charles X
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
, he retired at the rank of Maréchal de Camp (equivalent of Général de Brigade). Aged around 70, he was one of only two officers of the army of the First Empire ever to be photographed, in a daguerréotype
Daguerreotype
The daguerreotype was the first commercially successful photographic process. The image is a direct positive made in the camera on a silvered copper plate....
, since the end of his life coincided with Daguerre's invention of this format in 1835.
Analysis
Rejecting political intrigues, Général Baron Testot-Ferry distinguished himself on the field of battle - seriously wounded on several occasions and several times remarked upon by Napoleon - and was faithful to his oaths under all regimes in one of the most troubled periods of French history, with one of his mottoes being il vaut mieux mériter sans obtenir, qu'obtenir sans mériter ("it is better to deserve without gain, than gain without deserving").Titles and decorations
- Chevalier of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, 14 March 1806. - 14 April 1813 from Napoléon INapoleon INapoleon 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...
, Officier of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, 14 April 1813. - Ennobled as Baron d'Empire by decree of 16 March 1814, conferred on 7 March 1814 by Napoleon on the field of battle at Craonne (Aisne, Campagne de France).
- Décoration du LysDécoration du LysThe Décoration du Lys was a medal created by the Bourbon Restoration. -Background:From the end of 1813, Napoleon's armies were fighting on their own soil, culminating in the Six Days Campaign. Napoleon ended his reign with a series of Pyrrhic victories which could not save the Empire, and he...
, May 1814. - Knight of the Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis, le 23 août 1814.
- Commander of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, 22 December 1814. - Confirmation by letters patent dated 27 January 1815 and signed by king Louis XVIII, of the title of hereditary baron
Heraldry
King Louis XVIII granted the general the ancient Ferry coat of arms with the addition of a helmeted head flanked by two primitive stars, and a lion passant holding a sword in the bottom half, to indicate that the arms' holder held his sword high and firm in battle. The heraldic description is :The family motto is "In honore et virtute ferri".
The family has been inscribed by the Association d'Entraide de la Noblesse Française (ANF) since 1951, and is still represented today.
Descendents
Général Baron Claude Testot-Ferry had 8 children, 4 from his first marriage and 4 from his second (after his first wife's death). These included Gustave Testot-Ferry (his first name is an anagram of Auguste in tribute to Claude's great friend Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-ChabanaisAuguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais
Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais, born 18 October 1777 in Paris - died 3 January 1809, Cacabelos, Spain), Comte de l'Empire joined the French army during the French Revolutionary Wars. He became a general officer of cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars and fought in a number of major...
), whose descendents form the elder branch of the family, and Henry Testot-Ferry
Henry Testot-Ferry
Henry Bernard Alfred Testot-Ferry also known as Henry de Ferry was a French geologist, archeologist and paleontologist...
, whose descendents form the cadet branch. Today, there are 18 people descended from the general, including the present Baron Testot-Ferry, who is Guy, Vè baron.
Biographies
- Biographie du Général Baron Testot-Ferry, Alexandre MIGNARD, 1859
- Le Général Baron Testot-Ferry, figure marquante de la cavalerie napoléonienne, Olivier GLATARD, 2004.