Jean-Jacques Reubell (Rewbell) (born August 12, 1777 in

Colmar Colmar (, ; Alsatian: ' ; German during 1871–1918 and 1940–1945: ') is a city and commune in the Haut-Rhin department and Grand Est region of north-eastern France. The third-largest commune in Alsace (after Strasbourg and Mulhouse), it is ...

, died 24 January 1847) was a French

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

during the

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 ...

Life

After joining the French army he was appointed a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

on 23 April 1792. In 1796 he was already chief of a battalion, in 1807 he joined the service in the

Kingdom of Westphalia The Kingdom of Westphalia was a kingdom in Germany, with a population of 2.6 million, that existed from 1807 to 1813. It included territory in Hesse and other parts of present-day Germany. While formally independent, it was a vassal state of the ...

under

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 who ...

's brother Jérôme, and on 8 December 1807 he became Brigadier General, and one year later, Major General and Chief of General Staff. In July 1809, Jérôme ordered Reubell with a Westphalian division to halt the

Duke of Brunswick Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

and his corps of

Black Brunswickers The Brunswick Ducal Field-Corps (german: Herzoglich Braunschweigisches Feldcorps), commonly known as the Black Brunswickers in English and the ''Schwarze Schar'' (Black Troop, Black Horde, or Black Host) or ''Schwarze Legion'' (Black Legion) in G ...

, who were marching through Westphalia with the intention of joining their British allies on the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...

coast. Although Reubell successfully repulsed the Brunswickers at the Battle of Ölper just outside the city of Brunswick on 1 August, he unaccountably withdrew that night, allowing the duke to continue his march. This ineptitude, combined with his mistreatment of Westphalian citizens, led to Jérôme sending another officer to relieve Reubell; however, he was already on his way to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

with his American wife, Henriette (a daughter of

Louis Pascault, Marquis de Poleon Jean-Charles-Marie-Louis-Felix Pascault, Marquis de Poléon ( – May 31, 1824) was a French-American aristocrat best known today for building Pascault Row in Baltimore. Early life Pascault was born in France the son of Anne Marie Pascault and Je ...

). Settling in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, Reubell set himself up in business, manufacturing

white lead White lead is the basic lead carbonate 2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2. It is a complex salt, containing both carbonate and hydroxide ions. White lead occurs naturally as a mineral, in which context it is known as hydrocerussite, a hydrate of cerussite. It was ...

and other chemical products.Hall, Clayton Colman (1912
''Baltimore: Its History and Its People: Volume I''
Lewis Historical Publishing Co (pp. 80) Reubell was a Knight and 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, ...

and Knight of the

Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-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 rewar ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reubell, Jean-Jacques 1777 births 1847 deaths French generals French commanders of the Napoleonic Wars