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written by Mr. Jean Noël POIRON

SOULIER* Jean-Antoine, baron

Brigadier – Infantry – 8Yd 1 326

GENERALAT

Brigadier of infantry on 06/08/1811

Born on February 19th, 1766 in Ganges
Died on April 14th, 1835 in Ganges

Native of  Ganges, he enters the service at the age of 26 years as captain to the volunteers' 1st battalion of  Hérault.
Incorporated in October, 1793 into the 129th half-brigade of battle. This unit will be poured into the 21th of line, and will take afterward the name of 32th.

He fights in the Armies of the Var, Italy from 1792 till 1797.

He takes part in the fights of Gilete* (19/10/1793), Millesimo (13/04/1796), in the passage of the pass of Planetta, of Saint Jacques, of Terzano, in the taking of Cherasco (25/05/1796), in the taking of Milan, in the plunder of Pavie, in the passage of the Pô under Plaisance (07/05/1796), in the battle of Lodi (10/05/1796).
He is hurt by a bullet which crosses the ankle of his right foot on 03/08/1796 in Lonato.

In May, 1798, he embarks in Toulon for the expedition of Egypt. He takes part in the siege and in the surrender of Malta (10 on 12/06/1798).

He takes part in the taking of Alexandria (02/07/1798), in the fight of Chebreiss (13/07/1798), in the battle of Pyramids (21/07/1798), and in the taking of Cairo (24/07/1798).

He is a part of the expedition of Syria. He is at the fight of El Arisch (15/02/1799), at the siege and at the taking of Jaffa (08/03/1799), at the fight of Naplouse, at the siège of Saint Jean d'Acre (from April to May, 1799), and at the battle of the Mountain Thabor (16/04/1799). In June, he is added to the staff of the general Rampon.

He is at the resumption of the fort of Aboukir (02/08/1799). He is named a major on the following August 17th. He leaves for expedition against the Arabs who devastate the northern provinces.

He is in Héliopolis (20/03/1800) and is appointed by Kléber commander of the province and the city of Mansourah.

In the battle of Canope (21/03/1801), having thrown himself with fearlessness into the ditches of the English entrenched camp, he is hurt by a thrown stone and arrested.

At his return in France in 1802, after the signature of the Treaty of Lunéville, he takes the command of the warehouse of the Army of East in Nimes.

He joins then his regiment in the 1st military division (Paris).


On 30/12/1802, he is named a leader of brigade of the 10th battalion of line.

He passes to the Army of Italy, in the 2nd division of the General Greenfinch (07/10/1805). He is for at the affair of Castel-Franco the following November 23rd.

In 1806, he is employed in the Army of Naples. He will serve there until 1810. He is present at the sièges of Gaète (in July, 1806), of Venice, and at the pacification of Abruzzi Mountains.

Promoted brigadier on 16/08/1811. He is sent to the body of observation of the Army of Spain. He takes command of Navarre under Reille.

On 05/02/1812, at the head of a mobile column of 1.500 men, and 180 horses, he is attacked in Sanguessa by Mina who has a strength of 5.000 foot soldiers, 1.000 horses and 2 artillery. He supports for several hours a relentless fight. He puts 840 men outside fight, and withdraws only having exhausted all his ammunitions. He is hurt in this action of two shots in the right arm.

On following July 9th, he attacks unexpectedly the combined groups of Longa and Conquillo. He puts them in a complete crushing defeat with a loss of 300 killed or wounded men, and seizes 500 English rifles and a big quantity of ammunitions.

On following July 27th, he takes with bayonet near Artela a position defended by 5.000 men of the groups of Longa, Pinto and Mugatesqui, killing or hurting 800 men, by capturing 40, among whom 10 officers.

On August 27th, 1812, he is at the siege and at the taking of Bilbao.

On August 25th, 1813, he joins the body of Observation of the Army of Italy, and makes all the operations of this army in Tirol and during the retreat on Tagliamento, he commands the 1st brigade of the 1st division of infantry of the general Quesnel.

On October 19th, 1813, in position at Ospidaletto, he receives on October 24th the order to withdraw on Saint Daniel. While he reaches this position, he is attacked. He makes a reactionary movement in good order and almost without loss. Under the protection of the fort of Osoppo, he crosses Tagliamento on the 25th, and becomes established in Spilimbergo where he remains against superior strengths.

On November 1st, 1813, he) switches around with the general Campi and commands the 2nd brigade of the division commanded by the general Attic under prince Eugène.

He is replaced by the general Forester during the first about fifteen December, 1813 and goes to Alexandria.

In 1814, he commands the 2nd brigade of the 1st division of the general Gratien in Plaisance until February 15th, 1814.

Employed under the general Severoli on March 07th, he is in the division Maucuneon March 9th.

He commands the 2nd infantry unit of the army of Italy under the general Maucune on April 1st, 1814.

He fights bravely against the neapolitan troops of Murat, and takes an active part in the victory of Taro on April 13th.

He commands the 2nd brigade of the 1st spare division of the general Maucune under the general-in chief Attic on May 1st. 

His division being dissolved on May 4th, 1814, he is placed as available on the general staff of the army and sent to Turino to watch the evacuation of the troops on May 15th.

He returns in France after Napoleon's abdication, with the troops of the general Attic on June 20th, and is placed in non activity on July 24th, 1814.

During the Cent-Jours, he joins Napoleon, who gives him to the general Delaroche. He is in charge of the organization of the levying of national polices in the department of Mont Blanc.

He will train 7 battalions, at the head of which he campaigned, in the 1st brigade. 

Gone back at home when the army was dismissed, he is placed in non activity on August 1st, 1815. Placed in availability on December 30th, 1818, he is allowed retired on January 1st, 1825.

He dies in Ganges on April 14th, 1835 at the age of 69.



SERVICE RECORDS

02/10/1791 : Captain to the volunteers' 1st Battalion of  Hérault

22/10/1793 : Pass in the 129th half-brigade of battle.

04/03/1796 : Further to the merger, its unity is poured into the 21th of line

25/05/1796 : His unity becomes the 32nd of line by drawing lots.

19/05/1798 : Embark in Toulon for Egypt within the 32nd of line

Juin 1799 :  Added to the staff of Rampon

17/08/1799 : Major

20/03/1800 : Commander of the province of Mansourah

21/03/1801 : Arrested in the battle of Canope. Will be released only in 1802

30/12/1802 : Leader of brigade of the 10th of Line.

07/10/1805 : In the 2nd division under Verdier in the Army of Italy, then in the                            Army of Naples in 1806.

06/08/1811 : Named a brigadier. Sent to Spain in the body of observation of the                        army of Spain.

25/08/1813 :Joins the body of observation of the Army of Italy.

10/10/1813 : Command the 1st brigade of the 1st division of infantry of the                                  general Quesnel of the army of observation of Italy commanded by                        the general Verdier under prince Eugène.

01/11/1813 : Command the 2nd brigade of the division

04/11/1813 : Command

20/06/1814 : Comes back to France with the troops of the general Grenier.

24/07/1814 : Not active.

01/081815 : Not active.

30/12/1818 : At disposal within the framework of the general staff of the army
.

CAMPAIGNS

Army of Var, of  Italy and of Helvetia : 1792 – 1797.
Army of East : Egypt - Syria from 1798 to 1801 .
Army of Italy : 1804 - 1805
War of Spain : 1811 - 1812
Body of Observation of the Italian Army  : 1813 – 1814.
Army of the Alps under Suchet : 1815


WOUNDS

Receives a bullet in the right foot in Lonato (Italy) on August 3rd, 1796

Reached by a stone at the head in the battle of Canope (Egypt) on March 21st, 1801.

Hurt by two shots in his right arm in combat Sanguessa (Spain) February 5, 1812.

HONORS & TITLES

Chevalier of the Legion of Honour on 19 frimaire An XII. (11/12/1803)

Officer of the Legion of Honour on 25 prairial An XII. (14/06/1804)

2.000 francs of annuity on the department of Trasimène on 15/08/1810.

Commander of the Legion of Honour on June 28th, 1813

Knight of the military Merit on December 10th, 1814.

Knight on May 18th, 1818 and Commander of the royal order of Both Sicily on June 20th, 1818 as a mark of satisfaction for his moderation shown during its stay in the neapolitan provinces where he had exercised a command.

Created Baron de l' Empire as brigadier by letters of patent of January 1st, 1813.

Blazon 


 
"D’argent à une épée de gueules en pal, à la fasce d’azur brochante et chargée de trois étoiles d’or, au franc quartier des barons militaires."

 

 

MARRIAGE & HEIRS


Married to Louise Cécile Randon, whose he had a son

Pierre Antoine Charles, baron Soulier, born on January 3rd, 1826
And died on July 25th, 1844


SOURCES

Les Généraux de Napoléon – TRADITION MAGAZINE – HS n° 25 – A. PIGEARD.

Dictionnaire Biographique des Généraux & Amiraux Français de 1792 à 1814 – G. SIX.

Fiches établies par MM POULIQUEN & DUMONT à partir des états du SHD – Six – Quintin – Revollet.

Armorial du 1er Empire.

Les fastes de la Légion d’Honneur.

Dictionnaire historique et biographique des généraux français au XIème siècle à 1822 – Chev. De Courcelles.

La noblesse d’Empire – J. TULARD

La Patrie en danger 1792-1793 – J. Tranié & J.C. Carmigniani – Lavauzelle

Documents at the City hall of Ganges.

 

Biography written by Mr. Jean Noël POIRON





































































































































































































































































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