Antoine François Brenier de Montmorand
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Antoine-François Brenier de Montmorand (12 November 1767 at Saint-Marcelin (Isère) - 8 October 1832) served as a French general during the period of the First French Empire and became an officer of the Légion d'honneur.
Brenier enlisted in 1786 and gained rapid promotion during the period of the French Revolution, becoming an aide-de-camp in 1792 and in 1793 a Chef de brigade (colonel) in the Army of the Eastern Pyrenees (Armée des Pyrénées orientales). He served with distinction in various campaigns of the Revolutionary Wars, in Italy and in Holland. In 1799 he became Général de brigade. From 1801 to 1807 he served in administrative posts. Wounded and captured by the British in the battle of Vimeiro of 20 August 1808, he returned (exchanged) to France from captivity in 1809, and in 1810 followed General Junot to Portugal, showing great bravery, especially at Almeida. Masséna had failed to evacuate him from the area, and English officers called on the surrounded Brenier to withdraw. He blew up the fortifications and on 10 May 1811, at the head of the surviving handful of his men, he broke out through the British army and rejoined the forces of the Marshal who had believed him lost.
As a reward, Brenier received promotion to the rank of général de division. He played an honorable part in the campaign of 1813, though severely wounded at Lützen in Saxony (2 May 1813). In 1814 he became commander of the 16th military district and supervised the fortification of Lille. Afterwards he took over the command of the city of Brest, where his actions during the Hundred Days earned him a sword of honour voted him by the municipal council.
Brenier became a Count, the Inspector General of the Infantry (1816 to 1818) and the supreme commander in Corsica (1820 to 1823). He retired in 1827 and died on 8 October 1832.
His name appears on the west side of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
[edit] Career-path
- 1 September 1795 : Chef de brigade of the 14th Regiment (14th half-brigade) of Line Infantry
- 1 January 1797 : Chef de brigade of the 63rd Regiment (63rd half-brigade) of Line Infantry
- 15 June 1799 : Général de brigade
- 26 March 1811 : Général de division
[edit] Honours
- 12 February 1812 : Baron of the Empire
- 18 December 1813 : Officer of the Légion d'honneur
[edit] External references
- Brief biography (in Portuguese)
- C. Mullié, Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850. Poignavant: 18??. Online at French Wikisource
