Louis Henri Loison

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Louis Henri Loison
Légion d'Honneur
, Grand Officer

Louis Henri Loison (French pronunciation:

Napoleon Bonaparte crush a revolt against the government. After a hiatus, he returned in 1799 to fight in Switzerland where he earned another promotion. In 1800 he commanded a division under Napoleon in the Marengo campaign
.

In 1805, Loison led a division in Napoleon's Grande Armée during the Ulm campaign and served in the War of the Fourth Coalition in 1806 and 1807. He saw much action in the Peninsular War including all three invasions of Portugal, though not always with distinction. In Portugal he earned a bad name for his harshness and the inhabitants called him Maneta or One-Hand. For a brief period, he commanded Michel Ney's famous VI Corps. During the French invasion of Russia he assembled a reserve division, which was later destroyed by the extreme cold weather. He served in the War of the Sixth Coalition before a harsh rebuke from the emperor effectively ended his military career. Loison is one of the names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe.

Revolution

Born on 16 May 1771 in

Representative-on-mission of the Army of the North promoted him to adjutant general (a rank equivalent to colonel) for bravery. This appointment was later confirmed.[1] On 16 October 1793 at the Battle of Wattignies, he accompanied the 3,500-man column of Jacob Job Élie on the far right flank of the army. In the middle of the night, the outposts were attacked by the Austrians and the untried foot soldiers took to their heels. Élie managed to rally his men but[3] Johann Andreas Benjowski's Austrians[4] launched an assault in a heavy fog at dawn. The second line panicked and fired into the backs of the first line, whereupon the infantry bolted again, throwing away their muskets in order to run faster. They might have been butchered but for Loison who led the cavalry to the rescue and fought off the pursuit. French losses were 400 soldiers and 12 artillery pieces while the Austrians lost 138 men in the clash.[3]

French historian Charles Mullié noted that while Loison was a talented soldier who exhibited extreme bravery, he also had a dark side. Mullié suggested that Loison was an avid plunderer. Notorious for the sacking and destruction of the

Grand Duchy of Luxemburg and other acts, Loison was arrested by agents of the government. However, he escaped trial when one of the commissioners allowed him to return to military service.[1]

Photo of the ruins of Orval Abbey in 2005
Ruins of Orval Abbey

On 26 August 1795 he was elevated in rank to

Napoleon Bonaparte dispersed them with his cannon, Loison supported his colleague. After the revolt was put down, he served on the court convened to try the rebel leaders. He was unemployed for a few years then re-entered military service in January 1799. Serving under André Masséna and Claude Lecourbe, Loison commanded a brigade in numerous small actions in Switzerland.[2]

He led a brigade at

general of division[2] was confirmed in October 1799.[5]

In 1800, Loison was posted to the Army of the Reserve to command a 5,300-man division and crossed the Great St Bernard Pass with Napoleon. He was wounded leading a failed assault on Fort Bard on 25 May 1800. Quickly recovering, he led his division in Guillaume Philibert Duhesme's corps in driving back Josef Philipp Vukassovich's command. He missed the Battle of Marengo because his men were busy capturing Milan and Cremona, while pursuing the Austrians eastward.[16]

Early Empire

French infantry storm a hilltop abbey while dragoons chase fleeing Austrians.
Battle of Elchingen from an engraving by Johann Lorenz Rugendas (1775–1826). French infantry storm the abbey while dragoons chase fleeing Austrians.

Loison became a Grand Officer of the

Légion d'honneur on 14 June 1804.[5] During the Ulm campaign in 1805, he served in the VI Corps under Marshal Michel Ney at the Battle of Elchingen. Austrian general Johann Sigismund Riesch held Elchingen with a force numbering 8,000 soldiers, including 14 battalions, 11 squadrons, and 12 guns.[17]

The Austrians deployed on a ridge on the north bank of the Danube River, overlooking a partially destroyed bridge. At 8:00 AM, Ney sent Loison's division into the attack from the south bank. Loison ordered the elite companies of Eugène-Casimir Villatte's brigade to seize the span, which was quickly accomplished. An Austrian attempt to drive back the French with two battalions and four guns failed. After the engineers repaired the bridge, three French battalions from Loison's division rushed across and hurled themselves at Riesch's defenses, supported by ten guns. The 6th Light Infantry Regiment captured the abbey and Ober-Elchingen, but the 1st Battalion of the 39th Line Infantry Regiment was defeated by Austrian cavalry. The French light cavalry entered the fray, charging the enemy cavalry and infantry, and allowing Loison to bring up his second brigade,[18] which was led by François Roguet.[17]

Painting of clean-shaven red-headed man in marshal's uniform
Marshal Michel Ney

Loison's 69th Line Infantry Regiment attacked the Austrian right flank, driving the Austrians back into the woods and seizing some cannons. Meanwhile, the 76th Line Infantry and 18th Dragoon Regiments crushed an Austrian square and captured two guns. Riesch threw all his remaining cavalry into a grand charge, but it was repulsed by Roguet's brigade.[19] The remnants of Riesch's wrecked corps fled back to Ulm after sustaining losses of 6,000 men killed, wounded, or captured. The French casualties totalled 54 officers and 800 rank and file.[17]

After destroying the Austrian army of

Auguste Marmont's II Corps at Leoben, Ney's position dissuaded Archduke Charles from attempting to push northward.[20]

On 5 February 1806 while resting at Venetian estates Loison was involved in a hunting accident, which resulted in his left arm being amputated[22]

During the

Chasseurs à Cheval, one Dragoon squadron, and two companies of Gensdarmes.[27]

Later Empire

Painting of man in 1792–1806 French private's uniform with hand resting on bayonetted musket
Jean-Andoche Junot

Loison commanded a division in

Oporto with 2,000 men. On his way there he was severely harassed by Portuguese guerillas and had to turn back.[30]

In view of the situation, Junot decided to abandon the north and south of the country and concentrate his army in central Portugal. He ordered Loison to leave a garrison in Almeida and march to Lisbon. Maximilien Sébastien Foy claimed that only one of twenty messages got through. Culling from his ranks all the troops unfit to march, he made up a garrison of 1,200 men to hold Almeida. Leaving the garrison behind, he put the rest of his men on the road on 4 July. He successfully fought his way through partisan ambushes for a week and lost 200 men. When Guarda resisted, the place was sacked and partly burned down. His troops left such a path of destruction that Loison became feared and hated in Portugal as Maneta or One-Hand.[31] That Loison was missing one hand is shown by an incident that occurred before the First Battle of Porto in March 1809. The day before the battle Foy was captured by a Portuguese outpost and led into the city. Believing he was the reviled Loison, the mob was about to murder their prisoner when Foy held up both hands, proving he was not Maneta and was spared.[32][note 1]

On 25 July 1808, Junot sent Loison to relieve Elvas with more than 7,000 troops. His command included two grenadier battalions, the 3rd Battalions of the 12th and 15th Light and the 58th Line Infantry Regiments, the 1st Hanoverian Legion, 12 companies of the 86th Line, the 4th and 5th Provisional Dragoons, and eight artillery pieces.[33] On 29 July 1808, Loison and his small army crushed a Portuguese-Spanish force in the Battle of Évora.[34] General Francisco de Paula Leite de Sousa's Portuguese troops included one and one-half battalions of raw regular infantry and one squadron cavalry. Leite was joined by Colonel Moretti Spanish troops, one-half battalions of regular foot soldiers and the Maria Luisa Hussar Regiment. Altogether, Leite controlled 2,900 soldiers and seven guns.[35] Leite and Moretti unwisely drew up their outnumbered troops in the open in front of the town. Behind them, townsmen and country people armed with pikes and hunting guns manned the crumbling old walls of Évora.[34]

In the face of Loison's first assault, Leite's and Moretti's men took to their heels. The Spanish hussars bolted without even attempting to stop the French charge. Leite fled, but most of his men ran back to the town and tried to defend the place. The French troops were able to fight their way into the town at a number of places. In the butchery that followed, at least 2,000 Portuguese and Spanish fell, including many townspeople. French losses were 90 killed and 200 wounded. After the killing stopped, the French soldiers thoroughly sacked Évora.[34] According to one account, the French massacred the town's entire population. Whatever the exact truth, the atrocity made it easier for the proud Portuguese to accept British aid in their struggle.[36] Loison continued east to drive the Portuguese away from Elvas before being ordered back to Lisbon to face a new threat.[29]

Convention of Sintra, the French agreed to evacuate Portugal if the British transported them back to France.[41]

Print of hatless French officer in a cloak
Marshal Nicolas Soult

During Marshal

Tâmega River valley. Loison attacked, but after the Portuguese fended him off, he demanded reinforcements. Soult soon sent him 9,000 troops from his small army of 21,000. Historian David Gates stated that Loison was "lacking in initiative and unsuited for independent command". Finally on 2 May 1809, covered by a heavy fog, French sappers crept across the bridge at Amarante and cut the fuses on the demolition charges (Battle of the Bridge of Amarante). Loison sent a brigade charging across the span and Silveira's troops were routed.[42] The Portuguese force, which consisted of two battalions of the 12th Line Infantry Regiment and militia, lost 1,600 casualties plus ten guns and five colors. Loison's force included Delaborde's division, three battalions each of the 17th Light, 70th Line, and 86th Line Infantry Regiments, and Jean Thomas Guillaume Lorge's 4th Dragoon Division, four squadrons each of the 13th, 15th, 22nd, and 25th Dragoon Regiments. The French reported only two killed and seven wounded. However, Silveira had stalled Loison's force since 18 April.[43]

After his belated victory, Loison heard about enemy movements to his south and decided to investigate. He bumped into an 11,000-strong

William Carr Beresford and retreated back to Amarante, arriving there on 12 May. Taking counsel of his fears, Loison abandoned a very strong position and fell back toward Braga.[44] This represented a major strategic blunder, because on 12 May Wellesley defeated Soult at the Second Battle of Porto, forcing Soult to withdraw toward Amarante. When the French marshal found that he was trapped, he destroyed his vehicles and struck out across the mountains. By great exertions, he joined with Loison's force and managed to get away into Spain, but not before losing 4,000 men, his artillery, and all his equipment.[45]

General in blue uniform with sash
José Santocildes

In January 1810, Loison led the enormous 3rd Division numbering 12,250 men in 19 battalions in Marshal

Bertrand Clausel and Solignac.[48] The surrender occurred one day after the 47th and Irish Line Infantry Regiments of Solignac's division effected a lodgement in the town.[47][49]

Under Ney's command, Loison participated in the successful

Battle of the Côa on 24 July 1810. The French foot soldiers, with help from the 3rd Hussar Regiment, quickly crumpled Craufurd's left flank. Part of the Light Division stampeded, but the troops quickly rallied and the division barely managed to escape across the lone bridge. Ney then tried to storm the span, but the attack failed with heavy losses.[51] The Allies reported 308 casualties, while French losses numbered 531.[52] The Siege of Almeida lasted from 25 July to 27 August. On the latter day, a lucky hit blew up the main powder magazine, killing 600 Portuguese troops and wounding 300 more. The 4,000 surviving members of the garrison quickly surrendered.[53]

Battle of Bussaco

On 15 September, Loison's 3rd Division counted 239 officers and 6,587 rank and file. The 1st Brigade under Édouard François Simon consisted of the 1st Battalion of the Legion du Midi, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Hanoverian Legion, and the 5th, 6th, and 7th Battalions of the 26th Line Infantry Regiment. The 2nd Brigade led by Claude François Ferey included the 2nd Battalion of the 32nd Light Infantry Regiment, the 4th, 5th, and 6th Battalions of the 66th Line Infantry Regiment, and the 4th and 6th Battalions of the 82nd Line Infantry Regiment.[54] During Marshal Masséna's third invasion of Portugal, Loison's division led the unsuccessful VI Corps attack at the Battle of Bussaco. His troops battled their way forward against a heavy Allied skirmish line and the fire of 12 artillery pieces. But when Loison's columns neared the crest of Bussaco Ridge, they were ambushed by the Light Division and chased off the heights with heavy losses.[55][56] After being held up at the Lines of Torres Vedras all winter the French were compelled to retreat in March 1811 and Ney's corps formed the rear guard.[57]

Print of curly-headed man in military unifiorm with head tilted
Marshal André Masséna

According to Jean Jacques Pelet, one of Masséna's staff officers, Loison was an intriguer.

Auguste Marmont replaced Masséna and did away with the corps organization, leaving Junot, Marchand, Mermet, and other generals without employment.[65]

In 1812, Loison was sent with a reserve division of 10,000 newly drafted German and Italian boys to help extricate the remnants of the Grand Army in its retreat from Russia. Either the governor of Vilnius

Smarhon'. Camping on the ground when the night-time temperature dropped to minus 35 degrees Celsius proved catastrophic for his untried soldiers. Within a few days, his division of 15.000 soldiers was wiped out of existence without a battle.[66][note 2]

Loison was assigned to guard the fortress of Wesel in 1813. But Napoleon arrested him for not marching with his division to the front. After this severe reprimand, his military career was over except for a short-term assignment under Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout. Unemployed after January 1815, he retired in November of the same year.[2] On 30 December 1816 he died at Chokier near Liège in present-day Belgium. LOISON is inscribed on Column 35 of the Arc de Triomphe.[1]

Notes

Footnotes
  1. ^ The sources do not state when or how Loison lost one hand.
  2. ^ According to Mullié, Loison was censured by Napoleon after the 1812 Vilnius incident. Chandler stated that the censure came in 1813 at Wesel.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d Mullié (1852), Loison
  2. ^ a b c d Chandler (1979), 253
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-1-908692-24-5
    .
  4. ^ Phipps (2011), p. 262
  5. ^ a b c Broughton (2007), Loison
  6. ^ Smith (1998), 145
  7. ^ Smith (1998), 146
  8. ^ Smith (1998), 147
  9. ^ Smith (1998), 148
  10. ^ Smith (1998), 153
  11. ^ Smith (1998), 154
  12. ^ Smith (1998), 157
  13. ^ Smith (1998), 162-163
  14. ^ Smith (1998), 164
  15. ^ Smith (1998), 168
  16. ^ Arnold (2005), 128
  17. ^ a b c Smith (1998), 204
  18. ^ Young-Chandler (1987), 376377
  19. ^ Young-Chandler (1987), 377
  20. ^ a b Schneid (2002), 42
  21. ^ Smith (1998), 211
  22. ^ Jeanpierre, Henri. "Comte Louis-Henri Loison: General Divisionnaire 1771-1816 - Empire" (in French).
  23. ^ Pigeard (2004), 369
  24. ^ Petre (1993), 293–294
  25. ^ Petre (1993), 297
  26. ^ Petre (1993), 298–299
  27. ^ Smith (1998), 252. Smith also listed the Fusilier Grenadiers and Fusilier Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard, but placed them under Savary.
  28. ^ Glover (2001), 388
  29. ^ a b Gates (2002), 82–83
  30. ^ Oman (2010), I, 212–213
  31. ^ Oman (2010), I, 215-216
  32. ^ Oman (1995), II, 243
  33. ^ Oman (2010), 217
  34. ^ a b c Oman (2010), I, 218-219
  35. ^ Smith (1998), 264
  36. ^ Chandler (1979), 143
  37. ^ Glover (2001), 59-61
  38. ^ Gates (2002), 89
  39. ^ Gates (2002), 88
  40. ^ Glover (2001), 65–66
  41. ^ Glover (2001), 69
  42. ^ Gates (2002), 142-143
  43. ^ Smith (1998), 298-299
  44. ^ Gates (2002), 152
  45. ^ Gates (2002), 154–155
  46. ^ Gates (2002), 495
  47. ^ a b Gates (2002), 224
  48. ^ Smith (1998), 341–342. Smith did not mention Loison.
  49. ^ Smith (1998), 342
  50. ^ Smith (1998), 343–344
  51. ^ Gates (2002), 227–229
  52. ^ Smith (1998), 344
  53. ^ Smith (1998), 345
  54. ^ Horward (1973), 519-520
  55. ^ Gates (2002), 235
  56. ^ Glover (2001), 138-139
  57. ^ Gates (2002), 236-239
  58. ^ Horward (1973), 484
  59. ^ Horward (1973), 115
  60. ^ Horward (1973), 454
  61. ^ Horward (1973), 493-494
  62. ^ Glover (2001), 390
  63. ^ Gates (2002), 503
  64. ^ Gates (2002), 267–269
  65. ^ Gates (2002), 270
  66. ^ Zamoyski (2004), 504-505

References

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