Joseph-Marie Dessaix

Statue of Joseph-Marie Dessaix in Thonon-les-Bains

Joseph-Marie Dessaix (born September 24, 1764 in Thonon-les-Bains ; † October 26, 1834 in Marclaz ) was a French general de division of the infantry .

Life

Dessaix was the eldest son of the physician Charles-Eugène Dessaix and his wife Marie-Philippine Favrat. After finishing school in his hometown, he studied at the University of Turin . After his license to practice medicine he returned to France. Enthusiastic about the ideals of the revolution , he volunteered for the Guard National on July 12, 1789 .

Dessaix was known for his bravery and was also promoted very quickly. As chief de bataillon , he joined General François-Amédée Doppet's staff in 1793 .

A short time later he took part in the siege of Toulon (September / December 1793) under General Jean-François Carteaux .

Dessaix fought near Ulm (October 8-20, 1805) and after further promotion he was seconded to Marshal Eugène de Beauharnais . He took part in the battle of the Tagliamento (April 10, 1809) and was wounded there; In time for the Battle of the Piave (May 8, 1809) he was back at the front. Later he also fought at Wagram (July 5-6, 1809).

Dessaix took part in the Russian campaign in 1812 and fought at the Battle of Smolensk (17/18 August 1812), Borodino (7 September 1812) and the Berezina (26/28 November 1812).

After the battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815) and Napoleon's abdication, Dessaix resigned and settled in Switzerland; later in Piedmont. In mid-May 1816 he was arrested and imprisoned at Fort Fenestrelle . By decree of King Louis XVIII. the charges were withdrawn and he was released in September of that year.

During the July Revolution of 1830 , Dessaix led the National Guard of Lyon.

Honors

• December 9, 1803 Chevalier of the Legion of Honor
• June 8, 1804 Commander of the Legion of Honor
• July 9, 1809 Comte de l'Émpire
• June 30, 1811 Grand Officier of the Legion of Honor
• June 27, 1814 Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis
• His name can be found on the north pillar (1st column) of the triumphal arch on Place Charles-de-Gaulle ( Paris ).
• In the Parc du Belvedere (Thonon-les-Bains) a monument - a bronze statue on a marble plinth - was erected to him.
• The Boulevard du Général Dessaix (Thonon-les-Bains), the Rue du Général Dessaix ( Saint-Julien-en-Genevois ) and the Quai Dessaix ( Strasbourg ) were named in his honor.

literature

• Michel Germain: Personages illustres des Savoie. Vie des hommes et des femmes illustres qui firent les grandes heures des Savoie . Autre Vue, Lyon 2007, ISBN 978-2-915688-15-3 .
• Charles Mullié: Biography of the célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850 . Poignavant, Paris 1851 (2 vols.).
• Alain Pigeard: Dictionnaire des batailles de Napoléon. 1796-1815 . Tallandier, Paris 2004, ISBN 2-84734-073-4 .
• Georges Six: Dictionnaire biographique des généraux & amiraux français de la Révolution et de l'Émpire . Saffroy, Paris 1999, ISBN 2-901541-06-2 (reprint of the Paris 1934 edition).
• Jean Tulard (Ed.): Dictionnaire Napoléon . Fayard, Paris 1995, ISBN 2-213-02286-0 .

Web links

• Monument to General Joseph-Marie Dessaix in Thonan-les-Bains