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biography of the Baron
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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