Jean Rapp

Jean, count Rapp , born with Colmar the April 27th 1771 and died in Rheinweiler, the November 8th 1821, is a general of Empire French.

Origins of Jean Rapp

Born with Colmar, Jean Rapp follows initially long theological studies to become Pasteur, but it does not seem to have the vocation: it is large, strong, robust, of a temperament brawler. In March 1788, it thus prefers to engage in the hunters of the Cevennes.

He enlisted at the 16 years age in the 10 {{E}} Régiment of Hunters with Horse and was named there sergeant-furrier on January 1st, 1791, and Marshal-of-home on May 16th, 1793.

Its military facts under the French revolution

The weather had already been first during the wars of the Revolution to the Armée with the Moselle and that of the the Rhine, when he obtained the rank of second lieutenant the 14 germinal year I|1 . Sent to the Armed with the Alps, he became lieutenant the 1st vendémiaire year III|3 . Soon afterwards, it passed to the army of the Rhine. It is not long in being characterized by its courage and its ardor, while collecting the wounds, which adds to its will have.

With the end of the year 1796, it becomes the aide-de-camp of Desaix which appoints it captain (the 29 frimaire year V|5 ) and takes it along with him at the time of the Campagne of Egypt. It dedicated to him, as from this time, an affection which was never contradicted.

Countryside of Egypt

It took it along with him in Egypt, where new combat were worth new successes to him. Jean Rapp pointed out there with the combat of Sediman, on October 7th, 1798, by capturing the enemy Artillery, an exploit which is worth to him to be promoted Major. Napoleon Bonaparte names it then Chef of brigade.

At the day of the 3 pluviôse, sent in recognition, it went on the outposts of the Mamelouks, put them in escape, penetrated in the village of Samanhout, and supported an unequal fight, in which it would infallibly have succumbed, if the police officers of the light 21e had promptly released it. Seriously wounded of a blow of Kandjar to the left shoulder, it went to the Cairo to be made look after. Raised to the rank of colonel the 26 pluviôse, Rapp followed its general in Europe.

Military facts of Jean Rapp under the first Empire

After the Countryside of Egypt, always in the wake of Desaix which he venerates, Jean Rapp returns to Europe and he is with the Bataille Marengo, the June 14th 1800, when Desaix falls struck to death. He carried to the general Napoleon Bonaparte the last and patriotic words of this young hero. The assistance-of-camp of the winner of Offenbourg became that of the conqueror of the Italy the 25 meadow year VIII|8 .

Jean Rapp aide-de-camp of Napoleon Bonaparte

Jean Rapp then becomes the Aide-de-camp of the First consul, a station which it occupies until in 1814. For this reason, it is in charge of many missions of confidence by Napoleon Bonaparte, in the Vendée, Suisse and Belgium.

Charged in the year X|10 of an important mission in the Swiss cantons, he summoned the insurrectionists of Bern to suspend the hostilities, made evacuate Freiburg which had been removed during the armistice, and summoned the Diète of Schwitz to accept the mediation which the chief of the French government offered to him. Colonel Rapp left for Coire in the month brumaire year XI|11 , before him the small council of this city made appear and forced the municipality to dissolve.

Returned with Paris, it accompanied the First Consul in his voyage in Belgium, obtained the Brigadier general patent of the 11 fructidor year XI|11 , then it went on the edges of the Elba, to make there raise fear and take defensive measures in the event of an unloading of the English. With its return in France, created member of the Legion of honor the 19 frimaire year XII|12 , he became commander about it the 25 meadow following.

In the month of germinal year XIII|13 , he married, by order of the Emperor, Miss Vanderberg, girl of a rich person supplier

Austerlitz

It was distinguished at once from Bataille from Austerlitz. It was him which, on the heights of Pratzen, avenged the defeat for a battalion for the 4 {{E}} for Line and 24 {{E}} Leger, that the wrong movements of their chiefs had delivered to the iron of the enemy.

He carries out a memorable load with Austerlitz by taking the head of the Mamelouks and the pomegranates to horse and by sabring the Knight-Guards Russian imperial Garde. He carried the disorder in his rows, made captive the prince Repnin, one of the colonels of the knight-guards, and seized artillery and all the luggage of the troops which were opposite for him.

Promoted Major general, the countryside of Prussia and Poland, in 1807, provides to the Rapp general many occasions to deploy its chivalrous value there. Charged with continuing the runaways after the Battle of Iéna, on October 14th, 1806, it penetrated among the first in Weimar.

With Naziesk, it cut in parts the body of cavalry of the Russian general Kaminskoi. Lastly, the December 26th, during difficult the Battle of Golomyn, it supported an obstinate fight against masses of infantry and had the left arm crashed to pieces by a ball. He was not cured yet a his wound when he replaced, the June 2nd, in the post of governor of Dantzig, the marshal Lefebvre who had just seized this place. The December 23rd of the same year, it was created knight of the Couronne of iron.

It saves the life of Napoleon i on several occasions

During two years he exerted the important functions of governor of Dantzig; the inhabitants decreed a sword enriched by diamonds to him on which one read an inscription, and Napoleon named it, on August 1st, 1809, Count of the Empire with an equipment of: 25000 francs on the field of Hitzacher located in Hanover.

The war was re-ignited this year in North with a new fury: the Bavaria is invaded by the Autrichien S; Napoleon runs to the meeting of the enemy. The French Army triumphs with Eckmühl, Ebersberg, and goes quickly on Vienna. While it advances on banks of the the Danube, the Austrians descend this river by other bank.

Jean Rapp is always at the first stations, on the line of fire: with Essling, on May 20th, 1809, it is him which charges with the head with the fusiliers with the imperial Garde and restores the situation.

With Schönbrunn, on October 12th, 1809, Jean Rapp prevents the young person Frederic Stapps from assassinating Napoleon.

Returned with Paris in 1810, at the time of the divorce of Napoleon with Joséphine de Beauharnais, Rapp did not fear to blame the control of its Master, and accepted, in reward of its frankness, the order to turn over in its government of Dantzig. It was not less created by it large Officer of the Legion of Honor on June 30th, 1811. It gave however a new proof of its sincerity to the Emperor by condemning projected forwarding beyond the Niémen, whose it envisaged the disastrous results.

The French troops go on the Niémen, cross it, collapse the Russians with Ostrovno, Smolensk, and arrive at the Moskowa, where the enemy army had gathered most of its forces, evaluated with: 130000 men. It is wounded of four balls to the Bataille of Moskowa (5 - September 7th 1812).

Though it was not given of its wounds, one saw it being announced again to the Bataille of Maloyaroslavets, where it had a horse killed under him. It once again saves the life of the Emperor by pushing back an attack of Cosaques to Gorodnia. It is again wounded with the passage of Bérézina as a combatant in Arrière-garde at the sides of Michel Ney. It contributed to save the French artillery which was compromised on this point, and there accepted its twenty-fourth wound.

Napoleon I {{er}} then sent it to take the command of Dantzig, where it was to support during nearly one year one of the most memorable seats which annals of the war offer to us. January 12th, 1813, it is locked up with Dantzig and supports a very hard seat since it capitulates only on November 29th, 1813. The Emperor rewarded devotion for Rapp by naming it commander-in-chief of the 10th large army corps the March 12th according to, and Grand-croix of the Meeting the April 3rd of the same year.

The Rapp general had perhaps wearied, by his valiant exits, the joined together forces of the Russians, ordered by the duke of Wurtemberg, if the famine, a cruel epidemic, and the winter with its rains and its ices, had not removed two thirds of its army to him. Jealous to preserve at France the remainder of the brave men who had assisted it so well, the French general decided to enter into negotiations for the rendering of the place.

The November 27th, it concludes a honourable convention which carried in substance, that the 10th body would return to France with its artillery, its weapons and all its luggage. Already all the allies had left Dantzig, when the Rapp general learned that the emperor Alexandre refused to ratify the capitulation and that the garrison would be led in Russia until its perfect exchange; Rapp protested with energy, but was forced to subject itself. It was with Kiev, in Ukraine, which he learned the events from 1814. It returned to Paris in next July and was accommodated there with distinction by Louis XVIII. Created Knight of Saint-Louis the August 3rd, it obtained the large cord of the Legion of honor the 23 of the same month.

Under the Hundred-Days

After having shown a certain hesitation to join with Napoleon during the Hundred Days, Jean Rapp is elected appointed Haut-Rhin. In March 1815, Rapp lined up under the flags of its former sovereign, who named it the April 16th commander-in-chief of the army of the Rhine, and Pair of France the June 2nd according to. The army of which he hastened to take the command, strong: 18900 men, was to defend, in.liaison.with the body of the Haut-Rhin and the the Moselle, the chain of the Vosges, since Belfort until Bitche.

The disaster of Waterloo made useless its provisions and its efforts. When the soldiers learned the defeat from the Armée with North and the abdication with Napoleon, a universal discouragement was introduced into their rows.

Under the Restoration

After Waterloo, Jean Rapp is kept away some time, because it resisted the enemy attacks until July 1815.

After the dismissal, the Rapp general withdrew himself in Argovie (Swiss), where it made, in 1816, the acquisition of the castle of Wildenstein. When the danger of the reactions had passed, it returned in 1817 to Paris. A royal decree of the July 22nd 1818 put it of availability. Created Even of France by Louis XVIII the March 5th 1819, it was named, some time after, first chamberlain and Master of the wardrobe in 1820.

The November 8th 1821, Jean Rapp dies in Rheinwiller, in country of Bade, one cancer to the stomach.

Titrate, Décorations, Honneurs

Titrate Noblesse of Empire

Count d' Empire.

Honors

August 23rd, 1814: large cord of the Legion of honor

Distinctions

It belongs to the 558 officers to have his name engraved under the Triumphal arch of the Star.

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