Gabriel Venance Rey
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Venance Rey or Antoine Gabriel Rey, born 24 July 1763 – died 20 April 1836, became a general officer in the army of France during the French Revolutionary Wars
and led a division under Napoleon Bonaparte in the Italian campaign of 1796-1797. He ran afoul of Napoleon and was not employed again until 1808, when he was sent to fight in Spain. He retired from military service in 1820.
and became a lieutenant
in 1791. He served with distinction in the Army of the Rhine, Army of the West, and Army of Italy
. He was promoted to general of brigade in 1793 and general of division in 1795.
In January 1797, his division covered the western side of Lake Garda
during the fourth Austrian attempt to raise the Siege of Mantua
. Summoned to the east by Bonaparte, some of his troops marched and others crossed the lake by boat to fight at the Battle of Rivoli
on 14 January. Arriving in the afternoon, Rey's soldiers helped eliminate Franz Joseph, Marquis de Lusignan
's isolated Austrian column south of the main battlefield. The following day, he assisted Barthélemy Joubert
in mopping up the shattered Austrian army, capturing large numbers of prisoners. His 4,156-man division included the brigades of Joachim Murat
, Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers
, and Antoine Joseph Veaux.
of 18 Brumaire
by which Bonaparte made himself the leader of France. Therefore, the new First Consul dismissed him from his military offices. His later record is obscure because of a confusion in names. He fought in Spain
from 1808-1814 and led 3,500 men at the Battle of Ocaña
. One source puts him in command of the fortress of Valenciennes
after the Battle of Waterloo
. However, Louis Emmanuel Rey
(1768–1846) also served in Spain during 1808-1813 and certainly defended Valenciennes in 1815. Gabriel Rey retired from the army in 1820 and died on 20 April 1836.
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 led a division under Napoleon Bonaparte in the Italian campaign of 1796-1797. He ran afoul of Napoleon and was not employed again until 1808, when he was sent to fight in Spain. He retired from military service in 1820.
Revolution
Born on 24 July 1763, Rey joined the old royal army of Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
and became a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1791. He served with distinction in the Army of the Rhine, Army of the West, and 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...
. He was promoted to general of brigade in 1793 and general of division in 1795.
In January 1797, his division covered the western side of Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
during the fourth Austrian attempt to raise the Siege of Mantua
Siege of Mantua (1796-1797)
In the Siege of Mantua, which lasted from 4 July 1796 to 2 February 1797 with a short break, French forces under the overall command of Napoleon Bonaparte besieged and blockaded a large Austrian garrison for many months until it surrendered...
. Summoned to the east by Bonaparte, some of his troops marched and others crossed the lake by boat to fight at the Battle of Rivoli
Battle of Rivoli
The Battle of Rivoli was a key victory in the French campaign in Italy against Austria. Napoleon Bonaparte's 23,000 Frenchmen defeated an attack of 28,000 Austrians under Feldzeugmeister Jozsef Alvinczi, ending Austria's fourth and final attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua...
on 14 January. Arriving in the afternoon, Rey's soldiers helped eliminate Franz Joseph, Marquis de Lusignan
Franz Joseph, Marquis de Lusignan
Franz Joseph, Marquis de Lusignan , a Spaniard, joined the Austrian army and fought against Prussian soldiers and Belgian rebels. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he played a significant role at the Battle of Rivoli in 1797 and became a general officer. He led brigade- and division-sized...
's isolated Austrian column south of the main battlefield. The following day, he assisted Barthélemy Joubert
Barthélemy Catherine Joubert
Barthélemy Catherine Joubert was a French general. He joined the royal French army in 1784 and rose rapidly in rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte recognized his talents and gave him increased responsibilities...
in mopping up the shattered Austrian army, capturing large numbers of prisoners. His 4,156-man division included the brigades of Joachim Murat
Joachim Murat
Joachim-Napoléon Murat , Marshal of France and Grand Admiral or Admiral of France, 1st Prince Murat, was Grand Duke of Berg from 1806 to 1808 and then King of Naples from 1808 to 1815...
, Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers
Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers
thumbLouis Baraguey d'Hilliers was a French Army general who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was the father of Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers, a Marshal of France.-French Revolution:...
, and Antoine Joseph Veaux.
Empire
Rey disapproved of the coup d'etatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
of 18 Brumaire
18 Brumaire
The coup of 18 Brumaire was the coup d'état by which General Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the French Directory, replacing it with the French Consulate...
by which Bonaparte made himself the leader of France. Therefore, the new First Consul dismissed him from his military offices. His later record is obscure because of a confusion in names. He fought 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...
from 1808-1814 and led 3,500 men at the Battle of Ocaña
Battle of Ocana
The Battle of Ocana or Battle of Ocaña was fought on 19 November 1809 between French forces under Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult and King Joseph Bonaparte and the Spanish army under Juan Carlos de Aréizaga, which suffered its greatest single defeat in the Peninsular War...
. One source puts him in command of the fortress of Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
after the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. However, Louis Emmanuel Rey
Louis Emmanuel Rey
Louis Emmanuel Rey, born 22 September 1768, Grenoble – died 18 June 1846, Paris, joined the French royal army and won rapid promotion to general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars. He continued to serve the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. He fought in the Peninsular...
(1768–1846) also served in Spain during 1808-1813 and certainly defended Valenciennes in 1815. Gabriel Rey retired from the army in 1820 and died on 20 April 1836.