Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau
Encyclopedia
Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau, comte de Mercy or Eugen Gillis Wilhelm Graf Mercy d'Argenteau (1741 – 4 May 1819) joined the Austrian army in 1760, became a general officer, and led large formations of soldiers in several actions during the French Revolutionary Wars
and the Napoleonic Wars
.
in the Austrian Netherlands in 1741, Argenteau joined the Mercy d'Argenteau Infantry Regiment Nr. 56 in 1760. That year he fought at the bloody Battle of Torgau
. Before the Seven Years War ended, he was present at the storming of Schweidnitz. Promoted to Major
in 1773, he transferred to the Loudon Infantry Regiment Nr. 29. During the Austro-Turkish War (1787-1791)
, he led the 29th as their Oberst
(colonel) and served with distinction at the Siege of Belgrade
. In October 1789, he received promotion to General-major.
to Joseph De Vins, the Austrian army commander. Apparently, he did not get along with the officers of their ally, the Kingdom of Sardinia
. He continued to fight in northwestern Italy and was involved in at least two small actions. The French drove his troops from their positions during the Battle of Loano
on 23 November 1795. He was brought before a Court-martial
, but acquitted and in March 1796 promoted to Feldmarchal-Leutnant
.
In April 1796, he commanded the Right Wing under a new army commander, Johann Beaulieu
, a fellow Walloon
. During the Montenotte Campaign
, the French army under Napoleon Bonaparte mauled Argenteau's wing at the battles of Montenotte
and Dego
. After these defeats, Beaulieu's army remained largely paralyzed as the French knocked the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont out of the First Coalition
. Despite these events, Argenteau received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
in May 1796.
in northern Italy. At the Battle of Caldiero in October, he commanded five divisions of the Center of the army. At his retirement from military service in 1808, he was appointed Feldzeugmeister
, full general. From 1809 until his death in 1819, he was proprietor (inhaber) of the Argenteau Infantry Regiment Nr. 35. He died in Vienna
.
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...
.
Early career
Born at HuyHuy
Huy is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. Huy lies along the river Meuse, at the mouth of the small river Hoyoux. It is in the sillon industriel, the former industrial backbone of Wallonia, home to about two-thirds of the Walloon population...
in the Austrian Netherlands in 1741, Argenteau joined the Mercy d'Argenteau Infantry Regiment Nr. 56 in 1760. That year he fought at the bloody Battle of Torgau
Battle of Torgau
In the Battle of Torgau on 3 November 1760, King Frederick the Great's Prussian army fought a larger Austrian army under the command of Field Marshal Leopold Josef Graf Daun. The Prussians won a costly victory in one of the bloodiest battles of the Seven Years' War.-Background:In August, Daun...
. Before the Seven Years War ended, he was present at the storming of Schweidnitz. Promoted to Major
Major
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 1773, he transferred to the Loudon Infantry Regiment Nr. 29. During the Austro-Turkish War (1787-1791)
Austro-Turkish War (1787-1791)
The Austro-Turkish War of 1787 was an inconclusive struggle between the Austrian and Ottoman Empires. It took place concomitantly with the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1792.-History:...
, he led the 29th as their Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
(colonel) and served with distinction at the Siege of Belgrade
Siege of Belgrade (1789)
In the Siege of Belgrade from 15 September to 8 October 1789, an army of Habsburg Austria led by Feldmarschall Ernst Gideon Freiherr von Laudon besieged an Ottoman Turkish force in the fortress of Belgrade. After a three week leaguer, the Austrians stormed and captured the fortress...
. In October 1789, he received promotion to General-major.
French Revolutionary Wars
In 1793, Argenteau served in the Italian theater as chief of staffChief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to Joseph De Vins, the Austrian army commander. Apparently, he did not get along with the officers of their ally, the Kingdom of Sardinia
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...
. He continued to fight in northwestern Italy and was involved in at least two small actions. The French drove his troops from their positions during the Battle of Loano
Battle of Loano
The Battle of Loano occurred on 23-24 November 1795 during the War of the First Coalition. The French Army of Italy led by Barthélemy Schérer defeated the combined Austrian and Sardinian forces under Olivier, Count of Wallis. -Context:...
on 23 November 1795. He was brought before a Court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
, but acquitted and in March 1796 promoted to Feldmarchal-Leutnant
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
.
In April 1796, he commanded the Right Wing under a new army commander, 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...
, a fellow Walloon
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
. During 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...
, the French army under Napoleon Bonaparte mauled Argenteau's wing at the battles 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 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...
. After these defeats, Beaulieu's army remained largely paralyzed as the French knocked the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont out of the First Coalition
First Coalition
The War of the First Coalition was the first major effort of multiple European monarchies to contain Revolutionary France. France declared war on the Habsburg monarchy of Austria on 20 April 1792, and the Kingdom of Prussia joined the Austrian side a few weeks later.These powers initiated a series...
. Despite these events, Argenteau received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
Military Order of Maria Theresa
The Military Order of Maria Theresa was an Order of the Austro-Hungarian Empire founded on June 18, 1757, the day of the Battle of Kolin, by the Empress...
in May 1796.
Napoleonic Wars
In 1805, Argenteau led a division in the army of Archduke CharlesArchduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen was an Austrian field-marshal, the third son of emperor Leopold II and his wife Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain...
in northern Italy. At the Battle of Caldiero in October, he commanded five divisions of the Center of the army. At his retirement from military service in 1808, he was appointed Feldzeugmeister
Feldzeugmeister
Feldzeugmeister was a military rank in various European armies , especially in the artillery. It was commonly used in the 16th or 17th century, but could even be found in the beginning of the 20th century in some European countries...
, full general. From 1809 until his death in 1819, he was proprietor (inhaber) of the Argenteau Infantry Regiment Nr. 35. He died in 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...
.