february french cavalry general napoleonic wars came old noble family france military tradition extended centuries efforts french revolutionary government remove command failed soldiers refused big loud voiced man led troops failure cavalry deploy battle resulted court martial went serve swiss campaign second battle later served killed massive cavalry charge early life born ancient noble family entered french royal army volunteer having served legion transferred regiment served officer colonel married child born named cousin served napoleonic wars lieutenant peninsula taken prisoner battle later 28th prime minister france revolutionary wars contemporary accounts big man possibly taller nearly feet tall endowed broad shoulders big voice spoke language common soldier led early french revolution commissioners visited regiments dangerous nobles generally commissioners army submission cavalry regiment refused intimidated commissioners came colonel impoverished nobility soldiers refused 6th despite noble birth soldiers remained served campaigns armies second april promoted field general brigade commanded brigade successor battle unit transferred division june provisional rank general brigade permanent distinguished fight september june promoted general division inspector cavalry wounded shoulder musket ball recovery given command heavy cavalry general transferred command abandoned idea invasion england deployed german time french loss battle cavalry reserve protected french retreat days later failing lead timely charge battle suspended orders army commander blamed defeat acquitted court martial resumed duties end july having missed critical actions battle commanded cavalry brigades rest campaign northeastern switzerland german campaign served distinguished battles heavy cavalry instrumental disrupting austrian infantry defenses napoleonic wars july appointed inspector general cavalry awarded command cavalry camps august given command 2nd division distinguished leading heavy cavalry russian center heights breaking infantry squares napoleon grand officer grand senator carried annual income war fourth coalition served capture transferred december served maneuvers winter military activity resumed winter napoleon hoped russian rear guard near called borders ordered bridge failed suffered severe casualties heavy cavalry big men big horses bridge scattered russian rear guard retreating infantry fled captured guns standards napoleon pleased embraced foot man division day turn pleased announced compliment willing die emperor second troops emperor embraced behalf pleased kiss pursuit russian troops continued february french arrived outside village night falling confusion imperial coach village emperor setting camp kilometers away russian patrol village chased coach driver men plundered emperor belongings turn imperial escort chased men sent engagement end french took village russians withdrew sides lost men contest village emperor settling night prepared engage day morning armies unequal strength faced frozen fields ice covered streams ponds turn covered snow snow meant aware men artillery napoleon opened engagement sending corps successfully pushed russian right flank nearly turning russian force follow success ordered force attack left center sooner plus division sudden snow storm battle field white conditions entire corps disappeared snow snow cleared friend foe alike discovered units field course line march taken directly russian flank point reference instead followed terrain led entire corps parallel russian line shaped formation left center merged directly face russian gun batteries artillery shocked find advancing straight immediately opened fire russian infantry sides corps result devastating thousand french soldiers fell matter minutes entire engagement stood brink disaster face russian fire french artillery melted fire russians onslaught cavalry retreated lines napoleon nearly captured churchyard established post escort cavalry chased russians away charge fill breach left corps napoleon ordered cavalry reserve squadrons action morning cover yards snow covered obstacle filled ground reserve charged russian squares columns cavalry general squadrons total flank flank hit russian center occasion famous comment heads god bullets horse broke center wheeled charged second time second charge broke second formation squares point men forced forward reaching russian reserve point horses nearly blown charged line broke russian assembled reserve entered melee light horses match french mounts big horses confiscated previous year russian infantry started reform squares men charge struck artillery badly wounded men managed carry drag french lines napoleon recounted hear brave saying majesty charge enemy going big heels enemies squares butter hour later dead regiments fighting interval russian army shot cut pieces eighteen escaped general times forced division rallied charge time rushed enemy crying loud voice forward god forward brave heroes condition follow leader fell covered wounds middle russian square emperor ordered best attend disagreed method treatment advice military surgeon refused leg died days later disagreement records actual date death original death record parish indicates died wounds february battle possible pastor simply left digit record likely record incorrectly records suggest died day battle february february february originally buried son brought remains france buried family cemetery paris heart vault inscribed column names inscribed arc
Jean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoul