Dominique-André Chambarlhac (17 May 1754 – 4 August 1823) was a military engineer of the French Army during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Born in Arraye-sur-Seille ( Lorraine), he belonged to a family of native nobility of Vivarais. Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Courcelles
''Dictionnaire universel de la noblesse de France''
Au Bureau général de la noblesse de France,1822, pp. 73–74.Sources disagree on the commune of his birth: some say Arrage-sur-Seille, which is misspelled (Array-sur-Seille). His father André de Chambarlhac, Seigneur de La Chaux, was stationed at Maubeuge in 1753. It isn't clear if his mother, Marie Mathieu, was also present there. See Nicolas Viton de Saint Allais
''Nobiliare universel de France, ou recueil général des généalogies historiques des maisons nobles de ce royaume''
Paris, L'Auteur, 1818, p. 301 or Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Courcelles
''Dictionnaire universel de la noblesse de France''
Au Bureau général de la noblesse de France,1822, pp. 73–74.

Family and military service

Born on 17 May 1754 in Lorraine, he was the illegitimate son of André de Chambarlhac, Lieutenant colonel and Seigneur de La Chaux, and Marie-Mathieu.There is some suggestion that he was actually born in 1752, but not legitimated until 1754, upon the marriage of his parents. See M. de Saint-Allais (Nicolas Viton)
''Nobiliaire universel de France: Chambarlhac''
France, Au bureau du Nobiliaire universel de France, Réimprimé à la Librairie Bachelin-Deflorenne, 1876, p. 302. Chambarlhac belonged to a family of Vivarais nobility, and sources frequently confuse his family line with that of

Jacques-Antoine de Chambarlhac de Laubespin Jean Jacques-Antoine Vital François de Chambarlhac (August 2, 1754 – February 23, 1826) was a French infantry commander during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Biography Before the French Revolution On May 1, 1769, Chambarlha ...

, also a baron of empire. Joseph Alcide Georgel
''Armorial historique et généalogique des familles de Lorraine''
Elbeuf, Chez l'auteur, 1882, p. 162–163For example, Louis-Andre-Antoine Chambarlhac (d 1867) is frequently attributed to Dominique Andre Chambarlhac, but is actually in the Laubespin line. Alcide misattributes parentage; but Albert Révérend places the son with Jacques-Antoine de Chambarlhac. He became a cadet on 1 June 1763, in the King's Infantry Regiment. Admitted to the School of Engineering at Mezieres in 1769, he graduated on 31 January 1773 as second lieutenant and received the certificate for engineering first lieutenant on 18 January 1775. He served successively in such fortifications as Nancy, Verdun, Thionville, Landau and

Fort-Louis Fort-Louis () is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It acquired its name and its principal raison d'être from a 17th-century fort, known as Fort Louis.The fortress name is usually unhyphenated in Englis ...

from 1776 to 1785, and achieved the rank of captain on 30 March 1786. He joined the Vosges volunteers and commanded the Fort-Louis on 11 August 1792. Subsequently, he was appointed lieutenant colonel and engineer-in-chief. As chief engineer, Chambarlhac was responsible for the defense during the siege. Finally, without ammunition, food, or supplies, the garrison surrendered on 14 November 1794; Chambarlhac was not released until 23 September 1795 (''1 vendemaire an IV''). During his captivity, and in recognition of his gallant defense, on 21 March 1795 (''1 germinal an III'' ), he received the rank of brigade chief and director of fortifications. After his release, he served 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 ...

, another heavily fortified city, from 16 October 1795 (''24 vendemaire an IV''). On 9 March 1796 (''19 Ventose an V''), as chief engineer, joined the Army of the Rhine and Moselle. Throughout 1796, he served in this Army's

campaign Campaign or The Campaign may refer to: Types of campaigns * Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed * Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme * B ...

, supervising the crossing into the German states, and the offensives at several cities. He supervised the technical aspects of the defense of the fortress of

Kehl Kehl (; gsw, label= Low Alemannic German, Low Alemannic, Kaal) is a town in southwestern Germany in the Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg. It is on the river Rhine, directly opposite the French city of Strasbourg, with which it shares some munic ...

at the end of the campaign, and he was wounded in the leg during one of the French sorties to dislodge the Austrian besiegers. Plan Strasbourg 1720

The fortress at Kehl fell on 9 January 1797, and the fortress at Hüningen a month later. On 19 February 1797 (''1 ventôse an V''), Chambarlhac assumed charge of the fortifications at Landau. He left 29 August 1800 to supervise the refortification of Mainz. The government charged him in 1801 with the demolition of fortifications at Kastel, Ehrenbreitstein and Düsseldorf. On 11 December 1803 (''19 frimaire an XII''), he received a founding patent of the

Legion of Honor 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 ...

Napoleonic wars

Sent to the

Army of Naples The Army of Naples (french: Armée de Naples) was a French Army unit which took this name following its capture of Naples in 1799. It was related to the Army of Italy. Context Barthélemy Catherine Joubert had just pacified northern Italy, procl ...

in 1806, Chambarlhac witnessed the siege of

Gaeta Gaeta (; lat, Cāiēta; Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a city in the province of Latina, in Lazio, Southern Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The town has played a consp ...

, and received, after the surrender of the place, the order to go 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 ...

. On August 15 of this year, the Napoleon elevated him to commander of the Legion of Honor. He took an active part in the sieges of Magdeburg, at the end of 1806, as well as those of

Colberg Colberg is a surname, and may refer to: * Frederick Colberg (born ), an American welterweight and Olympic boxer * Lawrence Kohlberg (1927–1987), American psychologist, conceiver of a theory on stages of moral development * Rebekah Colberg (1918� ...

and

Stralsund Stralsund (; Swedish: ''Strålsund''), officially the Hanseatic City of Stralsund (German: ''Hansestadt Stralsund''), is the fifth-largest city in the northeastern German federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania after Rostock, Schwerin, Neub ...

, and the defense of the citadel of

Passau Passau (; bar, label=Central Bavarian, Båssa) is a city in Lower Bavaria, Germany, also known as the Dreiflüssestadt ("City of Three Rivers") as the river Danube is joined by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north. Passau's popu ...

in 1808. The following year, the War Minister entrusted him with the restoration of the fortifications of this place and the establishment of the bridgehead

Lintz Burnopfield is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated north of Stanley and Annfield Plain, close to the River Derwent and is 564 feet above sea level. There are around 4,553 inhabitants in Burnopfield. It is located 7 miles from ...

. He followed this assignment as inspection of fortresses and bridges in the Netherlands, where he was in charge in 1810, earning him (6 October 1809) the title of

baron of the Empire As Emperor of the French, Napoleon I created titles of nobility to institute a stable elite in the First French Empire, after the instability resulting from the French Revolution. Like many others, both before and since, Napoleon found that th ...

. Émile Campardon,
''Liste des membres de la noblesse impériale''
Au siège de la Société, 1889, p. 41. In 1811, he completed the fortifications of Danzig and contributed, two years later, to its

defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

. Imprisoned in

Stettin Szczecin (, , german: Stettin ; sv, Stettin ; Latin language, Latin: ''Sedinum'' or ''Stetinum'') is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Po ...

in 1813 and 1814, Chambarlhac returned to France after Napoleon's abdication. On 27 June 1814, Louis XVIII gave Chambarlhac the

Cross of St. Louis The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis (french: Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis) is a dynastic order of chivalry founded 5 April 1693 by King Louis XIV, named after Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France). It was intended as a rewa ...

and appointed him Lieutenant-General

Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

on 20 August. During his

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 ...

, Napoleon confirmed Chambarlhac in that grade by decree of 18 April 1815. Chambarlhac retired on October 18 that year, and died on 4 August 1823 in Paris, Île-de-France.

Promotions and honors

Chambarlhac received the following promotions, assignments and awards: *Cadet 1 June 1763 Royal Infantry *Engineering school, 1769 *Lieutenant 31 January 1773 *Captain 30 March 1786 *Lieutenant colonel/engineer in chief, Vosges Volunteers 8 November 1792 *Prisoner of War after the surrender of Saint-Louis, 14 November 1793 –23 September 1795 *Chef of brigade and Director of Fortifications, 21 March 1795 *General of Brigade 1 February 1805 *Commander Legion of Honor, 15 August 1806 *Fortifications Inspector Holland 1810 *Fortifications of Stettin 1813–1814 *Lieutenant-General honorary 27 June 1814 (by Louis XVIII) *Chevalier of the Order of Saint Louis 27 June 1814 *Retirement 18 October 1815

Notes and citations

Notes

Citations

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chambarlhac, Dominique-Andre French commanders of the Napoleonic Wars French Republican military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars 1754 births 1823 deaths