Louis Nicolas Davout

Biography

Military career

After studies at the military royal School of Auxerre then at the military royal School of Paris, where Napoleon Bonaparte preceded it one year, Davout between as second lieutenant with the Régiment of Royal-Champagne Cavalry in 1788.

The French revolution

A few years after, it is seen major of the 3rd regiment of volunteers of the Yonne, in the Armée with North of Dumouriez, and in the years 1793, 1794 and 1795, in the capacity as Brigadier general to the armies of the Moselle and the Rhine, where it was announced by his bravery and its audacity.

It was distinguished with the battles of Neerwinden where it tried to stop Dumouriez which passed to the enemy. It served at the time of the campaigns of 1794 - 1797 on the the Rhine. Its talents and its intrepidity made it distinguish by Moreau which entrusted important commands to him, and to which it rendered services announced, particularly with the Passage from the Rhine, the April 20th 1797.

Countryside of Egypt

It formed then part of the Campagne of Egypt, accompanying Desaix - one of his/her rare friends in the military field - in forwarding by Napoleon Bonaparte in Egypt, and contributed ardently to the victory of Aboukir.

After this battle, the general-in-chief had left with Lannes the care to reduce the fort of Aboukir. Wounded, Lannes yielded the command to Menou. The July 30th, Davout, being of trench, makes a general attack and the August 2nd, the garrison goes to discretion. Of return in France with Desaix, Davout was named Major general. He married Aimée Leclerc, sister-in-law of Pauline Bonaparte, thus integrating the family circle of the First Consul. Napoleon entrusted to him the command as a chief of pomegranates of the consular Garde in 1802, then one of the marshals of Empire during the first promotion of 1804 did of it.

3rd body

In 1805, it accepted the command of the 3 {{E}} body of the Large army, with which it took share with the victories of Ulm and Austerlitz (1805).

It obtained a brilliant victory at the time of the Bataille of Auerstaedt (the same day that the Bataille of Iéna, on October 14th 1806) against half of the Prussian army, more twice higher of number and directed by the two principal commanders of the opposing army, the Duc of Brunswick - which dies at the time of the battle - and the King of Prussia Frederic-Guillaume III in person. The victory was all the more brilliant as Bernadotte refused to him the support of its own army corps. This victory was worth the honor to him to enter the first Berlin, even if it were eclipsed by that gained by the Emperor the same day with Iéna.

It took part in the battle of Eylau (1807).

In the war of 1809, it was present at the Bataille of Eckmühl and Wagram where it ordered the right wing. It was then made prince d' Eckmühl. His/her daughter made later build a headlight with Penmarc' H in Brittany, which is called the Phare of Eckmühl.

Titles

It was shortly after named governor-general of the Grand-Duchy of Warsaw which included/understood the monitoring of the cities Hanséatique S after the Traité of Tilsit in 1807 and duke of Auerstädt. In these functions, it reorganized the Polish Armée and denounced the fraudulent activities of Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne in station with Hamburg.

In 1809, he became prince d' Eckmühl. Napoleon entrusted the task to him to organize the “body of observation of Elba” which became the Large army which invades the Russia in 1812.

1 {{er}} body - Countryside of Russia

Commander this body of 70 000 men in 1812, it obtained a victory over the Russians with Mohilev but did not manage to encircle the Russian army of Bagration because of slowness of Jerome Bonaparte, charged with the right wing of the Large army.

Its horse was killed under him at the time of the Bataille of Moskowa. Its plan was not retained at the time of this battle which was a true butchery to open the road of Moscow. At the time of the retirement which it protected, Davout cried the death of its faithful , Major general Gudin, killed in front of Smolensk. It ensured, alternatively with Ney, the terrible retirement of Russia.

Hamburg

In 1813, it ordered the left wing of the French Army in Germany. Victorious and only unconquered French of the countryside, it had, following the failures of his colleagues and Napoleon him even, to fold up itself in the military sector of Hamburg which it made strengthen and supply.

He establishes his general headquarter in Hamburg (May 30th 1813); he was besieged soon there by the victorious enemy. In vain, the armies Russian, Prussian and Swedish, forming a total of 80.000 men, sought to seize the place and to shake the firmness of prince d' Eckmühl, their threats and their efforts were also useless.

It was only in April 1814 that he agree to give the place not to the enemy generals, but with the general Gerard, carrying the orders of Louis XVIII. He capitulates only on the order of Louis XVIII after a first refusal where he had made draw with the gun on the flag fleurdelized from king de France.

During the First Restoration, it was withdrawn in its grounds of Savigny-sur-Orge.

Hundred Days

After the return of the isle of Elba, called by Napoleon I {{er}} with the ministry for the war, Davout, in.liaison.with the Emperor, organized in three months the French Army on the foot where it was before the events of 1814, and created immense military resources for the defense of the country.

All measurements had been taken so that, in the current of August, 800.000 men were on foot, armed and equipped.

After Waterloo

It accepted the general command under the walls of Paris after the Bataille of Waterloo in which it did not take part.