Louis Emmanuel Rey
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General Louis Emmanuel Rey, Baron (1768-1846) held notable French commands in 1797 and 1813 during the Napoleonic Wars.
[edit] Early career
Rey joined the French Royal army as an infantryman in 1784 and earned an officer's commission in 1792. For four years he served in the Army of the Alps and won promotion to general of brigade in 1796.
At the Battle of Rivoli on 14 January 1797, Rey commanded a 4,000-man division in Napoleon Bonaparte's army. During the morning, an Austrian column under Colonel Lusignan circled behind the embattled French main body. Cut off from reinforcement, Napoleon sent part of Maj-Gen André Masséna's division to hold off Lusignan's threat from the north. Arriving from the south, Rey caught the Austrian force in a pincer. After a fight, Lusignan's command broke up and 3,000 Austrians surrendered. The next day, Rey helped mop up the remnants of the Austrian army.
[edit] Empire
After holding minor commands, Rey was named a baron in 1808. He served as Maj-Gen Gouvion Saint-Cyr's chief-of-staff in August 1808, fighting in Catalonia. In 1809, he commanded a brigade in the Central Reserve at the Battle of Ocana. In August 1811, he was appointed governor of the fortress of San Sebastian in northern Spain. From 5 July to 9 September 1813 he conducted a very able defense of San Sebastian before being forced to surrender to Anglo-Portuguese forces under Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. As a reward for his meritorious services, Napoleon promoted Rey to general of division in November 1813 even though he was a prisoner of war.
During the Hundred Days Rey rallied to Napoleon and was given command of the fortress of Valenciennes. After the restoration of the monarchy, he fell out of favor until 1830, when he was appointed to a royal commission.
[edit] References
- Chandler, David. Dictionary of Napoleonic Wars. Macmillan, 1979.
