Laurent, marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr

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Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr

Laurent, marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr (April 13, 1764 – March 17, 1830) was French a commander in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars who rose to the rank of Marshal of France.

1 Biography
2 Writings
3 Reference

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life and Revolutionary Wars

Born in Toul, he went to Rome at the age of eighteen in order to study painting, but, although he continued his artistic studies after his return to Paris in 1784, he never adopted the profession of a painter. In 1792 he was chosen a captain in a volunteer battalion, and served on the staff of General Custine. Promotion rapidly followed, and in the course of two years he became a general of division. In 1796 he commanded the centre division of Jean Victor Marie Moreau's army in the campaign of the Rhine, aiding in the celebrated retreat from Bavaria to the Rhine.

In 1798 he succeeded André Masséna in the command of the army of Italy. In the following year he commanded the left wing of Jean-Baptiste Jourdan's army fighting in Germany; when Jourdan was succeeded by Masséna, he joined the army of Moreau in Italy, where he distinguished himself in face of the great difficulties that followed the defeat of Novi. When Moreau, in 1800, was appointed to the command of the army of the Rhine, Gouvion Saint-Cyr was named his principal lieutenant, and on May 9 gained a victory over General Kray at Biberach. He was not, however, on good terms with his commander and retired to France after the first operations of the campaign.

In 1801 he was sent to Spain to command the army intended for the invasion of Portugal (see Peninsular War), and was named grand officer of the Legion of Honour. When a treaty of peace was shortly afterwards concluded with Portugal, he succeeded Lucien Bonaparte as ambassador at Madrid.

[edit] Empire

In 1803 he was appointed to the command of an army corps in Italy, in 1805 he served with distinction under Masséna, and in 1806 was engaged in the campaign in southern Italy. He took part 1807 campaigns in Prussia and Poland, and in 1808, in which year he was made a count, he commanded an army corps in Catalonia; but, not wishing to comply with certain orders he received from Paris, he resigned his command and remained in disgrace till 1811.

Late portrait of Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr, Marshal of France

He was still a général de division, having been excluded from the first list of marshals owing to his action in refusing to influence the troops in favour of the establishment of the French Empire. On the opening of the Russian campaign, Saint-Cyr received command of an army corps, and on August 18, 1812 obtained a victory over the Russians at Polotsk, in recognition of which he was created a marshal. He received a severe wound in one of the actions during the general retreat. Saint-Cyr distinguished himself at the battle of Dresden (August 26-27, 1813) and in the defence of that place against the Allies after the battle of Leipzig, capitulating only on November 11, when Napoleon had retreated to the Rhine.

[edit] Last years

On the Bourbon Restoration he was created a Peer of France, and in July 1815 was appointed War Minister, but resigned his office in the following November. In June 1817 he was appointed Navy Minister, and in September again resumed the duties of War Minister, which he continued to discharge till November 1819. During this time he initiated many reforms, particularly in respect of measures tending to make the army a national rather than a dynastic force. He made efforts to safeguard the rights of veteran soldiers of the Empire, organized the General Staff, and revised the code of military law and the pension regulations. He was made a marquess in 1817.

Although Gouvion Saint-Cyr has been complimented by Napoleon for his "military genius", his initial lack of obedience meant that he was only assigned independent command in secondary theatres of war. He never lost a battle.

[edit] Writings

Journal des operations de l'armée de Catalogne en 1808 et 1809 (Paris, 1821)
Mémoires sur les campagnes des armées de Rhin et de Rhin-et-Moselle de 1794 a 1797 (Paris, 1829)
Mémoires pour servir de l'histoire militaire sous le Directoire, le Consulat, et l'Empire (1831)

[edit] Reference

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. In turn, it cites as reference Léonard Honoré Gay de Vernon's Vie de Gouvion Saint-Cyr (1857)