François-Xavier Octavie Fontaine
Encyclopedia
François-Xavier Octavie Fontaine (7 November 1762 in Saint-Remy, Haute-Saône
- 17 May 1812 in Paris
) served in the French military in the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars
, and the Napoleonic Wars
.
He enlisted in 1778 and participated in the American Revolution from 1779 to 1782, under command of Rochambeau
. In particular, he distinguished himself at the Siege of Pensacola in 1781.
Wounded at the Siege of Menin, receiving a bayonet stab in the chest. On 1 May 1793, he was appointed lieutenant
in the 19th Regiment of Chasseurs, and campaigned in Vendée
during the revolt. He was also part of the expedition to Ireland.
At the Battle of Ostrach
, he was attached to the Advanced Guard, commanded by François Joseph Lefebvre
, and he was caught between the Austrian and French fire at the village of Hosskirch; his troops took heavy casualties. Unable to escape from the village without being defeated, he took advantage of a thick fog to hide his column. He maneuvered through the channel of the Ostrach
and managed to join with the 2nd Division at Riedhausen. Jourdan praised him for his coolness and courage under fire in this dangerous and difficult withdrawal. Later that same year, while in the Army of the Rhine, he was at the siege of Philipsburg.
Following the campaigns against Austria and Prussia in 1805 and 1806, he went to Spain, where he participated in the Peninsular War. He returned to France in 1810; Napoleon raised him to baron of the empire and he died in Paris, 17 May 1812.
Saint-Remy, Haute-Saône
Saint-Remy is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...
- 17 May 1812 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...
) served in the French military in the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars
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...
.
He enlisted in 1778 and participated in the American Revolution from 1779 to 1782, under command of Rochambeau
Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau
Marshal of France Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau was a French nobleman and general who participated in the American Revolutionary War as the commander-in-chief of the French Expeditionary Force which came to help the American Continental Army...
. In particular, he distinguished himself at the Siege of Pensacola in 1781.
Wounded at the Siege of Menin, receiving a bayonet stab in the chest. On 1 May 1793, he was appointed lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 19th Regiment of Chasseurs, and campaigned in Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
during the revolt. He was also part of the expedition to Ireland.
At the Battle of Ostrach
Battle of Ostrach
The Battle of Ostrach, also called the Battle by Ostrach, occurred on 20–21 March 1799. It was the first battle of the War of the Second Coalition. The battle resulted in the victory of the Austrian forces, under the command of Archduke Charles, over the French forces, commanded by Jean...
, he was attached to the Advanced Guard, commanded by François Joseph Lefebvre
François Joseph Lefebvre
François Joseph Lefebvre, First Duc de Dantzig was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and one of the original eighteen Marshals of the Empire created by Napoleon....
, and he was caught between the Austrian and French fire at the village of Hosskirch; his troops took heavy casualties. Unable to escape from the village without being defeated, he took advantage of a thick fog to hide his column. He maneuvered through the channel of the Ostrach
Ostrach (stream)
The Ostrach is a long tributary stream of the Danube in Baden-Württemberg .- Geography :The Ostrach originates on the north side of the European watershed, in the vicintiy of Fleischwangen in the Landkreis Ravensburg and drains out of the Pfrunger wetlands...
and managed to join with the 2nd Division at Riedhausen. Jourdan praised him for his coolness and courage under fire in this dangerous and difficult withdrawal. Later that same year, while in the Army of the Rhine, he was at the siege of Philipsburg.
Following the campaigns against Austria and Prussia in 1805 and 1806, he went to Spain, where he participated in the Peninsular War. He returned to France in 1810; Napoleon raised him to baron of the empire and he died in Paris, 17 May 1812.