Michel-Marie Pacthod
Encyclopedia
Count Michel-Marie Pacthod (1764–1830) was a French officer during the French Revolutionary Wars
and Napoleonic Wars
, who rose to the rank of General of Division in 1808. A competent and brave infantry commander, his career was much affected by an 1795 incident, while he was the military commander of Marseille
, and failed to come to the aid of Napoleon Bonaparte's family, which had taken refuge in the city.
, then a part of Piedmont
, Pacthod joined the King's Life Guards but France soon occupied his country and the French-speaking Pacthod rallied to the ideas of the French Revolution
. He was elected Lieutenant-Colonel by the volunteers of the Mont-Blanc department and then sent to serve in the Siege of Toulon
, where he was wounded seven times. He was deputy to the Chief of Staff of the French expeditionary force destined to Corsica
and then, in January 1795, appointed to the military command of Marseille
. He was holding this command when the family of General Napoleon Bonaparte, which had fled their native Corsica during the British occupation of the island
, took refuge in the city. The Bonapartes had fled Corsica in order to escape possible retaliation from the British occupants and arrived destitute in Marseille. It seems that Pacthod showed little generosity towards the Bonapartes, a behaviour which Napoleon would never forgive. His career did advance quickly during the following years, seeing promotion to Brigadier General
in May 1795, and was noted for his actions at the Battle of Alkmaar
and Battle of Castricum
.
in 1804, blocked Pacthod's promotion for several years, despite his numerous feats of arms. With the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars
, Pacthod took a notable part to the Battle of Halle
and Battle of Lübeck
in 1806, was wounded at the Battle of Mohrungen
and fought at the Battle of Friedland
. Marshal of the Empire Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who had been his Corps commander throughout the 1806-1807 War of the Fourth Coalition
, proposed Pacthod's promotion to General of Division on several occasions, but Napoleon refused. Nevertheless, after fighting brilliantly in several actions in the Peninsular War
, especially at Durango
(31 October 1808) and Espinosa
(10 November 1808), he finally received promotion to the top military rank in the French army, while also being created a Baron of the Empire. In 1809, he fought in the War of the Fifth Coalition
, as a part of the "Army of Italy", and took part to the victories of Raab
and Wagram
. Despite this distinguished service, he was given secondary commands, in the French "Army of Naples", then the "Army of Illyria" and was only able to rejoin the Grande Armée in 1813, for the War of the Sixth Coalition
. Following the Battle of Bautzen
, Napoleon created him a Count of the Empire (22 May 1813) and less than a week later, Pacthod captured 8,000 Prussians, at the Battle of Hoyerswerda (27 May 1813). During the 1814 campaign for the defense of France, Pacthod was present at virtually every major engagement and was heroic at the Battle of Fère-Champenoise, where he was wounded and taken prisoner. During the Hundred Days
Pacthod refused to serve Napoleon and for this he was rewarded by the Bourbon restoration
by being named General Inspector for Infantry, a prestigious position, which was to be the last of his active service.
The name PACTHOD is one of the names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe
in Paris
.
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 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...
, who rose to the rank of General of Division in 1808. A competent and brave infantry commander, his career was much affected by an 1795 incident, while he was the military commander of Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, and failed to come to the aid of Napoleon Bonaparte's family, which had taken refuge in the city.
Early career
Born in the 20 April 1776 in the town of Saint-Julien-en-GenevoisSaint-Julien-en-Genevois
Saint-Julien-en-Genevois is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:...
, then a part of Piedmont
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
, Pacthod joined the King's Life Guards but France soon occupied his country and the French-speaking Pacthod rallied to the ideas of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. He was elected Lieutenant-Colonel by the volunteers of the Mont-Blanc department and then sent to serve in 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:...
, where he was wounded seven times. He was deputy to the Chief of Staff of the French expeditionary force destined to Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
and then, in January 1795, appointed to the military command of Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. He was holding this command when the family of General Napoleon Bonaparte, which had fled their native Corsica during the British occupation of the island
Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom was a short-lived self-declared independent state on the island of Corsica during the mid-1790s.-Background and history of the kingdom:During the time of the French Revolution, Corsica had been a part of France for just two decades...
, took refuge in the city. The Bonapartes had fled Corsica in order to escape possible retaliation from the British occupants and arrived destitute in Marseille. It seems that Pacthod showed little generosity towards the Bonapartes, a behaviour which Napoleon would never forgive. His career did advance quickly during the following years, seeing promotion to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in May 1795, and was noted for his actions at the Battle of Alkmaar
Battle of Alkmaar (1799)
The Battle of Alkmaar was fought on 2 October 1799 between forces of the French Republic and her ally, the Batavian Republic under the command of general Guillaume Marie Anne Brune, and an expeditionary force from Great Britain and her ally Russia, commanded by Prince Frederick, Duke of York...
and Battle of Castricum
Battle of Castricum
The Battle of Castricum saw a Franco-Dutch force defeat an Anglo-Russian force near Castricum, Netherlands. The battle was fought during the War of the Second Coalition against Revolutionary France between French and Dutch forces under the command of General Guillaume Brune and Herman Willem...
.
Napoleonic Wars and beyond
The rise to power of Napoleon, who became Emperor of the FrenchEmperor of the French
The Emperor of the French was the title used by the Bonaparte Dynasty starting when Napoleon Bonaparte was given the title Emperor on 18 May 1804 by the French Senate and was crowned emperor of the French on 02 December 1804 at the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, in Paris with the Crown of...
in 1804, blocked Pacthod's promotion for several years, despite his numerous feats of arms. With the outbreak of 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...
, Pacthod took a notable part to the Battle of Halle
Battle of Halle
In the Battle of Halle on 17 October 1806 a French corps led by Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte fought the Prussian Reserve under Eugene Frederick Henry, Duke of Württemberg. The French defeated their opponents, forcing the Prussians to retreat northeast toward Dessau after suffering heavy losses. The...
and Battle of Lübeck
Battle of Lübeck
The Battle of Lübeck took place on 6 November 1806 in Lübeck, Germany between soldiers of the Kingdom of Prussia led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher and troops of the First French Empire under Marshals Joachim Murat, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, and Nicolas Soult...
in 1806, was wounded at the Battle of Mohrungen
Battle of Mohrungen
In the Battle of Mohrungen on 25 January 1807, most of a First French Empire corps under the leadership of Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte fought a strong Russian Empire advance guard led by Major General Evgeni Ivanovich Markov. The French pushed back the main Russian force, but a cavalry raid on...
and fought at the Battle of Friedland
Battle of Friedland
The Battle of Friedland saw Napoleon I's French army decisively defeat Count von Bennigsen's Russian army about twenty-seven miles southeast of Königsberg...
. Marshal of the Empire Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who had been his Corps commander throughout the 1806-1807 War of the Fourth Coalition
War of the Fourth Coalition
The Fourth Coalition against Napoleon's French Empire was defeated in a war spanning 1806–1807. Coalition partners included Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and the United Kingdom....
, proposed Pacthod's promotion to General of Division on several occasions, but Napoleon refused. Nevertheless, after fighting brilliantly in several actions in 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...
, especially at Durango
Battle of Pancorbo
The Battle of Pancorbo was one of the opening engagements in Napoleon's invasion of Spain.- Background :On October 31, 1808, Marshal François Lefebvre bloodied the Army of Galicia under Lieutenant General Joaquín Blake but failed to encircle or destroy it, upsetting both the Emperor and the French...
(31 October 1808) and Espinosa
Battle of Espinosa
The Battle of Espinosa was a battle of the Napoleonic Wars, fought on November 10 and November 11, 1808 at the township of Espinosa de los Monteros in the Cantabrian Mountains...
(10 November 1808), he finally received promotion to the top military rank in the French army, while also being created a Baron of the Empire. In 1809, he fought in the War of the Fifth Coalition
War of the Fifth Coalition
The War of the Fifth Coalition, fought in the year 1809, pitted a coalition of the Austrian Empire and the United Kingdom against Napoleon's French Empire and Bavaria. Major engagements between France and Austria, the main participants, unfolded over much of Central Europe from April to July, with...
, as a part of the "Army of Italy", and took part to the victories of Raab
Battle of Raab
The Battle of Raab was fought on 14 June 1809 during the Napoleonic Wars, between Franco-Italian forces and Austrian-Hungarian forces. The battle was fought near Győr in Hungary and ended in a Franco-Italian victory...
and Wagram
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
. Despite this distinguished service, he was given secondary commands, in the French "Army of Naples", then the "Army of Illyria" and was only able to rejoin the Grande Armée in 1813, for the War of the Sixth Coalition
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
. Following the Battle of Bautzen
Battle of Bautzen
In the Battle of Bautzen a combined Russian/Prussian army was pushed back by Napoleon, but escaped destruction, some sources claim, because Michel Ney failed to block their retreat...
, Napoleon created him a Count of the Empire (22 May 1813) and less than a week later, Pacthod captured 8,000 Prussians, at the Battle of Hoyerswerda (27 May 1813). During the 1814 campaign for the defense of France, Pacthod was present at virtually every major engagement and was heroic at the Battle of Fère-Champenoise, where he was wounded and taken prisoner. 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...
Pacthod refused to serve Napoleon and for this he was rewarded by the 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...
by being named General Inspector for Infantry, a prestigious position, which was to be the last of his active service.
The name PACTHOD is one of the names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe
Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe
The following is the list of the names of the 660 persons inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris. Most of them are generals who served during the First French Empire with additional figures from the French Revolution ....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Sources
- Fierro, Alfredo; Palluel-Guillard, André; Tulard, Jean - "Histoire et Dictionnaire du Consulat et de l'Empire”, Éditions Robert Laffont, ISBN 2-221-05858-5