Jacques Nicolas Bellavène
Encyclopedia
Jacques Nicolas Bellavène (Verdun
, 20 October 1770 - Milly
, 8 February 1826) was a French general. His name is engraved on the east side of the Arc de triomphe
.
. On 19 May 1793 he was made an aide de camp, took 7 boxes from the enemy and captured the colonel Johann von Klenau
. He was attached to the general staff on 29 vendémiaire year II.
On the night of 12-13 frimaire, having learned on a visit to the vanguard that the Austrian army defeated at Niederbronn was evacuating Haguenau
, he marched on Haguenau
with 50 dragoons, surprised the sentries guarding the gate, entered the city, stopped the enemy from looting it and took 400 prisoners. In recognition of that action he was made chief adjutant general of the battalion on the following 23 germinal. On 4 prairial, with two squadrons of chasseur
s, he was commanded to capture the positions at Neunhoffen, then held by 1,500 Bavarians - he forced them to retire and took 200 prisoners. Promoted to adjudant-général colonel provisoire on 3 messidor the same year, he went to join the siege of Mainz
where, on the night of 25-26 brumaire year III, he captured 600 men of the corps known as the Manteaux-Rouges, who were at Weisenau - this post was re-occupied on 26 brumaire and Bellavène surprised it the following night and captured 400 men. He was then confirmed as adjudant-général colonel on 25 prairial year III before taking part in the commission set up by general Moreau
to plan a crossing of the Rhine. In prairial year IV this plan was presented to the general, who approved it, and it took place on 6 messidor. The same day Moreau
, the commander-in-chief, made Bellavène a général de brigade.
At the battle of Rastadt on 17 messidor, general Sainte-Suzanne
's division found itself compromised. Bellavène went to support it with his demi-brigade
of cavalry and was struck by a cannon ball which took off a leg and knocked over his horse. On 22 messidor the French government confirmed his provisional promotion to général de brigade. He was then employed in the government's mapping office and on 5 pluviôse year V was given a command in the 3rd Military Division, which he held until 1 germinal year VII. He was made inspector of reviews on 8 pluviôse year VIII before being recalled to command the 4th Military Division during the congress of Lunéville.
On 19 ventôse year XI, Bonaparte
entrusted him with the command, organisation and direction of studies at the military academy at Saint-Cyr
, as inspector of the Prytanée militaire
; he then made him, in year XII, a member of the Légion d'honneur
on 19 frimaire and a Commander of the order on 25 prairial. He was then made a général de division on 4 October 1807, a baron de l'Empire in 1808 and inspector-general of military schools on 1 July 1812. On 8 July 1814 the restored king made him a Cross of the Order of Saint Louis
, but on 2 August that year he was dismissed as inspector-general and on 1 January 1815 put on half pay. He was made inspector-general again by Napoleon during the Hundred Days
and gave the government 4,000 francs to spend on equipment for the National Guard
. The Dictionnaire des Généraux français relates of him:
Louis XVIII, now back in Paris, allowed Bellavène to retire to Milly-la-Forêt
on 27 September 1815, where Bellavène died in 1826.
Verdun
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 :...
, 20 October 1770 - Milly
Milly-la-Forêt
Milly-la-Forêt is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.-Geology:The Forest of Fontainebleau in the western end of which Milly-la-Forêt lies, is composed of the Oligocene Fontainebleau sands, which are a marine deposit, laid down in an intertidal...
, 8 February 1826) was a French general. His name is engraved on the east side of 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...
.
Life
He entered the French army as a private in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment on 24 March 1791, rising to sous-lieutenant on 10 May 1792 and ordnance officer for his regiment on the staff of the armée du RhinArmée du Rhin
The Army of the Rhine is the overall name for one of the main French Revolutionary armies, that operated in the German theater along the River Rhine...
. On 19 May 1793 he was made an aide de camp, took 7 boxes from the enemy and captured the colonel Johann von Klenau
Johann von Klenau
Johann von Klenau , also called Johann Josef Cajetan von Klenau und Janowitz, the son of a Bohemian noble, was a field marshal in the Habsburg army...
. He was attached to the general staff on 29 vendémiaire year II.
On the night of 12-13 frimaire, having learned on a visit to the vanguard that the Austrian army defeated at Niederbronn was evacuating Haguenau
Haguenau
-Economy:The town has a well balanced economy. Centuries of troubled history in the buffer lands between France and Germany have bequeathed to Haguenau a rich historical and cultural heritage which supports a lively tourist trade. There is also a thriving light manufacturing sector centred on the...
, he marched on Haguenau
Haguenau
-Economy:The town has a well balanced economy. Centuries of troubled history in the buffer lands between France and Germany have bequeathed to Haguenau a rich historical and cultural heritage which supports a lively tourist trade. There is also a thriving light manufacturing sector centred on the...
with 50 dragoons, surprised the sentries guarding the gate, entered the city, stopped the enemy from looting it and took 400 prisoners. In recognition of that action he was made chief adjutant general of the battalion on the following 23 germinal. On 4 prairial, with two squadrons of chasseur
Chasseur
Chasseur [sha-sur; Fr. sha-sœr] is the designation given to certain regiments of French light infantry or light cavalry troops, trained for rapid action.-History:...
s, he was commanded to capture the positions at Neunhoffen, then held by 1,500 Bavarians - he forced them to retire and took 200 prisoners. Promoted to adjudant-général colonel provisoire on 3 messidor the same year, he went to join the siege of Mainz
Siege of Mainz
In the Siege of Mainz , from 14 April to 23 July 1793, a coalition of Prussia, Austria, and other German states besieged and captured Mainz from revolutionary French forces...
where, on the night of 25-26 brumaire year III, he captured 600 men of the corps known as the Manteaux-Rouges, who were at Weisenau - this post was re-occupied on 26 brumaire and Bellavène surprised it the following night and captured 400 men. He was then confirmed as adjudant-général colonel on 25 prairial year III before taking part in the commission set up by general 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...
to plan a crossing of the Rhine. In prairial year IV this plan was presented to the general, who approved it, and it took place on 6 messidor. The same day 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...
, the commander-in-chief, made Bellavène a général de brigade.
At the battle of Rastadt on 17 messidor, general Sainte-Suzanne
Sainte-Suzanne
Sainte-Suzanne may refer to a number of people* Susanna * Susanna * Saint Suzanne, a number of saints.* Saints Tiburtius and Susanna, a saint whose feast day is August 11....
's division found itself compromised. Bellavène went to support it with his demi-brigade
Demi-brigade
Not to be confused with 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign LegionThe Demi-brigade was a military formation first used by the French Army during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Demi-brigade amalgamated the various infantry organizations of the French Revolutionary infantry into a single unit...
of cavalry and was struck by a cannon ball which took off a leg and knocked over his horse. On 22 messidor the French government confirmed his provisional promotion to général de brigade. He was then employed in the government's mapping office and on 5 pluviôse year V was given a command in the 3rd Military Division, which he held until 1 germinal year VII. He was made inspector of reviews on 8 pluviôse year VIII before being recalled to command the 4th Military Division during the congress of Lunéville.
On 19 ventôse year XI, Bonaparte
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
entrusted him with the command, organisation and direction of studies at the military academy at Saint-Cyr
École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr is the foremost French military academy. Its official name is . It is often referred to as Saint-Cyr . Its motto is "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre": literally "They study to vanquish" or "Training for victory"...
, as inspector of the Prytanée militaire
Prytanée National Militaire
The Prytanée National Militaire, originally Collège Royal Henry-Le-Grand, is a French school managed by the military, offering regular secondary education as well as special preparatory school classes, equivalent in level to the first years of university, for students who wish to enter French...
; he then made him, in year XII, a member of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
on 19 frimaire and a Commander of the order on 25 prairial. He was then made a général de division on 4 October 1807, a baron de l'Empire in 1808 and inspector-general of military schools on 1 July 1812. On 8 July 1814 the restored king made him a Cross of the Order of Saint Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
, but on 2 August that year he was dismissed as inspector-general and on 1 January 1815 put on half pay. He was made inspector-general again by Napoleon during the Hundred Days
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
and gave the government 4,000 francs to spend on equipment for the National Guard
National Guard (France)
The National Guard was the name given at the time of the French Revolution to the militias formed in each city, in imitation of the National Guard created in Paris. It was a military force separate from the regular army...
. The Dictionnaire des Généraux français relates of him:
Louis XVIII, now back in Paris, allowed Bellavène to retire to Milly-la-Forêt
Milly-la-Forêt
Milly-la-Forêt is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.-Geology:The Forest of Fontainebleau in the western end of which Milly-la-Forêt lies, is composed of the Oligocene Fontainebleau sands, which are a marine deposit, laid down in an intertidal...
on 27 September 1815, where Bellavène died in 1826.