Florent Joseph Duquesnoy (27 February 1761 – 1 July 1801) became a French general officer 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 France against Britain, Austria, Prussia ...

and led a division at the

Battle of Wattignies The Battle of Wattignies (15–16 October 1793) saw a French army commanded by Jean-Baptiste Jourdan attack a Coalition army directed by Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. After two days of combat Jourdan's troops compelled the Habsburg co ...

Career

Duquesnoy was born to a farmer in

Bouvigny-Boyeffles Bouvigny-Boyeffles is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. Geography An ex-coalmining area, but now a farming village, situated just west of Lens at the junction of the D165 and D75 roads. ...

, France on 27 February 1761. He was the brother of Ernest Dominique Francois Joseph Duquesnoy who later became a representative of the First French Republic. He enlisted in the

Carabiniers-à-Cheval The Carabiniers-à-Cheval ( French for Horse Carabiniers or Mounted Carabiniers) were mounted troops in the service of France. Their origins date back to the mid-16th century, when they were created as elite elements of the French light cavalry, ...

in 1782 but was discharged in 1790. He became captain in the 4th '' Pas-de-Calais''

National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...

Battalion on 28 January 1792. He transferred to the 4th

Chasseur ''Chasseur'' ( , ), a French term for "hunter", is the designation given to certain regiments of French and Belgian light infantry () or light cavalry () to denote troops trained for rapid action. History This branch of the French Army orig ...

s Battalion on 16 November that year. He was promoted to

general of 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 ...

on 30 July 1793 and put in charge of the camp of

Cassel Cassel may refer to: People * Cassel (surname) Places ;France * Cassel, Nord, a town and commune in northern France ** Battle of Cassel (1071) ** Battle of Cassel (1328) ** Battle of Cassel (1677) ;Germany * Cassel, Germany, a city in Hesse re ...

in August. He assumed the rank of

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 September 1793, despite the pleas of his brother not to promote him. After the

on 15–16 October 1793, he was transferred to the '' Army of the West'' on 27 November to fight in the

War in the Vendée The war in the Vendée (french: link=no, Guerre de Vendée) was a counter-revolution from 1793 to 1796 in the Vendée region of France during the French Revolution. The Vendée is a coastal region, located immediately south of the river Loir ...

. He was suspended on 14 May 1795 and placed on inactive status on 1 January 1796. He died on 1 July 1801.

Notes

References

* * * * * French generals Military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars French Republican military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars Republican military leaders of the War in the Vendée People from Pas-de-Calais 1761 births 1801 deaths People of the War of the First Coalition {{mil-hist-stub