Charles-Marie Denys, comte de Damrémont (8 February 1783–12 October 1837) was a French general and military governor of

French Algeria French Algeria (french: Alger to 1839, then afterwards; unofficially , ar, الجزائر المستعمرة), also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of French colonisation of Algeria. French rule in the region began in 1830 with the ...

. He was killed in combat during the

siege of Constantine The 1837 siege of Constantine was decided by Louis Philippe I and the head of his government, Count Molé in the summer of 1837. At the time, during the consolidation of the July Monarchy and recovery economic prosperity, the king was considerin ...

Early life

Charles-Marie Denys was born in

Chaumont, Haute-Marne Chaumont () is a Communes of France, commune of France, and the capital (or ''préfecture'') of the Haute-Marne department. , it has a population of 21,847. The city stands on the river Marne (river), Marne and is situated on the Paris-Est–Mu ...

on 8 February 1783. His father was Antoine Denys de Damrémont (1730-1807) who belonged to a family of merchants from

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

and who got rich in forges in the 17th century.

Military training

He entered the military school at

Fontainebleau Fontainebleau (; ) is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the ''arrondissement ...

in 1803. After graduating from the school on 1804 he became a lieutenant in the 12th regiment of chasseurs à cheval.

Europe campaigns

He took part in the Wars of the

Third Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...

and

Fourth Coalition The Fourth Coalition fought against Napoleon's French Empire and were defeated in a war spanning 1806–1807. The main coalition partners were Prussia and Russia with Saxony, Sweden, and Great Britain also contributing. Excluding Prussia, ...

s. In 1807 he became aide-de-camp to general Defrance and afterwards to

Marshal Marmont Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont (20 July 1774 – 22 March 1852) was a French general and nobleman who rose to the rank of Marshal of the Empire and was awarded the title (french: duc de Raguse). In the Peninsular War Marmont succeede ...

. In 1811 and 1812 Damrémont served in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

but in 1813 he transferred to the

Grande Armée ''La Grande Armée'' (; ) was the main military component of the French Imperial Army commanded by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during the Napoleonic Wars. From 1804 to 1808, it won a series of military victories that allowed the French Empi ...

with which he fought in the campaigns in Germany (1813) and France (1814). During the

Hundred Days The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration ...

Damrémont became a colonel. On 25 April 1821 Damrémont was promoted to

Maréchal de camp ''Maréchal de camp'' (sometimes incorrectly translated as field marshal) was a general officer rank used by the French Army until 1848. The rank originated from the older rank of sergeant major general ( French: ''sergent-major général''). Se ...

. In 1823 he was given command of a unit in the 5th Corps in the

Army of the Pyrenees One of the French Revolutionary armies, the Army of the Pyrenees (''Armée des Pyrénées'') was created by a decree of the National Convention dated 1 October 1792 and formed out of the right wing of the Armée du Midi. At the outbreak of the Wa ...

, which took part in the French invasion of Spain. From 1823 to 1829 he served as inspector of the infantry and was named as a member of various military commissions.

Conquest of Algeria

Obsèques de Damrémont par Édouard Detaille 3081

In 1830 he commanded an infantry brigade in the

French invasion of Algeria The French invasion of Algeria (; ) took place between 1830 and 1903. In 1827, an argument between Hussein Dey, the ruler of the Deylik of Algiers, and the French consul escalated into a blockade, following which the July Monarchy of France invad ...

. On 13 December 1830 Damrémont was promoted to lieutenant-general.

Back to France

After his participation with the

troupes coloniales The ''Troupes coloniales'' ("Colonial Troops") or ''Armée coloniale'' ("Colonial Army"), commonly called ''La Coloniale'', were the military forces of the French colonial empire from 1900 until 1961. From 1822 to 1900 these troops were de ...

at the start of the

French conquest of Algeria The French invasion of Algeria (; ) took place between 1830 and 1903. In 1827, an argument between Hussein Dey, the ruler of the Deylik of Algiers, and the French consul escalated into a blockade, following which the July Monarchy of France inva ...

, Damrémont returned to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

where he was given command of the 8th military division in

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...

on 6 February 1832. On 15 September 1835 he was named

Pair de France The Peerage of France (french: Pairie de France) was a hereditary distinction within the French nobility which appeared in 1180 in the Middle Ages. The prestigious title and position of Peer of France (french: Pair de France, links=no) was ...

Governor of Algeria

On 12 February 1837 Damrémont was appointed governor-general of

. He was appointed to this strategic post after General

Bertrand Clauzel Bertrand, comte Clauzel (12 December 177221 April 1842) was a Marshal of France. When asked on Saint Helena which of his Generals was the most skillful Napoleon named Clauzel along with Louis-Gabriel Suchet and Étienne Maurice GérardOjala, Jean ...

(1772–1842) failed in 1836 during the

First Battle of Constantine The aim of the 1836 Battle of Constantine was to conquer the Algerian city of Constantine; the attack was a French failure.North Africa, Revised Edition: A History from Antiquity to the Present - Phillip C. NayloCitation/ref> The expedition ...

. Damrémont was to resume the attempt to besiege and submit this city in the impregnable

Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I *Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine given name ...

until then. Governor Charles-Marie Denys had in his new mission to gather human reinforcements and adequate resources in order to succeed in the conquest of the

Constantinois Constantinois is a cultural and historical region of the Maghreb, located in northeastern Algeria. Geography The region corresponds roughly to six contemporary ''wilayas'': Constantine Province, Annaba Province, Guelma Province, Skikda Provinc ...

region. The alliance between

Ahmed Bey Ahmad ( ar, أحمد, ʾAḥmad) is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other spellings of the name include Ahmed and Ahmet. Etymology The word derives from the root (ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from the ve ...

(1786-1851) in the Constantinois with the

Emir Abdelkader Abdelkader ibn Muhieddine (6 September 1808 – 26 May 1883; ar, عبد القادر ابن محي الدين '), known as the Emir Abdelkader or Abdelkader El Hassani El Djazairi, was an Algerian religious and military leader who led a struggl ...

(1808–1883) in

Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

ia was a stake and a squirrel that General Damrémont had to overcome in order to establish the French colonial power over the entire Algerian territory.

Mitidja

General Damrémont spent the first half of 1837 in partial engagements with rebels affiliated with

Emir Mustapha Mustapha ibn Muhieddine (1814–1863; ar, مصطفى ابن محيي الدين '), known as Emir Mustapha, Sidi Moustafa, Moustafa El Hassani El Djazairi, was an Algerian religious and military leader who led a struggle against the Frenc ...

(1814–1863) in the Algerian Sahel and

Mitidja Mitidja, (Arabic: , Berber: Mettijet ⵎⴻⵜⵙⵉⵛⵝ) is a plain stretching along the outskirts of Algiers in northern Algeria. It is about long, with a width of . Traditionally devoted largely to agriculture and serving as the breadbasket ...

. Indeed, the Emir Mustapha organized from his stronghold of

Médéa Médéa ( ber, Lemdiyyet, ar, المدية ''al-Madiya''), population 123,535 (1998 census) is the capital city of Médéa Province, Algeria. It is located roughly 68 km south of Algiers. The present-day city is situated on the site of ...

in the

Titteri The Titteri ( ar, جبل التيطري, ber, Tittri) is a historical region in Algeria. It is located in the mountainous area of the southern Tell Atlas in the Atlas Mountains. Geography The Titteri was a former administrative division of the R ...

massif, guerrilla attacks against the French camps in Mitidja and harassed the villagers who came to collaborate with the colonial authorities. This conflicting situation at the gates of the

Casbah of Algiers The Casbah ( ar, قصبة, ''qaṣba'', meaning citadel) is the citadel of Algiers in Algeria and the traditional quarter clustered around it. In 1992, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed ' ...

caused worry and hassle in Damrémont which could not quickly organize decisive expeditions and military campaigns outside the Mitidja. He took advantage of the presence of General

Thomas Robert Bugeaud Thomas Robert Bugeaud, marquis de la Piconnerie, duc d'Isly (15 October 178410 June 1849) was a Marshal of France and Governor-General of Algeria. Early life He was born at Limoges, a member of a noble family of Périgord (Occitania), the yo ...

(1784–1849) in

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

to send him to

ia to attack the capital of the

Emirate of Abdelkader The Emirate of Mascara, Emirate of Abd al-Qadir, or the Resistance of Mascara, was founded by Abd al-Qadir al-Jazairi with the allegiance of the people of Algeria to resist the French conquest of Algeria with its first capital at Mascara the ...

in order to open up the region of Algérois and to devote himself to preparing the ultimate expedition against

. But Damrémont's military strategy saw before it the

Khachna The Khachna Range ( ar, جبال الخشنة, ''Jibal Khashna''; Berber ''Adrar n Kheshna'') is a mountain range of the Tell Atlas, part of the Atlas Mountain System. It is located in Kabylie, Algeria. Geography The ''Khachna'' is a massif m ...

and

Djurdjura The Djurdjura or Jurjura Range ( ar, جبال جرجرة, ''Jabal Jurjura''; Berber ''Adrar n Jerjer'') is a mountain range of the Tell Atlas, part of the Atlas Mountain System. It is located in Kabylie, Algeria. Geography The Djurdjura is a mas ...

mountains where the Kabyle tribes and the

marabout A marabout ( ar, مُرابِط, murābiṭ, lit=one who is attached/garrisoned) is a Muslim religious leader and teacher who historically had the function of a chaplain serving as a part of an Islamic army, notably in North Africa and the Saha ...

s of the zawiyas of the

Rahmaniyya The Raḥmâniyya (Arabic: الرحمانية) is an Algerian Sufi order (tariqa or brotherhood) founded by Kabyle religious scholar Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥman al-Azhari Bu Qabrayn in the 1770s. It was initially a branch of the Khalwat ...

Sufi brotherhood could compromise and defeat the next campaign towards Constantine. This is how took place on 8 May 1837 the attack on Reghaïa in Mitidja against a colonial farm of 3000 hectares in area by the Kabyles of Beni Aïcha,

Issers Isser, formerly spelled Issers ( ar, يسر, kab, ⵉⵙⴻⵔ) is a town and commune in Boumerdès Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 27,990. As of the latest census it has 32,580 residents. Isser is locate ...

and Amraoua. General Damrémont took advantage of the disarray which settled in

Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...

among the French, the day after the raid on

Reghaïa Reghaïa is a municipality in Algiers Province, Algeria. It is located in Rouïba district and is the most populated municipality of the district. Geography It is located in the northern part of the plain of Mitidja, with sandy beaches along th ...

, to organize a punitive expedition to pacify the eastern region of Mitidja which borders the

Kabylia Kabylia ('' Kabyle: Tamurt n Leqbayel'' or ''Iqbayliyen'', meaning "Land of Kabyles", '','' meaning "Land of the Tribes") is a cultural, natural and historical region in northern Algeria and the homeland of the Kabyle people. It is part of th ...

of rebels subservient to the Emir Mustapha and the marabouts.

Kabylia

Plan de Thénia des Béni Aïcha dans le territoire des Khachna à l'est d'Alger

Governor Damrémont decided in the aftermath of the Mitidja troubles in 1837 to hold General Alexandre Charles Perrégaux (1791-1837) responsible for the mission to subdue the coastal town of

Dellys Dellys ( ar, دلّس, Berber: Delles) is a small Mediterranean town in northern Algeria's coastal Boumerdès Province, almost due north of Tizi-Ouzou and just east of the Sebaou River. It is the district seat of the daïra of Dellys. The town ...

from where the Amraoua Kabyles left to devastate the French agricultural concessions in the

. Instructions were given to General Perrégaux to divide the

involved in this punitive expedition against the Kabyles into two distinct military columns. The first maritime column was to be commanded by Perregaux himself, and was going to embark on 17 May 1837 on ships from the port of Algiers in order to land on the shore of

Oued Isser The Oued Isser is a river of Algeria. It begins in Médéa Province, is the main river, with Oued Sébaou of the Medea, which runs through the Lower Kabylie of Djurdjura (or the current province of Boumerdès) Wilaya of Bouira, then flows into ...

then move forward to disembark in the port of

. The second pedestrian column of infantry and cavalry, which was to be commanded by Colonel Maximilien Joseph Schauenburg (1784-1838), would also begin a sustained march on 17 May 1837 from

Boudouaou Boudouaou, during French colonialism known as L'Alma (or Alma) is a town in the western part of Boumerdès, Algeria. It is a coastal town on the Mediterranean Sea. Its population in 2008 was 56,398.Col des Beni Aïcha In geomorphology, a col is the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks.Whittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, 1984, p. 103. . It may also be called a gap. Particularly rugged and forbidding c ...

to meet the naval forces disembarked from Perrégaux in the

valley in order to continue the expedition to the Amraoua dens around the

Casbah of Dellys The Casbah of Dellys () is a historic kasbah or medina quarter, the old town in the city of Dellys, Algeria. The kasbah is known for Ottoman Algeria-era buildings and cityscape. Today it is a favorite spot for tourism in Boumerdès Province. Hist ...

Constantinois

La prise de Constantine 1837 par Horace Vernet

In October 1837 Damrémont commanded an expedition against

. During the siege Damrémont was hit in the head by a bullet and mortally wounded during the evening of 12 October. He was replaced by general Valée who continued the attack and proceeded to capture the city on the 13th.

Burial

Damrémont was buried in a ceremony at

Les Invalides The Hôtel des Invalides ( en, "house of invalids"), commonly called Les Invalides (), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as ...

, which also saw the premiere of

Hector Berlioz In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

Requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

Awards

Charles-Marie Denys de Damrémont was decorated with several medals during his military career, including: * Officer of the ''

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

'', decorated with this medal since 15 September 1827.

Family

Damrémont married Clémentine Baraguey d'Hilliers (25 October 1800–4 February 1892), the daughter of General

Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers (13 August 1764 – 6 January 1813) was a French Army general who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was the father of Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers, a Marshal of France, and the father-in- ...

, on 7 February 1819. The couple had two children: * Auguste-Louis-Charles, born 11 December 1819 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

and died in 1884. * Henriette-Françoise-Clémentine, born 11 March 1824 also in Paris and died in 1898.

Gallery

File:Photo aérienne de Reghaia.jpg, First Raid on Reghaïa (1837) File:Col de Ténia.jpg,

Expedition of the Col des Beni Aïcha The Expedition of the Col des Beni Aïcha in May 1837, during the French conquest of Algeria, pitted the troupes coloniales under Colonel Maximilien Joseph Schauenburg against the troops of ''Beni Aïcha'' of the ''Igawawen''. Historical Contex ...

(1837) File:Photo boudouaou marine 08102014.jpg,

First Battle of Boudouaou The First Battle of Boudouaou in 25–26 May 1837, during the French conquest of Algeria, pitted the troupes coloniales under Colonel Maximilien Joseph Schauenburg against the troops of Kabylia of the ''Igawawen''. Historical Context When Emi ...

(1837) File:Oued Isser واد يسر - panoramio.jpg,

First Battle of the Issers The First Battle of the Issers in May 1837, during the French conquest of Algeria, pitted the troupes coloniales under General Perrégaux and Colonel Schauenburg against the troops of Kabylia of the ''Igawawen''. Background The ceasefire si ...

(1837) File:Sidi Soussan à Dellys.jpg,

First Assault of Dellys The ''First Assault of Dellys'' in May 1837, during the French conquest of Algeria, opposed the troupes coloniales under Corvette captain Félix-Ariel d'Assigny (1794-1846) to the resistance fighters of the town of Dellys in Kabylia of the ''Iga ...

(1837)