Gaspard de Bernard de Marigny
Encyclopedia
Gaspard Augustin René Bernard de Marigny (2 November 1754, Luçon
– 10 July 1794, Combrand
) was a French officer and Vendéen
general.
, whose wife Victoire de Donnissan de La Rochejaquelein wrote the following about him :
"He was a handsome man, of high stature and great physical strength ; he was gay, spiritual, loyal and brave. I had never seen someone more obliging : he was always ready to please others ; to such an extent that I remember that since he had some knowledge in the veterinary art, all the peasants of the canton came to him when they had sick beasts. He was full of life, and when he became excited, he would be immoderately enthusiastic."
Vessel Lieutenant in La Royale during the Ancien régime, he tried to defend the Tuileries with the king's constitutional guard in 1792.
When the war in the Vendée broke, he joined the insurgents after having been freed by them at Bressuire
, and was named commander of artillery. He stood out in the Battle of Thouars
, the Battle of Saumur
and during the Virée de Galerne
.
He was nonetheless responsible for the massacre of hundreds of prisoners in the First Battle of Châtillon
, and was proven later guilty of similar acts towards republican prisoners whom he killed with his own hands, of which Victoire de Donnissan de La Rochejaquelein commented :
"War denatures character. Mr. de Marigny, one of the gentlest and best men I had known, had become bloodthirsty".
In April 1794, he signed an alliance with Charette
, Stofflet
and Sapinaud
. But he didn't get along with Stofflet, who tried to give him a secondary role, so he left. A war counsel was created which condemned Marigny to death on 25 April 1794 by 22 votes, including those of Charette and Stofflet, against 10.
Marigny hence fought alone against the republican troops, but he fell ill and sought refuge in the château de la Girardière, near Combrand
. He was arrested by Stofflet
's men and executed by firing squad on the spot. The rest of his army deserted or joined Sapinaud
who had refused to vote for his execution.
Luçon
Luçon is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.It is the seat of the Diocese of Luçon and Luçon Cathedral.-References:*...
– 10 July 1794, Combrand
Combrand
Combrand is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.-References:*...
) was a French officer and Vendéen
Catholic and Royal Army
The Catholic and Royal Armies , is the name given to the royalist armies in western France composed of insurgents during the war in the Vendée and the Chouannerie, who opposed the French revolution, hence they were counterrevolutionary by definition.-Catholic and Royal Army of Vendée:The Catholic...
general.
Life
Bernard de Marigny was a cousin and friend of Louis Marie de LescureLouis Marie de Lescure
Louis-Marie Joseph, marquis de Lescure was a French soldier and opponent of the French Revolution, the cousin of Henri de la Rochejaquelein....
, whose wife Victoire de Donnissan de La Rochejaquelein wrote the following about him :
"He was a handsome man, of high stature and great physical strength ; he was gay, spiritual, loyal and brave. I had never seen someone more obliging : he was always ready to please others ; to such an extent that I remember that since he had some knowledge in the veterinary art, all the peasants of the canton came to him when they had sick beasts. He was full of life, and when he became excited, he would be immoderately enthusiastic."
Vessel Lieutenant in La Royale during the Ancien régime, he tried to defend the Tuileries with the king's constitutional guard in 1792.
When the war in the Vendée broke, he joined the insurgents after having been freed by them at Bressuire
Bressuire
Bressuire is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in France. The town is situated on an eminence overlooking the Dolo, a tributary of the Argenton.-Notable buildings:...
, and was named commander of artillery. He stood out in the Battle of Thouars
Battle of Thouars
The Battle of Thouars was a battle between pro- and anti-Revolutionary forces on the morning of 5 May 1793 during the war in the Vendée. It involved the taking of the town of Thouars by force by the anti-Revolutionary forces or Vendéens....
, the Battle of Saumur
Battle of Saumur (1793)
The Battle of Saumur was a battle during the Vendee Revolt. It occurred in the town of Saumur on 9 June 1793.As at the battle of Thouars, the Republican prisoners were released after swearing not to fight again in the Vendée and having had their hair shaved off so they could be recognised lest...
and during the Virée de Galerne
Virée de Galerne
The Virée de Galerne was a military operation of the War in the Vendée during the French Revolutionary Wars across Britanny and Normandy. It takes its name from "gwalarn", a Breton word for the "vent de noroît" ....
.
He was nonetheless responsible for the massacre of hundreds of prisoners in the First Battle of Châtillon
First Battle of Châtillon
The First Battle of Châtillon took place on 5 July 1793 during a French Civil war known as the War in the Vendée, and saw the Vendéens forces defeat the Republican army.-Prelude:...
, and was proven later guilty of similar acts towards republican prisoners whom he killed with his own hands, of which Victoire de Donnissan de La Rochejaquelein commented :
"War denatures character. Mr. de Marigny, one of the gentlest and best men I had known, had become bloodthirsty".
In April 1794, he signed an alliance with Charette
François de Charette
François Athanase de Charette de la Contrie was a French soldier and politician, one of the leaders of the bloody events termed the "Revolt in the Vendée"...
, Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet was a French leader of the Revolt in the Vendée against the First French Republic.Born in Bathelémont-lès-Bauzemont , the son of a miller, he was for long a private in the Swiss Guard, and afterwards gamekeeper to the comte de Colbert-Maulévrier, he joined the Vendéans when...
and Sapinaud
Charles Sapinaud de La Rairie
Charles Henri Félicité Sapinaud de la Rairie was a French soldier and Vendéen general during the war in the Vendée.- Life :...
. But he didn't get along with Stofflet, who tried to give him a secondary role, so he left. A war counsel was created which condemned Marigny to death on 25 April 1794 by 22 votes, including those of Charette and Stofflet, against 10.
Marigny hence fought alone against the republican troops, but he fell ill and sought refuge in the château de la Girardière, near Combrand
Combrand
Combrand is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.-References:*...
. He was arrested by Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet was a French leader of the Revolt in the Vendée against the First French Republic.Born in Bathelémont-lès-Bauzemont , the son of a miller, he was for long a private in the Swiss Guard, and afterwards gamekeeper to the comte de Colbert-Maulévrier, he joined the Vendéans when...
's men and executed by firing squad on the spot. The rest of his army deserted or joined Sapinaud
Charles Sapinaud de La Rairie
Charles Henri Félicité Sapinaud de la Rairie was a French soldier and Vendéen general during the war in the Vendée.- Life :...
who had refused to vote for his execution.
Sources
- Émile Gabory, Les Guerres de Vendée, Robert Laffont, édition de 2009 , p. 1436-1437.
- Mémoires de Mme la marquise de La Rochejaquelein