Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier
Service/ | Army |
---|---|
Years of service | 1755–1792 1792–1819 |
Rank | Marshal of the Empire |
Battles/wars | See list:
|
Awards | Grand Cross of the , (1804–1815) |
Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier, 1st
Sérurier led a division in Napoleon Bonaparte's Italian campaign of 1796, except during bouts of illness. He especially distinguished himself at the
Early life
Sérurier was born at
Sérurier's regiment was ordered to
On 29 July 1781 Sérurier was awarded the
French Revolutionary Wars
1792–94
On 29 September 1792, a 10,000-man division under
In September 1793 the Sardinian army tried to recapture the
In September 1794 the Sardinians and Austrians advanced to
1795
On 4 November 1794,
On 23–24 November 1795, the
1796
After the winter campaign, Schérer placed the divisions in the positions where they would start the 1796 campaign. From right to left, they were Masséna with two divisions on the coast, Augereau on the Bormida River, Sérurier on the Tanaro, Macquard at the Col de Tende and Garnier on the far left.[28] On 27 March 1796 Bonaparte arrived to take command of the Army of Italy.[29] At this date Sérurier was 53 years old with 40 years of military service. He applied to retire on a pension due to his age, health and wounds, but after meeting Bonaparte he decided to stay.[30] Masséna later wrote that Bonaparte did not impress his generals at first. Then the new commander put on his hat and sharply questioned them; the generals went away believing that they had a true leader at last.[31] Bonaparte's plan was to mass over 20,000 men under Masséna and Augereau near Carcare where the Austrian and Sardinian armies linked. Sérurier's division would join the others near Ceva as they moved west.[32] His 9,448-strong division consisted of the 39th, 69th and 85th Line Infantry Demi-brigades.[33]
In the
Colli's troops withdrew toward Mondovì on the night of 20 April, but the move was soon discovered by the French who caught up with them at Vicoforte at mid-morning. In the Battle of Mondovì on 21 April, the brigades of Fiorella, Guieu and Elzéar Auguste Cousin de Dommartin fought their way into Vicoforte and routed the Sardinians. Dichat was killed and Henri Christian Michel de Stengel mortally wounded. Mondovì surrendered in the late afternoon. There was no looting but large requisitions of food were made from the town.[38] Auguste de Marmont recalled of Sérurier, "To form his men into three columns, put himself at the head of the central one, throw out a cloud of skirmishers, and march at the double, sword in hand, ten paces in front of his column: that is what he did. A fine spectacle, that of an old general, resolute and decided, whose vigor was revived by the presence of the enemy. I accompanied him in this attack, the success of which was complete".[39] On 28 April the Armistice of Cherasco was signed, taking Sardinia out of the war.[40]
In May 1796, Bonaparte detailed Sérurier to demonstrate with his division at
1797
After his recovery Sérurier took command at
For the spring 1797 campaign, Bonaparte organized his army into eight divisions of which the 3rd Division under Sérurier counted 6,543 soldiers.
On 3 June 1797 Bonaparte notified the French government that he was sending Sérurier with 22 captured colors. He wrote that he, "has in the last two campaigns displayed as much talent as bravery and patriotism ... General Sérurier is extremely severe with himself: he is sometimes so with others. A strict friend of discipline, and of the order and virtues most necessary to the maintenance of society, he disdains intrigue and intriguers, which has sometimes made him enemies amongst those men who are always ready to accuse of unpatriotism any one who wishes to see them submitted to their superiors". He was received in Paris by a large audience of government officials on 28 June who he assured of his loyalty and that of his soldiers. He was back with his division on 9 August and missed the Coup of 18 Fructidor.[62] A little later Louis Desaix described him, "tall, 55 years old ... honest, estimable in every respect, considered to be an aristocrat but supported by General Bonaparte, who values and admires him". Venice was occupied by French troops but by the recent treaty was to be handed over to Austria. Bonaparte ordered Sérurier to carry out the unpleasant job of removing all military stores and ships as well as all works of art. Over the objection of the Austrians and the inhabitants, the city was thoroughly plundered. Although he was the target of anger and abuse, Sérurier did not personally benefit from the looting and did his best to prevent others from doing so.[63] He confiscated the salt and biscuits in the Venice arsenal but that was to raise money to pay his soldiers. In the same army, Masséna and Augereau were notorious for looting for personal gain, and many lesser officers also did it.[64] Sérurier earned such a reputation for honesty that his soldiers called him the "Virgin of Italy".[65]
1798–99
Early in 1798 Sérurier temporarily commanded the divisions left in Italy where he had his hands full trying to calm unpaid soldiers who were on the verge of mutiny.
The outbreak of the War of the Second Coalition saw Schérer with 43,000 troops facing Paul Kray with 50,700 Austrians near Verona and 24,551 Russians under Alexander Suvorov marching up in support. Hoping to maul Kray before his Russians allies arrived, Schérer opted to attack.[67] On 26 March 1799 in the Battle of Verona, the French gained a success at Pastrengo in the north, fought to a draw in front of Verona and were drubbed in the south at Legnago.[70] In the north Sérurier drove the Austrians from Rivoli Veronese.[67] On the 27th Kray rapidly shifted his strength to the north to assist his outnumbered right wing.[71] Schérer shuffled the positions of his divisions which exhausted the soldiers without accomplishing anything.[72] Belatedly, Schérer tried push his advantage in the north by sending Sérurier with 6,000 troops to advance on Verona from the north. On 30 March he ran into 15,000 Austrians at Parona and was badly defeated, losing 600 killed and wounded and 1,177 prisoners. Austrian casualties numbered only 390.[71]
The
By the end of April 1799, Schérer had 28,000 troops behind the Adda River, strung out on a line 115 kilometres (71 mi) in length. The army was arranged in three small corps under Sérurier on the left, Grenier in the center and Victor on the right.[77] By the morning of 27 April, Suvorov's Austro-Russian army had won crossings over the Adda at Capriate San Gervasio and Brivio. That day Jean Victor Marie Moreau replaced Schérer in command of the Army of Italy[78] and the Allies defeated the French in the Battle of Cassano.[79] After a struggle, Grenier's soldiers were beaten at Trezzo while the Austrians broke through Victor's defenses at Cassano. The French withdrew toward Milan leaving Sérurier isolated and without orders between Trezzo and Brivio. During the night the old veteran entrenched 2,600–4,000 troops in an all-around defense near Verderio.[80] Finding the French in his path, Josef Philipp Vukassovich split his division into three columns and enveloped Sérurier's position. Vukassovich reported that his enemies put up a "desperate" fight, but out of ammunition, Sérurier surrendered on the evening of 28 April. By the terms of the capitulation, the general and his officers were released on parole to France. The Austrians reported capturing 243 officers and 3,487 soldiers.[81] Vukassovich's troops suffered 2,750 casualties, over half of the Allied losses at Cassano.[82] Sérurier's left wing near Lake Como escaped and rejoined the main army.[83]
Suvorov invited the captured general to dinner and found it impossible to coax any military information from him. The Russian wondered why such a reputable man should be fighting for the
Meanwhile, the French Directory sank in popularity after military defeats and mismanagement. Back in Paris, Sérurier became part of the Bonaparte faction, having seen nothing but disaster since serving under the military genius.[85] Bonaparte launched the Coup of 18 Brumaire on 9 November 1799 during which Sérurier led a reserve detachment of soldiers at the Pont-du-Jour.[86] The next day, the coup almost collapsed when Bonaparte had to be rescued from the Council of Five Hundred. However, Lucien Bonaparte convinced the Council's own guard battalion that only a minority of members opposed his brother. These soldiers soon evicted the lawmakers from their own hall. During these events, Sérurier's troops arrived at Saint-Cloud and the general was heard addressing them, "The wretches! They wished to kill General Bonaparte. Do not stir soldiers; wait until you get orders".[87] In the aftermath of the coup, Sérurier was put on a commission to determine how to use auxiliary battalions on 15 November 1799. He became a member of the Sénat conservateur (Senate) on 27 December.[88]
Later life
In time Sérurier became vice-president of the Senate and in 1803 was appointed president of a commission that determined the border between France and
On 31 March 1814, upon the arrival of the
Sérurier was restored to the dignity of marshal in 1819. He died on 21 December that year in Paris and was buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery. His body was not transferred to Les Invalides until 26 February 1847[89] SERURIER is one of the names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe, on Column 24.[91]
Notes
- ^ a b Phipps 2011a, p. 75.
- ^ a b Phipps 2011a, p. 235.
- ^ a b c Phipps 2011a, p. 76.
- ^ Rooney 1987, p. 442.
- ^ a b Phipps 2011a, p. 77.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 69.
- ^ Rooney 1987, p. 443.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 85.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 88.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 97.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 96.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 102.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 221.
- ^ a b Phipps 2011a, p. 224.
- ^ Smith 1998, p. 74.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 227.
- ^ a b c Phipps 2011a, p. 234.
- ^ Smith 1998, p. 92.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 236.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, pp. 243–245.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, pp. 248–249.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, pp. 251–252.
- ^ a b Smith 1998, p. 108.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 262.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, pp. 263–266.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 271.
- ^ Chandler 1966, p. 54.
- ^ Phipps 2011a, p. 270.
- ^ Chandler 1966, p. 53.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 9–10.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 11–12.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, p. 219.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, p. 196.
- ^ Smith 1998, pp. 111–112.
- ^ Chandler 1966, pp. 73–74.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, p. 265.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, pp. 266–268.
- ^ Boycott-Brown 2001, pp. 270–271.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 25–26.
- ^ Chandler 1966, p. 75.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 33.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 45.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 49.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 58–59.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 61.
- ^ Rooney 1987, p. 448.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 62.
- ^ Chandler 1966, p. 95.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 85.
- ^ Chandler 1966, p. 114.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 123.
- ^ Smith 1998, p. 131.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 138–139.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 142.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 154.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 162.
- ^ a b Smith 1998, pp. 133–134.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 164–165.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 166.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 170–171.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 184.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 187–189.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, pp. 200–201.
- ^ Phipps 2011b, p. 205.
- ^ Rooney 1987, p. 450.
- ^ a b Phipps 2011c, pp. 215–217.
- ^ a b c Phipps 2011c, p. 254.
- ^ Phipps 2011c, p. 233.
- ^ Phipps 2011c, pp. 252–253.
- ^ Smith 1998, pp. 149–150.
- ^ a b Duffy 1999, p. 46.
- ^ Phipps 2011c, p. 256.
- ^ Smith 1998, p. 151.
- ^ Duffy 1999, p. 51.
- ^ Phipps 2011c, p. 257.
- ^ Duffy 1999, p. 47.
- ^ Duffy 1999, pp. 60–61.
- ^ Duffy 1999, p. 63.
- ^ Smith 1998, p. 152.
- ^ Duffy 1999, pp. 65–66.
- ^ Duffy 1999, p. 67.
- ^ a b Duffy 1999, p. 68.
- ^ a b Phipps 2011c, p. 263.
- ^ a b Phipps 2011c, p. 264.
- ^ Phipps 2011c, p. 229.
- ^ Phipps 2011c, pp. 457–459.
- ^ Phipps 2011c, pp. 460–462.
- ^ Phipps 2011c, p. 466.
- ^ a b c d e Rooney 1987, p. 451.
- ^ Chandler 1987, p. xxxiv.
- ^ See photograph.
References
- Boycott-Brown, Martin (2001). The Road to Rivoli: Napoleon's First Campaign. London, UK: Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35305-1.
- Chandler, David G. (1966). The Campaigns of Napoleon. New York, N.Y.: Macmillan.
- Chandler, David G. (1987). Napoleon's Marshals. New York, N.Y.: Macmillan. ISBN 0-02-905930-5.
- ISBN 1-883476-18-6.
- ISBN 978-1-908692-26-9.
- Phipps, Ramsay Weston (2011b) [1935]. The Armies of the First French Republic: Volume IV The Army of Italy (1796–1797), Paris and the Army of the Interior (1792–1797), The Coup D'Etat of Fructidor (September 1797). Vol. 4. USA: Pickle Partners Publishing. ISBN 978-1-908692-27-6.
- Phipps, Ramsay Weston (2011c) [1939]. The Armies of the First French Republic: Volume V The Armies Of The Rhine In Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Egypt, and The Coup D'Etat of Brumaire (1797–1799). Vol. 5. USA: Pickle Partners Publishing. ISBN 978-1-908692-28-3.
- Rooney, David D. (1987). "Sérurier: The Virgin of Italy". In ISBN 0-02-905930-5.
- ISBN 1-85367-276-9.