Amedee Emmanuel Francois Laharpe
Encyclopedia
Amédée Emmanuel François Laharpe (1754 – 8 May 1796) fought in the armies of the First French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars
, led a division in Italy under Napoleon Bonaparte, and died after being hit by friendly fire.
in Vaud Canton
, Switzerland
in 1754. His cousin was Frédéric-César de la Harpe
. Laharpe studied at a school in Haldenstein
and served several times as a mercenary in Holland. When he returned home, he commanded a Vaud militia company. When the French Revolution
broke out in 1789, he renounced his seigneurial privileges. He organized a party to celebrate the Storming of the Bastille
in 1791. The authorities in Berne
disapproved of his pro-French activities and forced Laharpe to flee to France where he joined the army.
in 1792. He distinguished himself at the Siege of Toulon
, being named general of brigade in 1794. From that year, he served in the Army of Italy
. His promotion to general of division came in 1795.
When Bonaparte took command of the Army of Italy in March 1796, his division commanders included Laharpe, André Masséna
, Pierre Augereau, and Jean Sérurier
. In the Montenotte Campaign
, these four divisions rapidly defeated the Austrian army and forced the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont to sue for peace. Laharpe fought at the Battle of Montenotte
and the Second Battle of Dego
. Thereafter, his troops guarded the east flank of the army against a possible Austrian counterattack.
With the Sardinians subdued, Bonaparte moved against Johann Beaulieu
's Austrian army. After marching along the south bank of the Po River
, Laharpe's division crossed near Piacenza
and thrust north to turn Beaulieu's left flank. Laharpe, with his own division and the army's advance guard, defeated Anton Lipthay
's Austrians at the Battle of Fombio
during the day on 8 May. After this action, the French pursued as far as Codogno
. That evening, another Austrian unit blundered into the French units in the area. Amid a night of confused clashes, Laharpe was accidentally shot to death by his own men as he returned to camp after a reconnoitre.
He is honored on the Arc de Triomphe
in Paris
. An inscription on column 24 reads LAHARPE.
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...
, led a division in Italy under Napoleon Bonaparte, and died after being hit by friendly fire.
Early career
Laharpe was the son of Louis-Philippe de la Harpe; he was born in Château Hutins near RolleRolle
Rolle is a municipality in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It was the seat of the district of Rolle until 2006, when it became part of the district of Nyon. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Geneva between Nyon and Lausanne...
in Vaud Canton
Vaud
Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
, 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....
in 1754. His cousin was Frédéric-César de la Harpe
Frédéric-César de La Harpe
Frédéric-César de La Harpe was a Swiss political leader and Vaudois patriot, who played a leading role in the creation of the Helvetic Republic.-Biography:...
. Laharpe studied at a school in Haldenstein
Haldenstein
Haldenstein is a municipality in the district of Landquart in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-History:Haldenstein is first mentioned in 1149 as Lanze. In 1370 it was mentioned as Lentz inferior.-Geography:...
and served several times as a mercenary in Holland. When he returned home, he commanded a Vaud militia company. When 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...
broke out in 1789, he renounced his seigneurial privileges. He organized a party to celebrate the Storming of the Bastille
Storming of the Bastille
The storming of the Bastille occurred in Paris on the morning of 14 July 1789. The medieval fortress and prison in Paris known as the Bastille represented royal authority in the centre of Paris. While the prison only contained seven inmates at the time of its storming, its fall was the flashpoint...
in 1791. The authorities in Berne
Berne
The city of Bern or Berne is the Bundesstadt of Switzerland, and, with a population of , the fourth most populous city in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 43 municipalities, has a population of 349,000. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000...
disapproved of his pro-French activities and forced Laharpe to flee to France where he joined the army.
Military career
Laharpe enjoyed a meteoric rise in the French army, becoming a chief of battalionMajor
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1792. He distinguished himself at 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:...
, being named general of brigade in 1794. From that year, he served in the Army of Italy
Army of Italy (France)
The Army of Italy was a Field army of the French Army stationed on the Italian border and used for operations in Italy itself. Though it existed in some form in the 16th century through to the present, it is best known for its role during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic...
. His promotion to general of division came in 1795.
When Bonaparte took command of the Army of Italy in March 1796, his division commanders included Laharpe, André Masséna
André Masséna
André Masséna 1st Duc de Rivoli, 1st Prince d'Essling was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
, Pierre Augereau, and Jean Sérurier
Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier
Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier, 1st Comte Sérurier , was a French soldier and political figure who rose to the rank of Marshal of France.-Early life:...
. In the Montenotte Campaign
Montenotte Campaign
The Montenotte Campaign began on 10 April 1796 with an action at Voltri and ended with the Armistice of Cherasco on 28 April. In his first army command, Napoleon Bonaparte's French army separated the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont under Michelangelo Alessandro Colli-Marchi from the allied...
, these four divisions rapidly defeated the Austrian army and forced the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont to sue for peace. Laharpe fought at the Battle of Montenotte
Battle of Montenotte
The Battle of Montenotte was fought on 12 April 1796, during the French Revolutionary Wars, between the French army under General Napoleon Bonaparte and an Austrian corps under Count Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau. The battle was fought near the village of Cairo Montenotte, in northwestern Italy, and...
and the Second Battle of Dego
Second Battle of Dego
The Second Battle of Dego was fought on 14 and 15 April 1796 during the French Revolutionary Wars between French forces and Austro-Sardinian forces...
. Thereafter, his troops guarded the east flank of the army against a possible Austrian counterattack.
With the Sardinians subdued, Bonaparte moved against Johann Beaulieu
Johann Peter Beaulieu
Johann Peter Beaulieu de Marconnay, also Jean Pierre Beaulieu de Marconnay, born 26 October 1725 – died 22 December 1819, was an Austrian military officer. He joined the Austrian army and fought against the Prussians during the Seven Years War. A cultured man, he later battled Belgian rebels...
's Austrian army. After marching along the south bank of the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
, Laharpe's division crossed near Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
and thrust north to turn Beaulieu's left flank. Laharpe, with his own division and the army's advance guard, defeated Anton Lipthay
Anton Lipthay de Kisfalud
Anton Lipthay de Kisfalud , also Anton Liptai or Anton Liptay, served in the Austrian army, attained general officer rank, and fought in several battles against the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte during the French Revolutionary Wars.-Early career:Born in Nógrád, Hungary in 1745, Lipthay joined...
's Austrians at the Battle of Fombio
Battle of Fombio
The Battle of Fombio was fought between the French Army of Italy led by Napoleon Bonaparte and the Austrian army under Feldzeugmeister Johann Peter Beaulieu between 7 and 9 May 1796. It was the decisive strategic point of the campaign, as Bonaparte crossed the Po River at Piacenza in Beaulieu's...
during the day on 8 May. After this action, the French pursued as far as Codogno
Codogno
Codogno is a town and comune in the province of Lodi, Lombardy, Italy. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on June 26, 1955....
. That evening, another Austrian unit blundered into the French units in the area. Amid a night of confused clashes, Laharpe was accidentally shot to death by his own men as he returned to camp after a reconnoitre.
He is honored on the Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe
-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
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...
. An inscription on column 24 reads LAHARPE.