Nicolas-François Roussel d'Hurbal
Encyclopedia
Viscount
Nicolas-François Roussel d'Hurbal (1763–1849), was a French soldier during the French Revolutionary Wars
and Napoleonic Wars
.
He spent the better part of his military career in the service of the Habsburg Monarchy
(1782–1811), fighting as a junior cavalry officer in the French Revolutionary Wars
. In 1804, before the outbreak of the War of the Third Coalition, he saw promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel and in 1807 he was promoted to Colonel and given the command of a Cuirassier
regiment. He led his regiment with distinction at the Battle of Aspern-Essling
and won promotion to General-Major after the battle. Weeks later, he led a Cuirassier brigade at the Battle of Wagram
. Retired in the Austrian army, he joined Napoleon in 1811, with the rank of Brigadier General. He took part to the French Invasion of Russia
, serving in the I Cavalry Corps
of the Grande Armée. By the end of 1812, he had gained promotion to General of Division. Later, he took part to the campaigns of the War of the Sixth Coalition
and swore allegiance to Louis XVIII, after the Bourbon Restoration
in 1814. After Napoleon's escape from exile and resurgence to power in France, Roussel d'Hurbal joined him again and was in command of a heavy cavalry division at the Battle of Waterloo
. He was then retired from active service and given a position as inspector general for cavalry.
Roussel d'Hurbal was a recipient of the Legion of Honour, a Baron of the Empire (from 1813) and a Viscount
from 1822.
, France, Roussel d'Hurbal joined the army of the Habsburg Monarchy on 1 January 1782, as a cadet in the Kaunitz infantry regiment. He spent the next three years in the infantry branch of the army. Nevertheless, 8 February 1785 he was transferred to the cavalry branch, where he would spend the remained of his career. He was at first a part of the Vincent Chevaulegers regiment, holding the rank of Sublieutenant. On 13 October 1789, he became a First Lieutenant in the Latour Dragoons regiment, with whom he fought his first engagements of the French Revolutionary Wars
. He was wounded by a bullet, while fighting the French at the Battle of Aldenhoven on 2 March 1793. During the next few years, Roussel d'Hurbal saw steady, albeit slow, promotion in the Habsburg Army. He was promoted to Second Captain on 20 April 1793, then to full Captain on 1 March 1797, to Major on 1 March 1802 and to Lieutenant-Colonel of the Latour Chevaulegers on 2 September 1804.
, as a result of the defeat at Austerlitz
. Austria stayed out of the 1806-1807 War of the Fourth Coalition
, but during this period of peace, Roussel d'Hurbal saw his most important promotion yet, to the rank of Colonel
, in command of the Moritz Liechtenstein Cuirassiers (1 January 1807).
In early 1809, the Austrian Empire
prepared a new war against the French Empire. Colonel Roussel d'Hurbal played a conspicuous part in the Austrian victory against Napoleon at Aspern-Essling
. During the second day of battle, on 22 May 1809, the colonel received a sabre cut that pierced his helmet, but did not cause a sufficiently serious wound to prevent him from retaining command. One day after the battle, he was promoted to General-Major and was entrusted with the command of a powerful heavy cavalry brigade, around 1,000 sabres strong, composed of the 3rd Herzog Albert Cuirassiers and the 2nd Erzherzog Franz Cuirassiers. His brigade was heavily engaged against the French and their allies at the great Battle of Wagram
on 5 and 6 July 1809, which saw the Austrian army decisively defeated by Napoleon's forces.
of the Grande Armée and on 1 June 1812 was sent to serve in the 4th foreign light cavalry
brigade of General Bruyère's division. This unit became a part of Nansouty
's I Cavalry Corps
during the French Invasion of Russia
. The unit fought at the Battle of Borodino
(7 September 1812), where Roussel d'Hurbal had his left leg badly bruised by a cannon ball. He was named General of Division, the top military rank in the French army, on 4 December 1812 and in February 1813, he was given the task of commanding a cavalry regiment formed from the debris of II Cavalry Corps
. On 19 April, he was given the command of the newly formed 2nd light cavalry division of the Army of the Elbe. He was noted for his actions at the Battle of Katzbach
on 26 August 1813, where he received a serious sabre wound at the head. He was no longer able to assume immediate active duties and was allowed to go on sick leave. A month later, he was gratified with the title Baron of the Empire, a sign of Imperial appreciation for his services (28 September 1813).
He spent the next few months on sick leave and it wasn't until the beginning of 1814 that he was given another position, as inspector general of the central cavalry depot at Versailles
(17 January 1814). One month later, on 11 February, he was appointed commander of the Fontainebleau
sector. A few days later, he was given his first field command in months, when he was appointed at the head of the 6th cavalry division, a unit entirely composed of Dragoons and integrated in the VI Cavalry Corps (19 February). On 23 February, his division was detached to II Corps
. He led his division in a remarkable charge against the Russians at Craonne
and subsequently saw action in several engagements of the campaign. On 5 April, Roussel d'Hurbal led his division to Évreux
, a move that was a part of Marshal Auguste de Marmont's defection, which virtually surrendered Paris
to the Sixth Coalition.
, Roussel d'Hurbal was given the position of inspector general, with the mission of reorganising the cavalry in the 6th and 19th military divisions (1 June 1814). At the end of the year, on 30 December 1814, he was appointed inspector general for cavalry. On 11 March 1815, following the news of Napoleon's unexpected return from his exile on the island of Elba
, Roussel d'Hurbal, who was well-trusted by the Bourbons, received orders to travel to Lyon
. There, he was to make himself available for service under the orders of the Comte d'Artois
. The plan to stop Napoleon's advance to Paris failed and the Emperor entered Paris unopposed and reclaimed power on 20 March. Roussel d'Hurbal joined him and on 8 April, he was named commander of the 2nd reserve cavalry division, based at Metz
. On 3 June, he was given command of the 12th heavy cavalry division of Kerllermann
's III Cavalry Corps. His division was in the thick of the fighting on 18 June at the Battle of Waterloo
, where the general was wounded. Later, he took provisional command of the entire III Cavalry Corps, in replacement of Kellermann. He was placed on the non-active list on 1 August and retired on 9 September. After the second Bourbon Restoration, Roussel d'Hurbal seemed to retain some favour at the Court, subsequently receiving another appointment as inspector general and the title of Gentilhomme of the King's Chamber. In 1822, he was also gratified with the title of Viscount
.
in Paris
.
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
Nicolas-François Roussel d'Hurbal (1763–1849), was a French soldier during 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 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 spent the better part of his military career in the service of the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
(1782–1811), fighting as a junior cavalry officer in 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...
. In 1804, before the outbreak of the War of the Third Coalition, he saw promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel and in 1807 he was promoted to Colonel and given the command of a Cuirassier
Cuirassier
Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. They were the successors of the medieval armoured knights...
regiment. He led his regiment with distinction at the Battle of Aspern-Essling
Battle of Aspern-Essling
In the Battle of Aspern-Essling , Napoleon attempted a forced crossing of the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were driven back by the Austrians under Archduke Charles...
and won promotion to General-Major after the battle. Weeks later, he led a Cuirassier brigade at the Battle of Wagram
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
. Retired in the Austrian army, he joined Napoleon in 1811, with the rank of Brigadier General. He took part to the French Invasion of 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...
, serving in the I Cavalry Corps
I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée)
I Cavalry Corps was a French military formation during the later stage of the Napoleonic Wars. Created in 1812 as a part of the Grande Armée that was intended to invade Russia, I Cavalry Corps took part to the French invasion of Russia and the to the 1813-1814 War of the Sixth Coalition, which...
of the Grande Armée. By the end of 1812, he had gained promotion to General of Division. Later, he took part to the campaigns of the War of the Sixth Coalition
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
and swore allegiance to Louis XVIII, after the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
in 1814. After Napoleon's escape from exile and resurgence to power in France, Roussel d'Hurbal joined him again and was in command of a heavy cavalry division at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. He was then retired from active service and given a position as inspector general for cavalry.
Roussel d'Hurbal was a recipient of the Legion of Honour, a Baron of the Empire (from 1813) and a Viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
from 1822.
Early career
Although he was born in Neufchâteau, VosgesNeufchâteau, Vosges
Neufchâteau is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Néocastriens.-Geography:Positioned at the confluence of the Rivers Meuse and Mouzon, the little town dominates the Vosges Plain...
, France, Roussel d'Hurbal joined the army of the Habsburg Monarchy on 1 January 1782, as a cadet in the Kaunitz infantry regiment. He spent the next three years in the infantry branch of the army. Nevertheless, 8 February 1785 he was transferred to the cavalry branch, where he would spend the remained of his career. He was at first a part of the Vincent Chevaulegers regiment, holding the rank of Sublieutenant. On 13 October 1789, he became a First Lieutenant in the Latour Dragoons regiment, with whom he fought his first engagements of 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...
. He was wounded by a bullet, while fighting the French at the Battle of Aldenhoven on 2 March 1793. During the next few years, Roussel d'Hurbal saw steady, albeit slow, promotion in the Habsburg Army. He was promoted to Second Captain on 20 April 1793, then to full Captain on 1 March 1797, to Major on 1 March 1802 and to Lieutenant-Colonel of the Latour Chevaulegers on 2 September 1804.
Napoleonic Wars
Roussel d'Hurbal spent the better part of 1805 fighting against the French. However, by the end of the year, the Habsburgs were forced out of the War of the Third Coalition and into making separate peace with the French EmpireFirst French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
, as a result of the defeat at Austerlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
. Austria stayed out of the 1806-1807 War of the Fourth Coalition
War of the Fourth Coalition
The Fourth Coalition against Napoleon's French Empire was defeated in a war spanning 1806–1807. Coalition partners included Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and the United Kingdom....
, but during this period of peace, Roussel d'Hurbal saw his most important promotion yet, to the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, in command of the Moritz Liechtenstein Cuirassiers (1 January 1807).
In early 1809, the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
prepared a new war against the French Empire. Colonel Roussel d'Hurbal played a conspicuous part in the Austrian victory against Napoleon at Aspern-Essling
Battle of Aspern-Essling
In the Battle of Aspern-Essling , Napoleon attempted a forced crossing of the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were driven back by the Austrians under Archduke Charles...
. During the second day of battle, on 22 May 1809, the colonel received a sabre cut that pierced his helmet, but did not cause a sufficiently serious wound to prevent him from retaining command. One day after the battle, he was promoted to General-Major and was entrusted with the command of a powerful heavy cavalry brigade, around 1,000 sabres strong, composed of the 3rd Herzog Albert Cuirassiers and the 2nd Erzherzog Franz Cuirassiers. His brigade was heavily engaged against the French and their allies at the great Battle of Wagram
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
on 5 and 6 July 1809, which saw the Austrian army decisively defeated by Napoleon's forces.
In the service of France
General Rousel d'Hurbal resigned from his position in October 1810 and was retired on 1 April 1811. He immediately sought service in the French army and was admitted on 31 July 1811, with the rank of Brigadier General, a rank equivalent to that which he held in the Austrian army. As Napoleon was preparing for the imminent war with Russia, Roussel d'Hurbal was appointed inspector and commander of the 9th Chevau-Légers on 3 August 1811 and then commander of the 8th (Polish) Lancers on 1 May 1812. He then served as a general staff officer to the I CorpsI Corps (Grande Armée)
The I Corps of the Grande Armée was a military unit during the Napoleonic Wars. It were different troops in French service commanded by Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte in 1805 and 1806, General Claude Victor-Perrin in 1807 and Marshal Louis Nicolas Davout during the 1812 invasion of Russia.- Size...
of the Grande Armée and on 1 June 1812 was sent to serve in the 4th foreign light cavalry
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
brigade of General Bruyère's division. This unit became a part of Nansouty
Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty
Count Étienne-Marie-Antoine-Champion de Nansouty was a French cavalry commander during the French Revolutionary Wars who rose to the rank of General of Division in 1803 and subsequently held important military commands during the Napoleonic Wars. Of noble Burgundian descent, he was a student at...
's I Cavalry Corps
I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée)
I Cavalry Corps was a French military formation during the later stage of the Napoleonic Wars. Created in 1812 as a part of the Grande Armée that was intended to invade Russia, I Cavalry Corps took part to the French invasion of Russia and the to the 1813-1814 War of the Sixth Coalition, which...
during the French Invasion of 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...
. The unit fought at the Battle of Borodino
Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino , fought on September 7, 1812, was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia and all Napoleonic Wars, involving more than 250,000 troops and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties...
(7 September 1812), where Roussel d'Hurbal had his left leg badly bruised by a cannon ball. He was named General of Division, the top military rank in the French army, on 4 December 1812 and in February 1813, he was given the task of commanding a cavalry regiment formed from the debris of II Cavalry Corps
II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée)
II Cavalry Corps was a French military formation during the Napoleonic Wars. It was first formed in December 1806, but only enjoyed a brief existence under Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessières...
. On 19 April, he was given the command of the newly formed 2nd light cavalry division of the Army of the Elbe. He was noted for his actions at the Battle of Katzbach
Battle of Katzbach
The Battle of Katzbach on 26 August 1813, was an accidental engagement of the Napoleonic Wars between the forces of the First French Empire under Marshal MacDonald and a Russo-Prussian army of the Sixth Coalition under Prussian Marshal Graf von Blücher...
on 26 August 1813, where he received a serious sabre wound at the head. He was no longer able to assume immediate active duties and was allowed to go on sick leave. A month later, he was gratified with the title Baron of the Empire, a sign of Imperial appreciation for his services (28 September 1813).
He spent the next few months on sick leave and it wasn't until the beginning of 1814 that he was given another position, as inspector general of the central cavalry depot at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
(17 January 1814). One month later, on 11 February, he was appointed commander of the Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
sector. A few days later, he was given his first field command in months, when he was appointed at the head of the 6th cavalry division, a unit entirely composed of Dragoons and integrated in the VI Cavalry Corps (19 February). On 23 February, his division was detached to II Corps
II Corps (Grande Armée)
The II Corps of the Grande Armée was a military unit during the Napoleonic Wars. It was commanded by Marshal Nicolas Oudinot during the 1812 invasion of Russia, at which point its size was roughly 40,000 men....
. He led his division in a remarkable charge against the Russians at Craonne
Battle of Craonne
The Battle of Craonne was fought on March 7, 1814, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon I against Russians and Prussians under General Blücher.Craonne is a village on the Chemin des Dames, in the département of Aisne....
and subsequently saw action in several engagements of the campaign. On 5 April, Roussel d'Hurbal led his division to Évreux
Évreux
Évreux is a commune in the Eure department, of which it is the capital, in Haute Normandie in northern France.-History:In late Antiquity, the town, attested in the fourth century CE, was named Mediolanum Aulercorum, "the central town of the Aulerci", the Gallic tribe then inhabiting the area...
, a move that was a part of Marshal Auguste de Marmont's defection, which virtually surrendered 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...
to the Sixth Coalition.
Bourbon Restoration and beyond
With the Bourbon RestorationBourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
, Roussel d'Hurbal was given the position of inspector general, with the mission of reorganising the cavalry in the 6th and 19th military divisions (1 June 1814). At the end of the year, on 30 December 1814, he was appointed inspector general for cavalry. On 11 March 1815, following the news of Napoleon's unexpected return from his exile on the island of Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
, Roussel d'Hurbal, who was well-trusted by the Bourbons, received orders to travel to Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. There, he was to make himself available for service under the orders of the Comte d'Artois
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
. The plan to stop Napoleon's advance to Paris failed and the Emperor entered Paris unopposed and reclaimed power on 20 March. Roussel d'Hurbal joined him and on 8 April, he was named commander of the 2nd reserve cavalry division, based at Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
. On 3 June, he was given command of the 12th heavy cavalry division of Kerllermann
François Étienne de Kellermann
Francois Étienne de Kellermann, 2nd Duc de Valmy was a French cavalry general noted for his daring and skillful exploits during the Napoleonic Wars...
's III Cavalry Corps. His division was in the thick of the fighting on 18 June at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, where the general was wounded. Later, he took provisional command of the entire III Cavalry Corps, in replacement of Kellermann. He was placed on the non-active list on 1 August and retired on 9 September. After the second Bourbon Restoration, Roussel d'Hurbal seemed to retain some favour at the Court, subsequently receiving another appointment as inspector general and the title of Gentilhomme of the King's Chamber. In 1822, he was also gratified with the title of Viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
.
Recognition
General Roussel d'Hurbal held the titles of Baron of the Empire and later Viscount. He was a recipient of the Legion of Honour and his name appears on the Arc de TriompheArc 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...
.
Sources
- Castle, Ian: Aspern and Wagram 1809, Chandler, David G (General Editor), Campaign Series 33, Osprey Military, 1994, ISBN 1-85532-366-4
- Fierro, Alfredo; Palluel-Guillard, André; Tulard, Jean - "Histoire et Dictionnaire du Consulat et de l'Empire”, Éditions Robert Laffont, ISBN 2-221-05858-5.
- Lapray, Olivier - "Dictionnaire des officiers de Cuirassiers du Premier Empire", Histoire & Collections, 2008, ISBN 978-2-35250-025-4