Louis-Michel Letort de Lorville
Encyclopedia
Louis-Michel Letort de Lorville (9 September 1773 - 17 June 1815) was a French general of the Napoleonic Wars. He was made a baron de l'Empire on 9 September 1810, général de brigade on 30 January 1813, and acted as aide de camp to Napoleon himself. He fought with distinction in the first French Revolutionary Wars
and became, under the First French Empire
, a major in the dragoons of the Imperial Guard.
(and Neerwinden
). Wounded in Italy in 1799, he continued on a military career in Austria, then Prussia, Poland and Russia despite receiving a new wound at the battle of Jena.
Distinguishing himself in 1808 at the battle of Burgos
, his service in Russia
(notably in the battle of Malojaroslawitz) won him promotion to général de brigade. Wounded and distinguished again at Wachau, he still took part in the battle of Hanau
, where his horse was killed under him. On 2 February 1814, he distinguished himself again at the Battle of Montmirail
, and the following day was made général de division. On 19 March that same year, he impetuously attacked the enemy rearguard, captured a group of pontoon
s and closely pursued the Allies.
During the Hundred Days
, general Letort offered his services to Napoleon, who accepted and put him in command of the dragoons of the Imperial Guard. On 15 June, at the moment Napoleon gave the order to attack elements of Ziethen's
Prussian I Corps (hidden in the Fleurus wood), the Prussians begain to retire. Impatient to see this corps escaping, Napoleon ordered his aide-de-camp Letort to take four service squadrons of the Guard and charge the enemy vanguard. Letort immediately charged in pursuit of the Prussian infantry, pushing off two infantry squares and wrecking one whole regiment, but fell mortally wounded by a bullet in the lower stomach and died two days later. His name is engraved on the north face of the Arc de Triomphe
.
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 became, under the First French Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
, a major in the dragoons of the Imperial Guard.
Life
Volunteering in 1791, he fought at the battle of JemappesBattle of Jemappes
The Battle of Jemappes took place near the town of Jemappes in Hainaut, Belgium, near Mons. General Charles François Dumouriez, in command of the French Revolutionary Army, defeated the greatly outnumbered Austrian army of Field Marshal Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen and his second-in-command...
(and Neerwinden
Battle of Neerwinden (1793)
The Battle of Neerwinden took place on near the village of Neerwinden in present-day Belgium between the Austrians under Prince Josias of Coburg and the French under General Dumouriez...
). Wounded in Italy in 1799, he continued on a military career in Austria, then Prussia, Poland and Russia despite receiving a new wound at the battle of Jena.
Distinguishing himself in 1808 at the battle of Burgos
Battle of Burgos
The Battle of Burgos , also known as Battle of Gamonal, was fought on November 10, 1808, during the Peninsular War. A powerful French army under Marshal Bessières overwhelmed and destroyed the outnumbered Spanish under General Belveder, opening central Spain to invasion.Spanish history remembers...
, his service in Russia
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
(notably in the battle of Malojaroslawitz) won him promotion to général de brigade. Wounded and distinguished again at Wachau, he still took part in the battle of Hanau
Battle of Hanau
The Battle of Hanau was fought on between Karl Philipp von Wrede’s Austro-Bavarian corps and Napoleon's retreating French during the War of the Sixth Coalition....
, where his horse was killed under him. On 2 February 1814, he distinguished himself again at the Battle of Montmirail
Battle of Montmirail
The Battle of Montmirail was a battle fought near Montmirail, France, during the Six Days Campaign of the Napoleonic Wars. It was fought on February 11, 1814, and resulted in the victory of the French under Emperor Napoleon I over the Russians under General Fabian Wilhelm von Osten-Sacken and the...
, and the following day was made général de division. On 19 March that same year, he impetuously attacked the enemy rearguard, captured a group of pontoon
Pontoon
Pontoon may refer to:* Float , an air-filled structure providing buoyancy* Pontoon , the Australian/Malaysian casino game* Pontoon , a chiefly British version of the card game blackjack...
s and closely pursued the Allies.
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...
, general Letort offered his services to Napoleon, who accepted and put him in command of the dragoons of the Imperial Guard. On 15 June, at the moment Napoleon gave the order to attack elements of Ziethen's
Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Zieten
Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Zieten was an officer in the Prussian Army during the Napoleonic Wars.Zieten was born in Dechtow in the Margraviate of Brandenburg; he was not related to the Frederician general Hans Joachim von Zieten.During the Waterloo Campaign of 1815, Lieutenant-General von Zieten...
Prussian I Corps (hidden in the Fleurus wood), the Prussians begain to retire. Impatient to see this corps escaping, Napoleon ordered his aide-de-camp Letort to take four service squadrons of the Guard and charge the enemy vanguard. Letort immediately charged in pursuit of the Prussian infantry, pushing off two infantry squares and wrecking one whole regiment, but fell mortally wounded by a bullet in the lower stomach and died two days later. His name is engraved on the north face 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...
.
Source
- "Louis-Michel Letort de Lorville", in Charles Mullié, Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850, 1852