Claude-Juste-Alexandre Legrand

Claude-Juste-Alexandre Legrand

Claude-Juste-Alexandre Legrand, painting by Antoine-Jean Gros

Claude-Juste-Alexandre Legrand (born February 23, 1762 in Le Plessier-sur-Saint-Just , † January 8, 1815 in Paris ) was a French Général de division .

Life

At the age of fifteen, Legrand entered the royal army in 1777. Enthusiastic about the ideals of the revolution , he fought in the revolutionary wars and made a career very quickly. In 1793 he came to the staff of Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan with the rank of Général de brigade .

Legrand fought in front of Fleurus (June 26, 1794), Ostrach (March 21, 1799) and Stockach (March 25, 1797).

He later moved to the staff of General Jean-Victor Moreau and took a. a. in the Battle of Hohenlinden (January 3, 1800). Regardless of the disagreements between Moreau and Napoleon later switched to the imperial staff and fought under Marshal Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult in front of Hollabrunn (November 16, 1805), Austerlitz (December 2, 1805), Jena (October 14, 1806) and Prussisch Eylau (February 7/8, 1807).

After further commendations and promotions, Legrand switched to Marshal André Masséna and took part in battles near Ebelsberg (May 3, 1809), Aspern (May 21/22, 1809) and Wagram (July 5/6, 1809).

When Napoleon was planning his Russian campaign , Legrand was one of the first to volunteer. Together with Marshals Charles Nicolas Oudinot and Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr , he fought at Kljastizy (July 28/29, 1812) and in the first (August 17/18, 1812) and second battles of Polotsk ( August 18/19 , 1812) . October 1812). While retreating, Legrand was seriously wounded in the Battle of the Beresina (November 26-28, 1812).

Legrand survived and was able to return to Paris. But he did not regain his health and died on January 8, 1815 from the long-term effects of his war injuries. He found his final resting place in the Panthéon (Paris).

Honors

• Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor
• June 27, 1814 Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis
• His name can be found on the eastern pillar (15th column) of the triumphal arch on Place Charles-de-Gaulle (Paris).

literature

• David Chandler: The campaigns of Napoleon . Weidenfeld, London 1993, ISBN 0-297-81367-6 (reprint of the London 1966 edition).
• Philip J. Haythornthwaite: Who was who in the Napoleonic Wars . Arms & Armor, London 1998, ISBN 1-85409-391-6 .
• Charles Mullié: Biography of the célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850 . Poignavant, Paris 1851 (2 vols.).
• Adolphe Robert, Gaston Cougny: Dictionnaire des parlémentaires français, Vol. 4 . Slatkine, Geneva 2000, ISBN 2-05-101711-5 (reprint of the Paris 1890 edition).
• Georges Six: Dictionnaire biographique des généraux & amiraux français de la Révolution et de l'Émpire. 1792-1814 . Saffroy, Paris 1999, ISBN 2-901541-06-2 .
• Digby Smith : The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book . Greenhill, London 1998, ISBN 1-85367-276-9 .