Roger de Damas
Encyclopedia
Roger de Damas was a French general who fought against the French Revolutionary forces
for the Russian Empire
and the Kingdom of Naples
.
, and began his military career in 1779 in a French regiment commanded by his uncle. In 1787 he went to Russia, where a large army was being prepared for the war against the Ottoman Empire
, as a guest of its commander, Grigory Potemkin. After gaining the latter's esteem, he fought in the naval battles against the Turks and, once the land operations began, at the head of a grenadiers column. Later, at Saint Petersburg
, he received several honors by empress Catherine
and obtained the permission from the French king to fight for Russia; de Damas took part to the rest of the Russian-Turkish war in 1789-1790, leading an army corps during the sieges of Kilia
and Akerinan.
In the meantime, the French Revolution
had broken out, and de Damas joined the French Émigré armies
, as aide-de-camp
of the count of Artois
(1791–1792). In 1793, after accompanying Artois at Saint Petersburg
, he joined the army of Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé serving with the Mirabeau Legion. In 1796 he was elevated to command the legion of 1,200 men, 400 hussars and 4 artillery pieces. Damas fought in the campaigns of 1795, 1796 and 1797. In 1798 he entered service of the King of Naples with the permission of emperor Paul I of Russia
. He was given command of the 3rd Camp under Mack
in the ill-fated invasion of the Roman Republic
. He took command of a corps of 7,000 men, survivors of Mack’s defeat at Civita Castellana
during the French counter-invasion in December 1798. His forces were driven back at Toscanella by Kellermann
on 7 December. Attempting to pass through Rome to re-join Mack, Damas was intercepted by General Bonamy, who denied the validity of a safe passage for his column. Seriously wounded in the retreat, he nevertheless managed to skilfully evacuate a large part of his command from Orbetello
under Naselli and reach Naples.
He was later appointed as Field Marshal
, General Lieutenant and finally commander-in-chief of the Neapolitan armed forces, which he directed in the campaigns of 1799, 1800, 1801 and 1806.
In 1801 he was forced to flee Naples and moved to Vienna
, where he wrote his memoirs. In 1804 he was recalled to southern Italy to reorganize the Neapolitan army. After French diplomatic pressures had him expelled in 1805, he retired to Messina. After the fall of Ferdinand IV of Naples's troops in face of the French invasion in 1806, he for a short time defended Calabria
with a few troops, being defeated at the Battle of Campo Tenese on 10 March 1806. de Damas moved first to Trieste
and then to Vienna, where he stayed for seven years without taking part in any military activity.
After the fall of Napoleon and the restoration of the French royal family, he was appointed Governor of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Military Divisions, later of the 19th Division and of Lyon
. Following Napoleon's return from Elba
he was unable to prevent his troops from following him, and thus went in exile to Ghent
with the king. In September 1815, after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo he returned to France and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies.
He died at the castle of Cirey
in 1823.
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...
for the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
.
Biography
He was born in ParisParis
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...
, and began his military career in 1779 in a French regiment commanded by his uncle. In 1787 he went to Russia, where a large army was being prepared for the war against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, as a guest of its commander, Grigory Potemkin. After gaining the latter's esteem, he fought in the naval battles against the Turks and, once the land operations began, at the head of a grenadiers column. Later, at Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, he received several honors by empress Catherine
Catherine II of Russia
Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great , Empress of Russia, was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia on as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg...
and obtained the permission from the French king to fight for Russia; de Damas took part to the rest of the Russian-Turkish war in 1789-1790, leading an army corps during the sieges of Kilia
Kilia
Kilia may refer to:* Kilia, a town in Ukraine* Chilia Veche, a town in Tulcea County, Romania* Chilia branch, a distributary of the Danube.* 470 Kilia, an asteroid.* Kilia, an English transliteration of Χηλή, the Greek name for the town of Şile in Turkey...
and Akerinan.
In the meantime, 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...
had broken out, and de Damas joined the French Émigré armies
Émigré armies of the French Revolutionary Wars
The émigré armies of the French Revolutionary Wars were armies raised outside of France by and out of Royalist émigrés, with the aim of overthrowing the French Revolution, reconquering France and restoring the monarchy. These were aided by royalist armies within France itself, such as the Chouans,...
, as aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
of the count of Artois
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
(1791–1792). In 1793, after accompanying Artois at Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, he joined the army of Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé serving with the Mirabeau Legion. In 1796 he was elevated to command the legion of 1,200 men, 400 hussars and 4 artillery pieces. Damas fought in the campaigns of 1795, 1796 and 1797. In 1798 he entered service of the King of Naples with the permission of emperor Paul I of Russia
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
. He was given command of the 3rd Camp under Mack
Karl Mack von Leiberich
Karl Mack von Leiberich, Freiherr was an Austrian soldier. He is best remembered as the commander of the Austrian forces that capitulated to Napoleon's Grande Armée in the Battle of Ulm in 1805. Historians of the late 20th century widely agree that he was among the poorest of the commanders of the...
in the ill-fated invasion of the Roman Republic
Roman Republic (18th century)
The Roman Republic was proclaimed on February 15, 1798 after Louis Alexandre Berthier, a general of Napoleon, had invaded the city of Rome on February 10....
. He took command of a corps of 7,000 men, survivors of Mack’s defeat at Civita Castellana
Civita Castellana
Civita Castellana is a town and comune in the province of Viterbo, 65 km north of Rome.Mount Soracte lies about 10 km to the south-east.-History:...
during the French counter-invasion in December 1798. His forces were driven back at Toscanella by Kellermann
François Étienne de Kellermann
Francois Étienne de Kellermann, 2nd Duc de Valmy was a French cavalry general noted for his daring and skillful exploits during the Napoleonic Wars...
on 7 December. Attempting to pass through Rome to re-join Mack, Damas was intercepted by General Bonamy, who denied the validity of a safe passage for his column. Seriously wounded in the retreat, he nevertheless managed to skilfully evacuate a large part of his command from Orbetello
Orbetello
Orbetello is a town and comune in the province of Grosseto , Italy. It is located c. 35 km south of Grosseto, on the eponymous lagoon, which is home to an important Natural Reserve.-History:...
under Naselli and reach Naples.
He was later appointed as Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
, General Lieutenant and finally commander-in-chief of the Neapolitan armed forces, which he directed in the campaigns of 1799, 1800, 1801 and 1806.
In 1801 he was forced to flee Naples and moved to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he wrote his memoirs. In 1804 he was recalled to southern Italy to reorganize the Neapolitan army. After French diplomatic pressures had him expelled in 1805, he retired to Messina. After the fall of Ferdinand IV of Naples's troops in face of the French invasion in 1806, he for a short time defended Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
with a few troops, being defeated at the Battle of Campo Tenese on 10 March 1806. de Damas moved first to Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
and then to Vienna, where he stayed for seven years without taking part in any military activity.
After the fall of Napoleon and the restoration of the French royal family, he was appointed Governor of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Military Divisions, later of the 19th Division and of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. Following Napoleon's return from Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
he was unable to prevent his troops from following him, and thus went in exile to Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
with the king. In September 1815, after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo he returned to France and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies.
He died at the castle of Cirey
Cirey
Cirey is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-External links:*...
in 1823.