Augustin Darricau

Augustin Darricau

Augustin Darricau (born July 5, 1773 in Tartas , † May 7, 1819 in Dax ) was a French Général de division of the infantry .

Life

Darricau joined the army in 1791 at the age of eighteen and was promoted to captaincy on October 17 of the same year . Under the leadership of General Jacques François Dugommier , he took part in the siege of Toulon (September / December 1793).

Darricau was able to excel in several battles of the coalition wars; he was wounded in the battle of Bologne (July 2, 1795). As early as the Battle of Dego (April 14/15, 1796) he was able to distinguish himself again through bravery.

When Napoleon was planning his campaign to Egypt in 1798 , Darricau volunteered. He fought valiantly at the pyramids under General Jean-Baptiste Kléber (July 21, 1798) and took part in the sieges of al-Arish (February 1799) Acre (March / May 1799). On March 13, 1801 Darricau was wounded again in fighting off Alexandria .

After his recovery, Darricau moved to General Pierre Dupont de l'Étang's staff and fought valiantly at Haslach-Jungingen (October 11, 1805), Ulm (October 16/19, 1805) and Dürnstein (November 11, 1805). At the latter he was on the staff of General Édouard Adolphe Mortier .

After fighting in front of Halle (October 17, 1806) and Friedland (June 14, 1807) Darricau was able to return to France.

The following year he was transferred to Spain, where he fought in the Napoleonic Wars on the Iberian Peninsula . He fought at Espinosa (November 10/11, 1808) and on Napoleon's staff before Somosierra (November 30, 1808). He took part in the occupation of Madrid (→ Dos de Mayo ) and stood out from Talavera (July 28, 1809), Ciudad Rodrigo (January 1812) and Badajoz (March / April 1812).

He later fought valiantly at the Battle of Toulouse (April 10, 1814). After the Battle of Paris (April 10, 1814) and the abdication of Napoleon (→ Treaty of Fontainebleau ) Darricau became a supporter of the Bourbons and of King Louis XVIII. During his reign, Darricau served as military governor of Perpignan for some time .

After the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815) Darricau resigned from all his offices and duties and retired into private life. He settled in Dax and died there eight weeks before his 46th birthday on May 7, 1819. He found his final resting place on the Cimetière Saint-Pierre von Dax. In the cathedral of Dax there is an urn with the heart of General Darricau.

Contre-Admiral Rodolphe Darricau (1807–1877) was the son of General Augustin Darricau.

Honors

• December 11, 1803 Chevalier of the Legion of Honor
• June 14, 1804 Officer of the Legion of Honor
• December 25, 1805 Commander of the Legion of Honor
• March 19, 1808 Baron de l'Émpire
• 1814 Chevalier des Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis
• February 14, 1815 Grand Officier of the Legion of Honor
• His name can be found on the southern pillar (27th column) of the triumphal arch on Place Charles-de-Gaulle ( Paris ).

literature

• Philip J. Haythornthwaite: Who was who in the Napoleonic Wars . Arms & Armor, London 1998, ISBN 1-85409-391-6 .
• Kevin F. Kiley: Once there were titans. Napoleon's generals and their battles; 1800-1815 . Greenhill, London 2007, ISBN 978-1-85367-710-6 .
• Charles Mullié: Biography of the célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850 . Poignavant, Paris 1851 (2 vols.).
• Stephen Pope: The Cassell Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars . Cassell, London 1999, ISBN 0-304-35229-2 .
• Digby Smith : The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book . Greenhill, London 1998, ISBN 1-85367-276-9 .