Jean-Nicolas Curély

Jean-Nicolas Curély , rarely Jean Nicolas Curély (born May 26, 1774 in Avillers-Sainte-Crox , † November 19, 1827 in Jaulny ) was a French général de brigade of the cavalry .

Life

At the age of 19, Curély entered the army on August 5, 1793. In the following year he was transferred to the Rhine Army . He fought in the Revolutionary Wars and was able to distinguish himself several times through bravery. He became part of Napoleon's early on .

After several promotions, Curély got his own command under the leadership of Marshal Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont and fought successfully at Mariazell (November 8, 1805) and Wagram (July 5/6, 1809). In April 1809 he was appointed aide-de-camp by General Pierre David de Colbert-Chabanais .

With the rank of Colonel he fought in the Napoleonic Wars in Spain, for example in the Battle of Altafulla (January 24, 1812) and the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo (January 1812) and Badajoz (March / April 1812).

Curély took part in the Russian campaign in 1812 . He fought at Klyastitsy (July 29/30, 1812) and twice before Polotsk ( August 17/18, 1812 ) and ( October 18/20, 1812 ). The Battle of Berezina he survived (26-28. November 1812) also unhurt and came back to France.

As a general de brigade he fought at Château-Thierry (February 12, 1814), Arcis-sur-Aube (March 20/21, 1814) and Paris (March 30, 1814). After Napoleon's abdication (→ Treaty of Fontainebleau ) Curély kept his offices, since he joined the Bourbons .

When Napoleon left the island of Elba and his " rule of the hundred days " began, Curély immediately switched sides again. He fought on Napoleon's staff in the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815). In the rank of (now regal again) Maréchal de camp , he was released in the same year and adopted into final retirement in 1824.

Jean-Nicolas Curély settled in Jaulny. He died on November 19, 1827 at the age of 53 and was buried there. His grave can still be seen today near the castle wall in Jaulny.

Honors

• May 14, 1806 Chevalier of the Legion of Honor
• 1815 Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis
• His name can be found on the north pillar (9th column) of the triumphal arch on Place Charles-de-Gaulle ( Paris ).
• The Rue Général Curély in Nesles-la-Montagne ( Département Aisne ) was named after him.

literature

• Antoine F. de Brack: Avant-postes de cavalerie légere . LRT, Auzielle 2008, ISBN 978-2-917747-02-5 (reprint of the Paris 1831 edition)
  • Light cavalry outpost. Memories . Flemming Verlag, Glogau 1859.
• David Chandler: The campaigns of Napoleon . Weidenfeld, London 1993, ISBN 0-297-81367-6 (reprint of the London 1966 edition).
• Philipp 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.).
• Charles A. Thoumas: Le Général Curély. Itinéraire d'un cavalier léger de la grande armée 1793–1815 . Berger-Levrault, Paris 1887.