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Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer (December 18, 1747 – August 19, 1804), born in
website of the city of Delle about Schérer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scherer, Barthelemy Louis Joseph 1747 births 1804 deaths People from the Territoire de Belfort French generals Military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars French Republican military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars French Ministers of War 18th-century French politicians Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe
Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer (December 18, 1747 – August 19, 1804), born in Delle
Delle () is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in northeastern France.
Delle is the last French town on the railway line from Belfort to Berne, in Switzerland. The railway station in Delle is served by ...
, near Belfort
Belfort (; archaic german: Beffert/Beffort) is a city in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Northeastern France, situated between Lyon and Strasbourg, approximately from the France–Switzerland border. It is the prefecture of the Territo ...
, became a French general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
during the French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
and on three occasions led armies in battle.
Early career
Schérer served in theAustrian
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
army long before the Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
, but defected to France in 1775. In 1780 Schérer became a major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
in an artillery regiment stationed in Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
. He entered Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
service in 1785 as a major in the ''Légion de Maillebois''. In 1790 he was released from Dutch service with the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
.
French Revolution
He returned to France in 1791 and in 1792 was made acaptain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in the 82nd Infantry Regiment, serving as aide-de-camp to General Jean de Prez de Crassier at the Battle of Valmy. In 1793 he served as a senior aide-de-camp to general Alexandre de Beauharnais Alexandre may refer to:
* Alexandre (given name)
* Alexandre (surname)
* Alexandre (film)
See also
* Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom o ...
on the Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
. In 1794, Schérer was promoted to the rank of ''général de division
Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
'' and commanded a division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
in the Army of the Sambre and Meuse
The Army of Sambre and Meuse (french: Armée de Sambre-et-Meuse) was one of the armies of the French Revolution. It was formed on 29 June 1794 by combining the Army of the Ardennes, the left wing of the Army of the Moselle and the right wing ...
, serving with distinction at the Battle of Aldenhoven. On May 3 he married Marie Françoise Henriette Caroline Müller in a civil ceremony at Delle
Delle () is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in northeastern France.
Delle is the last French town on the railway line from Belfort to Berne, in Switzerland. The railway station in Delle is served by ...
in the Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté (, ; ; Frainc-Comtou: ''Fraintche-Comtè''; frp, Franche-Comtât; also german: Freigrafschaft; es, Franco Condado; all ) is a cultural and historical region of eastern France. It is composed of the modern departments of Doubs, ...
. On November 3, 1794, he was named commander of the Army of Italy before his transfer to command the Army of the Eastern Pyrenees
The Army of the Eastern Pyrenees (''Armée des Pyrénées Orientales'') was one of the French Revolutionary armies. It fought against the Kingdom of Spain in Roussillon, the Cerdanya and Catalonia during the War of the Pyrenees. This army and th ...
on March 3, 1795. On June 14 a 35,000-strong Spanish army defeated Schérer's 25,000 men in battle at Bàscara
Bàscara is a small town and municipality in the ''comarca'' of Alt Empordà, Girona, Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' national ...
in Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
province in Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
.
On August 31, 1795, he was again sent to Italy to replace François Kellerman (the older) as commander-in-chief of the Army of Italy. As commander of the Army of Italy, Schérer won the Battle of Loano
The Battle of Loano occurred on 23–24 November 1795 during the War of the First Coalition. The French Army of Italy led by Barthélemy Schérer defeated the combined Austrian and Sardinian forces under Olivier, Count of Wallis.
Context
In ...
(November 22–24, 1795) against an Austrian army but failed to exploit his advantage due to his own caution and winter weather. He was relieved of the command of this army on February 23, 1796, and replaced by Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
. Schérer was then unemployed for a number of months until being named Inspector-General of Cavalry, first of the Army of the Interior and then of the Army of the Rhine and the Moselle.
War of the Second Coalition
Schérer served as French Minister of War from July 22, 1797, to February 21, 1799. When theWar of the Second Coalition
The War of the Second Coalition (1798/9 – 1801/2, depending on periodisation) was the second war on revolutionary France by most of the European monarchies, led by Britain, Austria and Russia, and including the Ottoman Empire, Portugal, N ...
broke out, Schérer was given command of the Army of Italy once again. He won an initial clash at Pastrengo
Pastrengo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about west of Venice and about northwest of Verona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,486 and an area of .All demographics an ...
on March 26. But he proved unable to stop the Russo-Austrian advance. He was defeated by Austrian General Pál Kray
Baron Paul Kray of Krajova and Topolya (german: Paul Freiherr Kray von Krajova und Topola; hu, Krajovai és Topolyai báró Kray Pál; 5 February 1735 – 19 January 1804), was a soldier, and general in Habsburg service during the Seven Y ...
at the Battle of Magnano
In the Battle of Magnano on 5 April 1799, an Austrian army commanded by Pál Kray defeated a French army led by Barthélemy Schérer. In subsequent battles, the Austrians and their Russian allies drove the French out of nearly all of Italy. Th ...
on April 5. "Schérer went into this battle without forming a reserve and was thus unable to react to crisis or opportunities effectively."Smith, p 151 Forced to retire behind the river Mincio
The Mincio (; Latin: Mincius, Ancient Greek: Minchios, ''Μίγχιος'', Lombard: Mens, Venetian: Menzo) is a river in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.
The river is the main outlet of Lake Garda. It is a part of the ''Sarca-Mincio'' ...
, he gave up command to Jean Moreau
Adrien Édouard Jean Moreau (31 July 1888 – 5 June 1972) was a French politician.
Moreau was born in Paris. He belonged first to the Republican Party of Liberty (1945–1946), then to the Independent Republicans (1946–1955) and then to ...
. Because of his loss of Italy he was forced to appear before a committee of inquiry. After securing an acquittal, he retired to private life on his estate at Chauny
Chauny () is a Communes of France, commune in the Aisne Departments of France, department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
History
There has been a settlement on the site, more or less continuously, since at least the Carolingian era. Know ...
in Picardy
Picardy (; Picard and french: Picardie, , ) is a historical territory and a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region of Hauts-de-France. It is located in the northern part of France.
Hi ...
, where he died in 1804.
References
* Chandler, David. ''The Campaigns of Napoleon.'' New York: Macmillan, 1966. * Smith, Digby. ''The Napoleonic Wars Data Book.'' London: Greenhill, 1998.Footnotes
External links
website of the city of Delle about Schérer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scherer, Barthelemy Louis Joseph 1747 births 1804 deaths People from the Territoire de Belfort French generals Military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars French Republican military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars French Ministers of War 18th-century French politicians Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe