Jean-Baptiste Bessières

See also: Bessières (homonymy)

Jean-Baptiste Bessières (° August 6th 1768 with Prayssac (Batch) in Quercy - † May 1st 1813 with Weißenfels), Marshal of Empire

Its history

Under the royalty and the Revolution

Wire of a surgeon-barber, it writes the Doléances its commune in 1788. It begins its military career, sent by its fellow-citizens in the constitutional Garde of the King Louis XVI in 1791. It tries to defend it at the time of the attack of the Tuileries.

Having joined the revolutionary armies, it is distinguished with the Bataille from Rivoli and is named there major. It takes part in the Siège of Saint-Jean-in Acre (1799) and in the battles of Aboukir in Egypt.

Jean-Baptiste Bessières is distinguished with the Armée with the Pyrenees and gains his ranks of lieutenant and captain before passing in Italy with the 22 {{E}} Chasseurs and being useful under Bonaparte as chief of the body of the guides. With the Combat of Roveredo, with six of its hunters, it removed two guns with the enemy.

Egypt, Marengo, Austerlitz, Iéna, Eylau…

After having accompanied Bonaparte during the Campagne by Egypt, Bessières takes part in the Coup d'etat of the 18 brumaire by ensuring the protection close to Bonaparte, which is worth to him to be named second in command of the consular Garde.

The June 14th 1800, Bessières charges at the time of the Bataille Marengo. Promoted Brigadier general one month later, then Major general in September 1802 and Marshal of Empire the May 18th 1804. The June 14th it is made Large-Officer of the Légion of honor, then Large-Eagle the February 2nd 1805. Bessières orders the cavalry of the imperial Garde when Napoleon walks on the Austria and, with Austerlitz, the December 2nd, it leads the legendary load of the Hunters and Pomegranates to horse of the Guard which collapses the Russian imperial Guard.

The following year, the October 14th Bessières takes part in the Bataille of Iéna, and in February 1807, to the Bataille of Eylau, in the middle of a terrible snowstorm, it leads the formidable one and bloody attack of the 80 French squadrons which insert the Russian lines.

Medina LED Rio Seco, Wagram, Russia…

In 1808, Bessières leaves for the Spain and, with the participation of the general Lasalle, gains the Bataille of Medina LED Rio Seco, the July 14th 1808.

Recalled by the Emperor for the war against Austria, it crushes the enemy cavalry with Landshut, the April 21st 1809 and takes share with the loopholes battles Essling and of Wagram. A ball kills its horse and makes him lose consciousness. The Guard, which adores it and believes it dead, is afflicted. Napoleon says to him: “Bessières, here is a beautiful ball! It made cry my Guard”.

Duke of Istrie in May 1809, it spends a few months to Spain in 1811, where it is responsible for the loss of the Portugal to have refused to support Masséna vis-a-vis Wellington

Bessières joined the Large army in Russia in 1812. Its principal feat of arms is the release of the general headquarter of the Emperor, attacked by 8.000 Cosaque S with Maloyaroslavets, the 24 and October 25th 1812.

Carried by a ball

In 1813, when the Campagne begins from Saxony, the Emperor entrusts all the cavalry of the army to him. But on May 1st 1813, the day before the battles of Lützen, while it directs an attack close to Weißenfels, a first ball carries the head of its ordinance - a light horseman Polish lancer - a second ball crashes to pieces the hand to him and transpierces the chest. The Emperor will say also about it: " If I had had Bessiéres in Waterloo, my Guard would have decided victoire".

Chronology

External bonds

  • the marshal Bessières (many illustrations)

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