Jean Rapp
Encyclopedia
Jean Rapp was a French Army
general during the French Revolutionary Wars
and the Napoleonic Wars
.
Rapp was born the son of the janitor of the town-hall of Colmar
. He began theological studies to became a clergy man, but with his build and heated character, he was better suited to the military, which he joined in March 1788. From the rank of a regular of the chasseurs de Cévennes, he worked his way up the ranks through his courage and character to the rank of a division general and adjutant of Napoleon Bonaparte. As a lieutenant, his reputation grew through his impetuousness as well as the wounds he received in battle. He was made aide de camp of Louis Desaix, who named him captain and took him to Egypt, where Rapp distinguished himself at Sediman
, capturing an enemy battery. For that he was given a squadron and later a brigade by Napoleon.
After the Egyptian campaign, Rapp remained under the command of Desaix until his death at Marengo on June 14, 1800. He then became aide de camp of Napoleon, then the Premier Consul, a post he held until 1814. Under this title, he was charged with many confidential missions by Napoleon in the Vendée
, Switzerland
and Belgium
. In 1803 he was promoted to brigadier general and in December 1805, he led a memorable attack at Austerlitz
, when he charged at the head of two squadrons each of the Mounted Chasseurs and the Mounted Grenadiers of the Guard and the Guard Mameluks and decimated the Chevalier Guard
s of the Russian Imperial Guard. Promoted to division general, he later fought at Jena
on October 14, 1806 and was wounded at Golymin
.
Rapp stayed in the line of fire: at Essling
, he led the front of his fusiliers of the Garde impériale and carried the day; during the signing of the Treaty of Schönbrunn
, he averted a planned attempt on Napoleon by the young Friedrich Staps
; in Russia, he was wounded by four bullets at the battle of Moscow on September 5–7, 1812. He saved Napoleon's life a second time by repelling an attack of Cossacks at the Gorodnia and was again wounded at the passage of the Berezina
, fighting alongside Ney
in the rear guard. As governor of Danzig
, Rapp held the town for a year after the Grande Armée left Russia
.
During the Hundred Days
, Rapp rallied to Napoleon and was given command of V Corps, consisting of about 20,000 men. It was used to observe the border near Strasbourg
, and to defend the Vosges
. Ten days after the battle of Waterloo
(in which his corps took no part), he met some Coalition forces near Strasbourg and defeated them at the Battle of La Suffel
. After the Waterloo Campaign, he offered his resignation several times, but was reinstated. Later, Rapp became a deputy of the department of Haut-Rhin and was appointed as treasurer of Louis XVIII
in 1819.
He died in Rheinweiler in Baden
. His hometown Colmar built a statue in his honor on the Champ de Mars with the inscription Ma parole est sacrée (my word of honour is sacred). Rapp's heart is kept in a shrine in the church Saint-Matthieu.
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...
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...
and the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
Rapp was born the son of the janitor of the town-hall of Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
. He began theological studies to became a clergy man, but with his build and heated character, he was better suited to the military, which he joined in March 1788. From the rank of a regular of the chasseurs de Cévennes, he worked his way up the ranks through his courage and character to the rank of a division general and adjutant of Napoleon Bonaparte. As a lieutenant, his reputation grew through his impetuousness as well as the wounds he received in battle. He was made aide de camp of Louis Desaix, who named him captain and took him to Egypt, where Rapp distinguished himself at Sediman
French Revolutionary Wars: Campaigns of 1798
1798 was a relatively quiet period in the French Revolutionary Wars. The major continental powers in the First coalition had made peace with France, leaving France dominant in Europe with only a slow naval war with Great Britain to worry about...
, capturing an enemy battery. For that he was given a squadron and later a brigade by Napoleon.
After the Egyptian campaign, Rapp remained under the command of Desaix until his death at Marengo on June 14, 1800. He then became aide de camp of Napoleon, then the Premier Consul, a post he held until 1814. Under this title, he was charged with many confidential missions by Napoleon in the Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. In 1803 he was promoted to brigadier general and in December 1805, he led a memorable attack at Austerlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
, when he charged at the head of two squadrons each of the Mounted Chasseurs and the Mounted Grenadiers of the Guard and the Guard Mameluks and decimated the Chevalier Guard
Chevalier Guard
The Chevalier Guard regiment was a Russian heavy cavalry guard regiment, created in 1800 by the reformation of the Chevalier Guard corps, itself created in 1764 by Catherine the Great...
s of the Russian Imperial Guard. Promoted to division general, he later fought at Jena
Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
The twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt were fought on 14 October 1806 on the plateau west of the river Saale in today's Germany, between the forces of Napoleon I of France and Frederick William III of Prussia...
on October 14, 1806 and was wounded at Golymin
Battle of Golymin
The Battle of Golymin took place on 26 December 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars at Gołymin, Poland, between around 17,000 Russian soldiers with 28 guns under Prince Golitsyn and 38,000 French soldiers under Marshal Murat. The Russian forces disengaged successfully from the superior French forces...
.
Rapp stayed in the line of fire: at Essling
Battle of Aspern-Essling
In the Battle of Aspern-Essling , Napoleon attempted a forced crossing of the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were driven back by the Austrians under Archduke Charles...
, he led the front of his fusiliers of the Garde impériale and carried the day; during the signing of the Treaty of Schönbrunn
Treaty of Schönbrunn
The Treaty of Schönbrunn , sometimes known as the Treaty of Vienna, was signed between France and Austria at the Schönbrunn Palace of Vienna on 14 October 1809. This treaty ended the Fifth Coalition during the Napoleonic Wars...
, he averted a planned attempt on Napoleon by the young Friedrich Staps
Friedrich Staps
Friedrich Staps was an attempted assassin on Napoleon during the negotiations at Schönbrunn.-Biography:He was a son of a pastor and became a merchant, working at Erfurt and Leipzig...
; in Russia, he was wounded by four bullets at the battle of Moscow on September 5–7, 1812. He saved Napoleon's life a second time by repelling an attack of Cossacks at the Gorodnia and was again wounded at the passage of the Berezina
Battle of Berezina
The Battle of Berezina took place November 26–29, 1812 between the French army of Napoleon, retreating after his invasion of Russia and crossing the Berezina , and the Russian armies under Mikhail Kutuzov, Peter Wittgenstein and Admiral Pavel Chichagov. The battle ended with a mixed outcome...
, fighting alongside Ney
Michel Ney
Michel Ney , 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskowa was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I...
in the rear guard. As governor of Danzig
Free City of Danzig (Napoleonic)
The Free City of Danzig, sometimes referred to as the Republic of Danzig, was a semi-independent state established by Napoleon on September 9, 1807, during the time of the Napoleonic Wars following the capture of the city in the siege of Danzig in May...
, Rapp held the town for a year after the Grande Armée left Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
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...
, Rapp rallied to Napoleon and was given command of V Corps, consisting of about 20,000 men. It was used to observe the border near Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, and to defend the Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
. Ten days 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...
(in which his corps took no part), he met some Coalition forces near Strasbourg and defeated them at the Battle of La Suffel
Battle of La Suffel
The Battle of La Suffel was a French victory over Austrian forces of the Seventh Coalition and the last French pitched battle victory in the Napoleonic Wars...
. After the Waterloo Campaign, he offered his resignation several times, but was reinstated. Later, Rapp became a deputy of the department of Haut-Rhin and was appointed as treasurer of Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
in 1819.
He died in Rheinweiler in Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
. His hometown Colmar built a statue in his honor on the Champ de Mars with the inscription Ma parole est sacrée (my word of honour is sacred). Rapp's heart is kept in a shrine in the church Saint-Matthieu.