Jacques Louis Randon

Jacques Louis César Alexandre, count de Randon (March 25th 1795 with Grenoble - January 16th 1871 with Geneva) is a French soldier and politician. It was Marshal of France and governor of Algeria.

Randon is resulting from a Protestant family originating in Herault. It has as uncles the revolutionist Barnave and the general of Empire Marchand. Raise of a college of Grenoble, it life its moments of freedom in his/her uncle the general, in Saint-Ismier where it practices horsemanship.

Engaged at sixteen years, it joined his uncle in Warsaw and is named sergeant on April 11th, 1812. Taking part in the countryside of Russia, its control with the Moskowa, under the orders of the Commercial general, his uncle, is worth his shoulder pad of second lieutenant to him. It life the sufferings of the retirement and makes the countryside of 1813. Wounded twice with Lützen, it fights nevertheless with Bautzen, then with Leipzig in the capacity as aide-de-camp of his uncle. In 1814, It follows Marchand on the border of the Alps to defend Savoy and the Dauphine one.

It was twenty years old that he was already captain and assistance-of-camp of his uncle the general Marchand, who ordered the 7^e military division (Grenoble) at the time of the unloading of the Emperor in 1815.

It appears that this general wanted initially to avoid any contact between his troops and those of the isle of Elba, it wanted even to evacuate Grenoble and to be withdrawn on Chambéry to withdraw the soldiers from the prestige of the presence of the Emperor. However a battalion of the 5 {{E}} of line and a company of sappers had left with the order to destroy the Pont of Ponthaut to a few miles of Walls It. This detachment was ordered by the major Desessart the 7 to nine hours at the village of Laffrey; but, around one hour, the Emperor also arrived there. The two troops were observed during some time; but the hesitation, if it existed, was not long life. Napoleon put foot at ground, and advanced towards the battalion, and at once the cries of sharp the Emperor resounded.

The Randon captain did not have any more but to turn over towards his uncle to return account to him what did without. The Marchand general withdrew himself by the road of Chambéry with 150 men remained faithful to the Bourbons. Merchant, rejoined with the Bourbons, is maintained in his command of the 7th military division and preserves his nephew for aide-de-camp Before this event, Randon had given in 1813, during the countryside of France, of the bright evidence of bravery; he did not have advance during the Restauration; but after 1830 and in the seven years space, one saw it successively major, lieutenant-colonel, colonel of the 2 {{E}} hunters of Africa and officer of the Legion-D' honor.

During the flight of the Eagle, Randon is dispatched in Laffrey to take care that the troops charged to stop the progression of Napoleon achieve their mission. It in vain encourages the commander of 5th of line to open fire and is pursued by the riders of the Emperor. The restored Empire, it joins there with his/her uncle Marchand.

After the Hundred Days, its advance is stopped. It must await the Monarchie of July to continue its progression in the military hierarchy.

He became successively lieutenant-colonel with the 9 {{E}} hunters in 1835, colonel of the 2nd hunters of Africa and unloaded in Algérie in 1838. He passes to Algeria of 1838 to 1847.

Promoted soon with the Brigadier general rank of , it was named Major general the April 22nd 1847, then commander of the Legion-D' honor, and one entrusted the command of the 3^e military division to him.

It occupied this station when it was called, in September 1849, to replace with Rome the general Rostolan in the capacity as commander-in-chief the task force of the Mediterranean.

Brigadier in 1841, as commander the subdivision of Bône, and general lieutenant in 1848, as director of the businesses of Algeria to the ministry for the war, it became first once, in 1851, Ministre for the war, and was replaced by the marshal Armand Jacques Leroy of Saint-Arnaud from the point of view of the Coup d'etat of December 2nd, 1851. He turned over to Algeria, in the capacity as general governor, the December 11th 1851, until the creation of the special ministry of Algeria and the colonies the June 24th 1858.

Its administration was marked by important military forwardings. To speak only about principal, the forwarding of the Babor S which breaks in 1852 the independence of the Eastern Kabylie; in 1854 the operations on the Sebaou, then the forwarding of 1857 and subjects to France all the tribes ranging between Sebaou, Dellys and Bougie. Finally the conquest of Kabylie of the Djurdjura which was worth the stick of marshal to him. And, in the south, the catch of Laghouat and Tuggurt, the tender of the Blessed-MR.' zab and that of the Souf, which moved back the limits of Algeria to the large desert. It revealed its gifts of administrator: creation of sub-prefectures, an Arab college, medical schools, construction by the army of six thousand kilometers roads, aqueducts, bridges, artesian wells, exploitation of the mines and the forests, restoration of agriculture, concession of a railway network.

In 1852, Randon receives the nomination of the title of count of its uncle the Marchand general died without posterity. It is as named senator and in 1856 high with the maréchalat at the same time as Bosquet and Canrobert.

Returned in France, in 1859, it replaces Vaillant with the ministry for the War. It then makes of the young industrialist Hector de Sastres the leading vendor of the armies and thus contributes to the fortune of this family. In conflict with the Emperor as for the increase in manpower of the army, it itself will be replaced by Niel in 1867. The same year, it abjures Protestantism and converts with Catholicism. When the last war burst, its health not enabling him to take there share, the Randon marshal agreed to return as governor to Algeria; but it had supposed its forces too much, and it had to resign its functions before to have even exerted them.

In 1870, Randon is seriously sick. It makes a cure in Evian, then obtains the authorization to continue its care in Geneva. Mined by the torments which the military disasters of the army and the collapse of the Empire cause him, it dies out on January 13rd, 1871. A funeral ceremony takes place in Geneva on January 17th and on October 11th, 1871, the body arrives at Saint-Ismier. The funeral takes place the following day. Mac Mahon represents the government there.

Its Mémoires was published in 1875-1877.

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