Nicolas Ernault de Rignac Des Bruslys
Encyclopedia
Nicolas Ernault de Rignac Des Bruslys (7 August 1757, Brive-la-Gaillarde
– 25 September 1809, Saint-Denis, Réunion
) was a French
general, later governor of Île Bonaparte (now Réunion).
on 28 September 1774. The school was closed the next year, and he joined the elite gardes du corps du roi, in the Noailles company. He received a commission of second lieutenant at the 3rd Artillery regiment on 4 July 1780.
In 1781, Des Bruslys took part in an attempt at invading India. He was promoted to first lieutenant on 1 September 1783, and to captain of the Colonial troops on 7 Mai 1786. He took part in a diplomatic mission to Persia before returning to France in 1787.
From 27 January 1788, he served as aid to the inspector of the artillery. In September, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. On 14 September, he distinguished himself at Croix-aux-Bois, reforming disbanded battalions and disengaging four battalions which were threatened to be surrounded. On the next day, he saved the supplies of his army which were being attacked by three squadrons.
On 8 October 1789, he was promoted to Adjudant-général-colonel, and took part in the siege of Namur
, personally leading the capture of the fort of Vilatte. On 26 November, he was wounded by a shrapnel at the right arm.
, where he was wounded by a cannonball at the right leg on 27 February 1794.
On 7 August 1794, Des Bruslys was promoted to acting Général de brigade, and served as de facto chief of staff of the armies of the North, of Belgium and of Ardennes. His rank was confirmed on 13 May, but revoked on 10 August, and arrested shortly thereafter on suspicion raised by the defection of this brothers, in 1791. He was released at the Thermidorian Reaction
, on 9 Thermidor Year II (27 July 1794). On 22 Thermidor (9 August), he was again arrested as former head of staff of Custine
. He was freed on 19 Frimaire an III (9 December 1794) and affected to the West Army.
Des Bruslys was soon called back to Paris, and defended the Convention nationale during the Prairial uprising.
On 26 Germinal (15 April 1795), he was sent to the Army of the North. From 25 pluviôse an V (13 February 1797), he was in charge of defending the coast.
On 28 Messidor an VI (16 July 1798), he was sent to the Army of England, which he quit to take back his previous position on 21 nivôse an VII (10 January 1799). He was affected to the Army of the Rhine on 26 frimaire an VIII (17 December 1799), where he distinguished himself at Fribourg
and Biberach an der Riß
. He served under Jean Victor Marie Moreau
at Ulm
, and defended St. Gotthard Pass
.
In Vendémiaire an X (October 1801), he took command of the Souham division, before being put at the disposal of the Ministry of the Navy. On 25 Nivôse (15 January 1802), he was sent to Rochefort
, embarked aboard the frigate Thêmis, and sailed to Île de France
(now Mauritius), under François-Louis Magallon. He married there.
When Magallon was sent back to France, Decaen made his governor of Réunion
. On 4 germinal an XII (25 March 1804), he received the Legion of Honour, and on 13 juillet 1808, he was promoted to Général de division.
, thinking that his forces did not allow him to effectively defend the entire coastline.
The British did attack at Saint Paul, on 21 September 1809. Unable to hold their position, the French retreated near the gunpowder store. Corbett himself showed up with an ultimatum threatening to set the entire city on fire, should the French attack.
On the next day, Des Bruslys led his force of 50 soldiers and 800 militiamen of the National Guard to counter the British, and found himself facing a 900-man strong expeditionary force already settled in Saint Paul. Des Bruslys hesitated between a direct assault and a defence line to contain the British. In the evening, he retreated to Saint-Denis in order to organise its defence against a potential invasion, leaving captain Saint-Michel to negotiate with the British.
On 23, a capitulation act was written at Saint Paul, which Des Bruslys refused to sign. At the same time, General Soleille threatened him with the decree of 14 pluviôse An II, which made "cowardice on the battlefield" punishable by the death penalty, should he not order an assault. Wanting neither to surrender, nor to order an assault which he deemed would end in a needless bloodbath, he redacted a note stating:
Des Bruslys then attempted to kill himself with his sabre, but failed. He then tried to blow his head off by detonating two sacks of gunpowder tied to his neck, but the powder failed to explode properly, which left him severely burned. He eventually took his life by slitting his carotid
with his razor.
His widow obtained a 1000-franc pension in 1811.
Brive-la-Gaillarde
Brive-la-Gaillarde is a commune of France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Corrèze department. The population of the urban area was 89,260 as of 1999. Although it is by far the biggest commune in Corrèze, the capital is Tulle.-History:...
– 25 September 1809, Saint-Denis, Réunion
Saint-Denis, Réunion
Saint-Denis is the préfecture of the French overseas region and department of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. It is located at the island's northernmost point, close to the mouth of the Rivière Saint-Denis....
) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
general, later governor of Île Bonaparte (now Réunion).
Early career
Des Bruslys joined the École des Mineurs in VerdunVerdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
on 28 September 1774. The school was closed the next year, and he joined the elite gardes du corps du roi, in the Noailles company. He received a commission of second lieutenant at the 3rd Artillery regiment on 4 July 1780.
In 1781, Des Bruslys took part in an attempt at invading India. He was promoted to first lieutenant on 1 September 1783, and to captain of the Colonial troops on 7 Mai 1786. He took part in a diplomatic mission to Persia before returning to France in 1787.
From 27 January 1788, he served as aid to the inspector of the artillery. In September, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. On 14 September, he distinguished himself at Croix-aux-Bois, reforming disbanded battalions and disengaging four battalions which were threatened to be surrounded. On the next day, he saved the supplies of his army which were being attacked by three squadrons.
On 8 October 1789, he was promoted to Adjudant-général-colonel, and took part in the siege of Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
, personally leading the capture of the fort of Vilatte. On 26 November, he was wounded by a shrapnel at the right arm.
Revolutionary wars
From 26 January 1793, he directed siege works at MaastrichtMaastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, where he was wounded by a cannonball at the right leg on 27 February 1794.
On 7 August 1794, Des Bruslys was promoted to acting Général de brigade, and served as de facto chief of staff of the armies of the North, of Belgium and of Ardennes. His rank was confirmed on 13 May, but revoked on 10 August, and arrested shortly thereafter on suspicion raised by the defection of this brothers, in 1791. He was released at the Thermidorian Reaction
Thermidorian Reaction
The Thermidorian Reaction was a revolt in the French Revolution against the excesses of the Reign of Terror. It was triggered by a vote of the Committee of Public Safety to execute Maximilien Robespierre, Antoine Louis Léon de Saint-Just de Richebourg and several other leading members of the Terror...
, on 9 Thermidor Year II (27 July 1794). On 22 Thermidor (9 August), he was again arrested as former head of staff of Custine
Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine
Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine was a French general. Born in Metz, he began his military career as a captain in the Seven Years' War, where he learned to admire the modern military organisation of Prussia....
. He was freed on 19 Frimaire an III (9 December 1794) and affected to the West Army.
Des Bruslys was soon called back to Paris, and defended the Convention nationale during the Prairial uprising.
On 26 Germinal (15 April 1795), he was sent to the Army of the North. From 25 pluviôse an V (13 February 1797), he was in charge of defending the coast.
On 28 Messidor an VI (16 July 1798), he was sent to the Army of England, which he quit to take back his previous position on 21 nivôse an VII (10 January 1799). He was affected to the Army of the Rhine on 26 frimaire an VIII (17 December 1799), where he distinguished himself at Fribourg
Fribourg
Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland...
and Biberach an der Riß
Biberach an der Riß
Biberach is a town in the south of Germany. It is the capital of Biberach district, in the Upper Swabia region of the German state of Baden-Württemberg...
. He served under Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States.- Early life :Moreau was born at Morlaix in Brittany...
at Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
, and defended St. Gotthard Pass
St. Gotthard Pass
The Gotthard Pass or St. Gotthard Pass is a high mountain pass in Switzerland between Airolo in the canton of Ticino, and Göschenen in the canton of Uri, connecting the northern German-speaking part of Switzerland with the Italian-speaking part, along the route onwards to Milan.Though the pass...
.
In Vendémiaire an X (October 1801), he took command of the Souham division, before being put at the disposal of the Ministry of the Navy. On 25 Nivôse (15 January 1802), he was sent to Rochefort
Rochefort, Charente-Maritime
Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...
, embarked aboard the frigate Thêmis, and sailed to Île de France
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
(now Mauritius), under François-Louis Magallon. He married there.
When Magallon was sent back to France, Decaen made his governor of Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
. On 4 germinal an XII (25 March 1804), he received the Legion of Honour, and on 13 juillet 1808, he was promoted to Général de division.
Raid on Saint Paul and suicide
Decaen had thought that the British would attempt a raid at Saint Paul. Des Brulys both did not share the conviction, and was reluctant to weaken the defences of Saint-DenisSaint-Denis, Réunion
Saint-Denis is the préfecture of the French overseas region and department of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. It is located at the island's northernmost point, close to the mouth of the Rivière Saint-Denis....
, thinking that his forces did not allow him to effectively defend the entire coastline.
The British did attack at Saint Paul, on 21 September 1809. Unable to hold their position, the French retreated near the gunpowder store. Corbett himself showed up with an ultimatum threatening to set the entire city on fire, should the French attack.
On the next day, Des Bruslys led his force of 50 soldiers and 800 militiamen of the National Guard to counter the British, and found himself facing a 900-man strong expeditionary force already settled in Saint Paul. Des Bruslys hesitated between a direct assault and a defence line to contain the British. In the evening, he retreated to Saint-Denis in order to organise its defence against a potential invasion, leaving captain Saint-Michel to negotiate with the British.
On 23, a capitulation act was written at Saint Paul, which Des Bruslys refused to sign. At the same time, General Soleille threatened him with the decree of 14 pluviôse An II, which made "cowardice on the battlefield" punishable by the death penalty, should he not order an assault. Wanting neither to surrender, nor to order an assault which he deemed would end in a needless bloodbath, he redacted a note stating:
Des Bruslys then attempted to kill himself with his sabre, but failed. He then tried to blow his head off by detonating two sacks of gunpowder tied to his neck, but the powder failed to explode properly, which left him severely burned. He eventually took his life by slitting his carotid
Common carotid artery
In human anatomy, the common carotid artery is an artery that supplies the head and neck with oxygenated blood; it divides in the neck to form the external and internal carotid arteries. - Structure :...
with his razor.
His widow obtained a 1000-franc pension in 1811.
Sources and references
- Charles Mullié, Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850, 1852.
- Général de division DES BRUSLYS