Deo-Gratias-Nicolas Godinot (1 May 1765 – 27 October 1811) was a ''Général de Division'' of the

First French Empire The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental E ...

who saw action during 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 ...

. He was made ''Chef de Brigade'' of the 25th Légère on 30 June 1799 and rose to become Colonel of that regiment in 1803. Godinot gained promotion to ''Général de Brigade'' on 1 February 1805, and on 10 May 1811 rose further to ''Général de Division''. He led his brigade in a feint-attack against the village of

Albuera La Albuera is a village southeast of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. it had a population of c. 2,000 inhabitants. History It was scene of the Battle of Albuera (16 May 1811) between Spanish, Portuguese and British troops under William Carr Beresf ...

during the

Battle of Albuera The Battle of Albuera (16 May 1811) was a battle during the Peninsular War. A mixed British, Spanish and Portuguese corps engaged elements of the French Armée du Midi (Army of the South) at the small Spanish village of Albuera, about south ...

on 16 May 1811. He defeated a Spanish force at the Battle of Zujar on 9 August 1811. Godinot was made the scapegoat for an operation that failed to trap Francisco Ballesteros in the autumn of 1811. (See the Battle of Bornos article.) Despondent, Godinot took his own life. Aside from his military rank, Godinot became a Commander of the

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 ...

on 9 March 1806, and was made a

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 ...

on 27 July 1808.

References

*; 1765 births 1811 deaths French military personnel of the Napoleonic Wars Suicides in France French military personnel who committed suicide {{France-mil-bio-stub