Blaise Duval de Hautmaret, or more widely referred to as Blaise Duval, (4 September 1739 – 17 January 1803) was a French general of the Revolutionary Wars.

Biography

Son of a merchant, he was born in

Abbeville Abbeville (, vls, Abbekerke, pcd, Advile) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the chef-lieu of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of ...

in northern France. He was cornet in the

Garde du corps A ''Garde du Corps'' (French for lifeguard) is a military unit, formed of guards. A '' Garde du Corps'' was first established in France in 1445. From the 17th century onwards, the term was used in several German states and also, for example, in th ...

of the King in 1758. He fought in the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (175 ...

in the 11th régiment de chasseurs à cheval ( de) called

Soubise Soubise can refer to: * Soubise, a salpicon of cooked and pureed rice and onions; used primarily "au gratin". (steaks, tournedos) * Soubise sauce, based on Béchamel sauce, with the addition of a ''soubise'' of onion and rice purée * Soubise, Ch ...

Volunteers Regiment. He was promoted to lieutenant on 26 March 1762, captain on 1 July 1766 and lieutenant colonel on 3 March 1774.Les Samariens sous l'Empire
/ref> He was appointed a member of the Order of Saint Louis in 1778. On 22 September 1786, he was posted as a Lieutenant du Roi in the Montreuil citadel. He was discharged with the headquarters staff of this citadel on 1 August 1791. Lieutenant-colonel with ''

Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for ...

'', he was posted with the same grade in the 1st Somme battalion on 6 September 1791. He was colonel of the 6th Dragoon Regiment from 23 March 1792. He was promoted to

General de Brigade Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...

on 25 August 1792 in the

Army of the North The Army of the North ( es, link=no, Ejército del Norte), contemporaneously called Army of Peru, was one of the armies deployed by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in the Spanish American wars of independence. Its objective was fre ...

by Dumouriez then Maréchal de camp and commander-in-chief of the

Pont-sur-Sambre Pont-sur-Sambre (, literally ''Bridge on Sambre'') is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the Fren ...

military camp. He was confirmed in that rank by the Provisional Executive Committee on 7 September 1792. He served under Anne François Augustin de La Bourdonnaye in September, and then was posted to the northern division of the Army of Belgium under

Francisco de Miranda Sebastián Francisco de Miranda y Rodríguez de Espinoza (28 March 1750 – 14 July 1816), commonly known as Francisco de Miranda (), was a Venezuelan military leader and revolutionary. Although his own plans for the independence of the Spani ...

in November, then Commander of Brussels in December. Became Executive Officer for the

Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to: Place names in Europe * London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany Belgium * Province of Bra ...

and Hainaut on 20 February 1793. He was promoted

general of 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 co ...

on 3 February 1793 and took command of the places of Arras, Peronne,

Bapaume Bapaume (original Dutch name Batpalmen) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. The inhabitants of this commune are known as ''Bapalmois'' or ''Bapalmoises''. Geography Bapaume is a far ...

Doullens Doullens (; pcd, Dourlin; former nl, Dorland) is a commune in the Somme department, Hauts-de-France, France. Its inhabitants are called ''Doullennais'' and ''Doullennaises''. Geography Doullens is situated on the N25 road, in the northern ...

and Saint-Pol on 14 May 1793. He was charged by the directors of the Pas-de-Calais department to take over the command of the Army in the event of a British landing along the Montreuil coasts.

Late career

Suspended by the War Minister, Bouchotte, he was placed under arrest but saved by the

Thermidorian reaction The Thermidorian Reaction (french: Réaction thermidorienne or ''Convention thermidorienne'', "Thermidorian Convention") is the common term, in the historiography of the French Revolution, for the period between the ousting of Maximilien Robespie ...

. Impaired and in poor health, he was discharged on 5 December 1797, and then appointed commander of the 8th Demi-brigade of

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that h ...

s on 18 October 1800. He was elected to the

Pas de Calais The Strait of Dover or Dover Strait (french: Pas de Calais - ''Strait of Calais''), is the strait at the narrowest part of the English Channel, marking the boundary between the Channel and the North Sea, separating Great Britain from continent ...

General council General council may refer to: In education: * General Council (Scottish university), an advisory body to each of the ancient universities of Scotland * General Council of the University of St Andrews, the corporate body of all graduates and senio ...

from 1800 to 1803 and died in Neuville, near Montreuil in 1803 aged 63.

Family life

He married Marie-Josèphe Festamel who gave him two sons and three daughters. The eldest, Jean-Blaise-Alexandre Duval, born in Montreuil on 24 June 1797, initially intended to the

Prytanée National Militaire The Prytanée national militaire is a French military school managed by the French military, offering regular secondary education as well as special preparatory classes, equivalent in level to the first years of university, for students who wish ...

, became a second lieutenant in the 19th line regiment ( fr) in 1814 and his younger brother chose to enter the Imperial Cavalry School of Saint-Germain.

Honours

*Member of Order of Saint Louis *His name is inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, 4th column.French Revolution and Napoleonic Officers - Arc de Triomphe
/ref>

Miscellaneous

*A barrack was named after him in the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer.

References

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duval, Blaise 1739 births 1803 deaths People from Abbeville French Republican military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars French generals Knights of the Order of Saint Louis Military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars French military personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe