Alexander d'Alton ( FR. Alexandre d'Alton ; April 20, 1776 - March 20, 1859 ) - French military leader, lieutenant general (1815), count (1821), baron (1810), participant in the revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.
| Alexandre d'Alton | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fr. Alexandre d'Alton | ||||||
 | ||||||
| Date of Birth | April 20, 1776 | |||||
| Place of Birth | Brive-la-Gaillarde , Kingdom of France (now New Aquitaine ) | |||||
| Date of death | March 20, 1859 (82 years old) | |||||
| Place of death | Versailles | |||||
| Affiliation |  France | |||||
| Type of army | infantry | |||||
| Rank | Lieutenant general | |||||
| Part | Great army | |||||
| Commanded | squadron of the 10th dragoon regiment 59th Line Regiment (1805), 2nd Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division of the 3rd Corps (1809-1811), 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division of General Moran of the 1st Army Corps Marshal Davout , commandant of the citadel of Erfurt (1813), brigade of the 11th infantry division of the 3rd corps (1815) | |||||
| Battles / wars |
Napoleonic Wars :
World War II :
| |||||
| Awards and prizes |
| |||||
| Retired | 1841 | |||||
The name of the general is embossed on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris .
Content
Biography
Anglo-Irish descent. Born in the family of a wealthy industrialist, former captain of the Irish Regiment in the French service. Inspired by the ideals of the revolution, at the age of 15 in 1791 he joined the army as a volunteer. Participating in revolutionary wars, thanks to courage and courageous deeds, he quickly made a military career.
In the same 1791 he received the rank of second lieutenant of the 88th Infantry Regiment, and later - lieutenant. He fought in the ranks of the Rhine army on the Rhine bridgehead . From April 1795 he served as adjutant to General Gabriel D'Eduville .
At the end of 1796, being one of the first volunteers, under the command of General Louis Lazar Gauche, he took part in a military expedition to Ireland in support of Wolf Ton and the United Irish Society led by him in their quest for independence from the British. The Irish expedition ended in failure.
Member of the Italian campaign (1796-1797) . In 1797, as part of the Sambro-Meuse army, he successfully crossed the Rhine . April 18, 1797 participated in the victorious battle of Neuwied against the Austrians.
In October 1797 he became chief of the battalion , in March 1799 he was appointed adjutant to General C. Carr-Saint-Cyr . From 1799 to 1800, with the rank of captain, he fought in the ranks of the Italian Army.
Since April 1800, he was adjutant to General Berthier , took part in the passage through St. Bernard and in the battle of Marengo .
September 19, 1801 - chief of the squadron of the 10th dragoon regiment, October 7, 1801 - adjutant of General Leclerc as part of the expeditionary force, participated in the suppression of the Haitian revolution in the French colony of Santo Domingo on the island of Haiti .
On October 7, 1802, on the proposal of General Leclerc, he was promoted to the chiefs of the brigade (approved in the rank of October 7, 1801). May 30, 1803 he returned to France and was awarded the rank of staff colonel (adjudant-commandant), after which he was placed at the disposal of the Minister of War.
Since February 1804 he served in the headquarters of the Napoleonic Army of the Ocean .
In August 1805 he was transferred to the headquarters of the Great Army .
From the end of December 1805 he served as commander of the 59th Line Regiment.
March 21, 1809 - Brigadier General , participated in the Austrian campaign , from August 10, 1809 he commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division of the 3rd Corps. On November 1, 1811 he was appointed commander of the 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division of General Moran of the 1st Army Corps Marshal Davout .
Member of the Russian campaign of 1812 . In the battle of Smolensk , he was seriously wounded, after which he returned to France for healing. Napoleon, during this campaign, repeatedly praised him for his courage.
From July 10, 1813 - the commandant of the citadel of Erfurt , from October 25 to April 16, 1814 he commanded the defense of this fortress from the Allies, and then, under the terms of honorable surrender, returned to France.
During the " 100 days " A. D'Alton joined the Emperor , from April 6, 1815 he commanded the brigade of the 11th Infantry Division of the 3rd Corps. April 15, promoted to division generals ( Lieutenant General ) and from April 23, became commander of the 25th Infantry Division of the Varna Army.
In June 1815, he served as governor of Toulon . After the second Restoration, its production as division generals was canceled by the royal ordinance of August 1, 1815, and subsequently served as a member of the Committee of Infantry and Cavalry.
Since 1841 - in the reserve of the General Staff.
Family
- Son Alfred , Brigadier General .
- Daughter Amy, wife of writer Paul Edm de Musset .
Rewards
- Officer of the Legion of Honor (February 4, 1804),
- Cavalier of the Order of St. Louis (July 8, 1814),
- Commander of the Order of St. Louis (October 26, 1826),
- Great Officer of the Legion of Honor (April 29, 1833),
- Saint Helena Medal
- Baron of the Empire (1810),
- Count (1821),
- General's name embossed on the Arc de Triomphe of the Star Square