Elzéard Auguste Cousin de Dommartin
Encyclopedia
Elzéard Auguste Cousin de Dommartin (26 May 1768, Dommartin-le-Franc
– 9 August 1799, Rosetta
) became a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars
, fought in Italy
under Napoleon Bonaparte, and commanded the artillery division of the Armée d'Orient
during the French invasion of Egypt in 1798.
, he was unable to take up his appointment as artillery commander at the Siege of Toulon
in 1793. Therefore, an ambitious young artillery captain named Napoleon Bonaparte assumed command of the French artillery, with notable success. Dommartin then served in the Army of Italy
. During the Montenotte Campaign
, he led a brigade in the Second Battle of Dego
and in the Battle of Mondovì
. Later, he commanded the artillery at the Battle of Rovereto
.
Dommartin was appointed commander of the artillery of the Rhine in 1797. Bonaparte then chose him in 1798 to command the artillery for the invasion of Egypt as acting general of division. During that campaign, Dommartin organised the Siege of El Arish
and the Siege of Acre
, but was wounded in a skirmish and died of blood poisoning. His name is engraved on the south side of the Arc de Triomphe
.
Dommartin-le-Franc
Dommartin-le-Franc is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.-Geography:The Blaise flows northward through the middle of the commune and crosses the village.-See also:*Communes of the Haute-Marne department...
– 9 August 1799, Rosetta
Rosetta
Rosetta is a port city on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. It is located east of Alexandria, in Beheira governorate. It was founded around AD 800....
) 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...
, fought in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
under Napoleon Bonaparte, and commanded the artillery division of the Armée d'Orient
Order of battle of the Armée d'Orient (1798)
The Armée d'Orient was the French military force gathered by the French Directory to send on the expedition to Egypt in 1798...
during the French invasion of Egypt in 1798.
Life
Cousin de Dommartin received his first commission in 1785, serving as a captain of the artillery. Seriously wounded during the siege of AvignonAvignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, he was unable to take up his appointment as artillery commander at the Siege of Toulon
Siege of Toulon
The Siege of Toulon was an early Republican victory over a Royalist rebellion in the Southern French city of Toulon. It is also often known as the Fall of Toulon.-Context:...
in 1793. Therefore, an ambitious young artillery captain named Napoleon Bonaparte assumed command of the French artillery, with notable success. Dommartin then served in 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...
. During the Montenotte Campaign
Montenotte Campaign
The Montenotte Campaign began on 10 April 1796 with an action at Voltri and ended with the Armistice of Cherasco on 28 April. In his first army command, Napoleon Bonaparte's French army separated the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont under Michelangelo Alessandro Colli-Marchi from the allied...
, he led a brigade in the Second Battle of Dego
Second Battle of Dego
The Second Battle of Dego was fought on 14 and 15 April 1796 during the French Revolutionary Wars between French forces and Austro-Sardinian forces...
and in the Battle of Mondovì
Battle of Mondovi
The Battle of Mondovì was fought on 21 April 1796 between the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte and the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont led by Michelangelo Alessandro Colli-Marchi. The French victory meant that they had put the Ligurian Alps behind them, while the plains of Piedmont lay...
. Later, he commanded the artillery at the Battle of Rovereto
Battle of Rovereto
In the Battle of Rovereto on 4 September 1796 a French army commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte defeated an Austrian corps led by Paul Davidovich during the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars...
.
Dommartin was appointed commander of the artillery of the Rhine in 1797. Bonaparte then chose him in 1798 to command the artillery for the invasion of Egypt as acting general of division. During that campaign, Dommartin organised the Siege of El Arish
Siege of El Arish
In the Siege of El Arish French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte defeated Ottoman forces in the fortress in an eleven-day siege. It fell on February 19, 1799.-Forces:*French: 2,160 under General Jean Reynier....
and the Siege of Acre
Siege of Acre (1799)
The Siege of Acre of 1799 was an unsuccessful French siege of the Ottoman-defended, walled city of Acre and was the turning point of Napoleon's invasion of Egypt and Syria.-Background:...
, but was wounded in a skirmish and died of blood poisoning. His name is engraved on the south side of the Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe
-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
.