Bessieres, Bertrand

Born into the family of a surgeon, an obstetrician and a hairdresser, Matiuren Bessier. He began his service on August 15, 1791 as a soldier in the 17th Cavalry Regiment. In 1792-1794 he served in the Northern and Central armies under the command of Generals Lafayette and Dumouriez. November 5, 1793 transferred to the 22nd Horse Regiment of the Horse in the rank of junior lieutenant. Took part in the campaigns of 1796-1797 as part of the Italian army. On June 3, 1797, he was appointed commander of the company of guides of General Bonaparte . In 1798 he was assigned to the Eastern Army and took part in the Egyptian expedition. On July 25, 1799, he was promoted to squadron commander right on the battlefield of Abukir.

On January 11, 1800, he was promoted to colonel, and was appointed commander of the 11th cavalry regiment. He returned to France in 1801. As part of the light cavalry of the 4th Army Corps of the Great Army participated in the Austrian campaign in 1805. December 24, 1805 for the difference in the battle of Austerlitz, where he was wounded by a bullet in the head, promoted to brigadier generals.

In 1806 he was transferred to the Italian army. From June 17, 1806, he commanded a team of horse rangers. On December 23, 1807, he headed a cavalry brigade as part of the Observation Corps of the Eastern Pyrenees, which on September 7, 1808 became the 8th Army Corps of the Spanish Army. From December 7, 1810 to June 4, 1811, he commanded the Dragoon Brigade of the Army of Portugal, then transferred to the disposal of General Kellermann .

On July 31, 1811, he was awarded the title of divisional general, but Bessier refused this production, and on November 30, Bertrand again became a brigadier general. On December 25, 1811, he was appointed commander of the 2nd brigade of the 1st division of heavy cavalry by General Saint-Germain . Participated in the Russian campaign of 1812, was wounded in the shoulder in the battle of Borodino. In the Saxon campaign of 1813, he continued to command the brigade, at the very beginning of the battle of Leipzig was wounded by a saber blow to the head. After this is recorded in the reserve.

During the first Restoration, he remained in the army and on January 23, 1815 he was appointed Commander of the Department of Du. During the "One Hundred Days" he joined the Emperor and on April 15 took the post of the Commander of the Department of Law and Garonne. After the second Restoration remained in reserve until June 24, 1818, when he was appointed royal lieutenant in Calais. April 21, 1821 promoted to lieutenant general. December 1, 1824, retired.

• Junior Lieutenant (November 5, 1793);
• Lieutenant (July 7, 1796);
• Captain (3 June 1797);
• Squadron Commander (July 25, 1799);
• Colonel (January 11, 1800);
• Brigadier General (December 24, 1805);
• Divisional General (July 31, 1811, production canceled November 30, 1811);
• Lieutenant General (April 21, 1821).

•  
  Baron Bessier and the Empire ( Fr. baron Bessières et de l'Empire ; decree of August 15, 1810, patent confirmed December 16, 1810) ^[1] .

  Legionnaire of the Legion of Honor (December 11, 1803)

  Officer of the Legion of Honor (June 14, 1804)

  Commander of the Legion of Honor (November 28, 1813)

  Chevalier of the Military Order of St. Louis (October 26, 1814)

  Cavalier of the Spanish Royal Honorable Order of Carlos III

• Jean-Baptiste Pierre Jullien de Courcelles, Histoire généalogique et héraldique des paris de France: des grands dignitaires de la couronne, des principals familles de royaume et des maisons princières de l'Europe, précédée de la généalogéie de mais de la es 6, L'auteur, 1826;
• A. Lievyns, Jean-Maurice Verdot, Pierre Bégat, Fastes de la Légion d'honneur: biographie de tous les décorés accompagnée de l'histoire législative et réglementaire de l'ordre, vol. 3, Bureau de l'administration, 1844;
• Bertrand Bessières, dans Charles Mullié, Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850, 1852.