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 The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

Biography

Before the French Revolution

On May 1, 1769, Chambarlhac enlisted as a soldier in the Régiment d'Auvergne at age 15. On March 26, 1770, he became sub-lieutenant, and left the service four years later on January 1, before returning to service in 1791.

French Revolutionary Wars

Chambarlhac commanded the 1st Volunteer Battalion of Haute-Loire on June 21, 1792. He served with the Armée des Alpes, commanded by Kellermann, in 1792. In Prairial, year II (1795), he was chief of the 117th semi-brigade of the first formation. Later on 26

Ventôse Ventôse (; also ''Ventose'') was the sixth month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the Latin word ''ventosus'', which means ''windy''. Ventôse was the third month of the winter quarter (''mois d'hiver''). It start ...

, year IV, he was the brigadier chief of the 75th semi-brigade of the second formation. In year IV, as colonel, he fought with

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 wh ...

in 1796–97. He fought in the battle of

Arcole Arcole (pronounced ), historically also known as Arcola, is a ''comune'' with 5,274 inhabitants in the province of Verona. It is known as the site of the Battle of the Bridge of Arcole. History Between 15–17 November 1796, the Battle of Arcol ...

in Italy under Napoleon, and participated in the Siege of Kehl. Chambarlhac later returned to Italy in 1799 and fought in the Battle of Verona, serving with Schérer.

French Consulate

During the Republican Year VIII (1799–1800), the Consular Government sent Chambarlhac into the

Vendée Vendée (; br, Vande) is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442.

against the Chouans, as described in a letter addressed to the first Consul on 8

Pluviôse Pluviôse (; also ''Pluviose'') was the fifth month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the Latin word ''pluviosus'', which means ''rainy''. Pluviôse was the second month of the winter quarter (''mois d'hiver''), star ...

Lefebvre Lefebvre () is a common northern French surname. Other variations include Lefèbvre, Lefèvre, Lefeuvre (western France) and Lefébure (northern France and Normandy). In the Occitan and Arpitan extension area, the variation is Fabre, Favre, Faur ...

(commander of the 15th and 17th military divisions). Chambarlhac took part in the

Battle of Marengo The Battle of Marengo was fought on 14 June 1800 between French forces under the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces near the city of Alessandria, in Piedmont, Italy. Near the end of the day, the French overcame General Mich ...

under the command of General Victor. In year X (1800–1801), he was commander of the

Fortress of Mainz The Fortress of Mainz was a fortressed garrison town between 1620 and 1918. At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, under the term of the 1815 Peace of Paris, the control of Mainz passed to the German Confederation and became part of a chain of st ...

, and later the 13th military division. On 19

Frimaire Frimaire () was the third month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word ''frimas'', which means ''frost''. Frimaire was the third month of the autumn quarter (''mois d'automne''). It started between 21 Novemb ...

, year XII (1802), the first consul nominated him a member of the Legion of Honour and on 25 Prairial, commander of the Order and elector of the Haute-Loire department.

First French Empire

Chambarlhac commanded the 24th Military Division at

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded i ...

during the ultimately unsuccessful

Walcheren Campaign The Walcheren Campaign ( ) was an unsuccessful British expedition to the Netherlands in 1809 intended to open another front in the Austrian Empire's struggle with France during the War of the Fifth Coalition. Sir John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chath ...

. He was created Baron of the Empire on August 30, 1811. In early 1813, while commander at

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

, Chambarlhac formed a special corps for soldiers who were separated from their units, and rejoined the army in Saxony. After the

Fall of Paris The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second World ...

in 1814, he submitted to the French Provisional Government of 1814.

Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...

nominated him the Knight of the Order of Saint Louis on August 21, 1814 and mayor of the village of Ablon (now known as

Ablon-sur-Seine Ablon-sur-Seine (, literally ''Ablon on Seine'') is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Ablon has been awarded one flower in the ''Concours des villes ...

). After the second Bourbon Restoration, he retired from public office. He died in Paris on February 3, 1826.

Titles

*Baron de l'Aubépin and Mont Mézenc, les Estables, Freycenet-la-Tour,

Laussonne Laussonne (; oc, Laussona) is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France. Population Personalities *Reine Antier (1801–83), founder of the Congrégation des Soeurs de l'Enfant-Jésus de Chauffailles, an order of teac ...

(Ancien Régime) *Baron de Laubespin and the Empire (letters patent of August 30, 1811)

Decorations

Légion d'honneur 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 ...

(Legion of Honour) **Legionnaire (19 Frimaire, year XII) **Commander of the Legion of Honour (25 Prairial, year XII) * Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis: **Knight (August 21, 1814)

Bibliography

*A. Lievyns, Jean Maurice Verdot, Pierre Bégat, ''Fastes de la Légion d'honneur : biographie de tous les décorés accompagnée de l'histoire législative et réglementaire de l'ordre'', Volume 3, Bureau de l'administration, 1844 (online book)

External links

''Jean-Jacques-Antoine-Vital de CHAMBARLHAC '' at gw2.geneanet.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chambarlhac, Jacques-Antoine De French military personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars French military personnel of the Napoleonic Wars Knights of the Order of Saint Louis Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur 1754 births 1826 deaths