Antoine Drouot
Antoine Drouot (born January 11, 1774 in Nancy ; † March 24, 1847 ibid) was a Napoleonic military, count, peer of France and most recently general de division of the foot artillery of the Napoleon Guard .
Life
The son of a baker attended the artillery school in Metz from 1793 after his school days in Nancy . In the Revolutionary Wars he was promoted to the ranks of officers . In 1794 he took part in the battle of Fleurus as a sub-lieutenant , and in 1800 as a captain in the battle of Hohenlinden . In 1805 he was a commandant at the Battle of Trafalgar . In 1808 he was accepted as a commandant in the imperial guard and took part in the Spanish campaign that year and the following year . In 1809 he was also at the Battle of Wagram , where he was injured in the leg and has been limping ever since.
He took part in the Russian campaign in 1812 as a colonel . In the battles of Lützen and Bautzen he was General de brigade , in Leipzig , Hanau , La Rothière , Vauchamps , Craonne and Laon as General d division. At Hanau in particular, he earned merit when he swept the Bavarian army under General Carl Philipp von Wrede out of the way with 50 cannons, which stood in the way of the French army on their retreat. After Napoleon's abdication in 1814, he accompanied him into exile in Elba , where he held the post of governor of the island.
In 1815 he was again at Napoleon's side during the reign of the Hundred Days and, after Marshal Mortiers fell ill, received command of the Imperial Guard . In the battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815), the emperor began the battle later on his advice, so that the artillery could be better positioned because of the still wet terrain. Thus, unintentionally, there was enough time for Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher to turn the battle against the French. Drouot was seen as a model of discipline, shaved clean every morning even under the most adverse conditions. He was also considered pious and always carried a Bible with him. For many years he always wore the same old artillery uniform in battles.
Honors
His name is entered on the triumphal arch in Paris in the 32nd column.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Drouot, Antoine |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French general under Napoleon |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 11, 1774 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Nancy |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 24, 1847 |
| Place of death | Nancy |