Lefebvre-desnouettes biography of donald

General Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes was one of the most loyal of Napoleon's officers. He was a highly skilled horseman and a gifted commander. Born of bourgeois parents Jean-Claude Lefebvre and his wife Mlle A Leduc, in the Pont Neuf district of Paris where his father ran a drapery business and as such, was a supplier to the French army.

Born in he originally enlisted in December but twice his parents purchased his release. The third time, they conceded defeat and he embarked on what was to prove a highly successful career. He made steady progress through the ranks and saw action in Belgium in and later Marengo, and a whole series of important conflicts across the length and breadth of Europe, right up to Waterloo.

He was promoted to General-de-Brigade inand General-de-Division in Decemberat the age of There was just one stain on an otherwise unblemished career. This occurred at Benevente in Spain on the morning of the 29th December Lefebvre took a detachment of his Chasseurs-a-Cheval de la Garde Imperiale some officers and men across the river Esla unaware that there was a substantial body of enemy cavalry still present in the town.

The error was entirely of his own making and moreover elementary to an officer of his standing, experience, and ability. I wonder if there was any time that he wished that he had remained a prisoner in Cheltenham.

Lefebvre-desnouettes biography of donald: He sent his elite

After the defeat of Waterloo, Lefebvre and his three principal accomplices were proscribed by the subsequent Ordonnance and fled to the United States. Lefebvre lived there until when his wife had managed to secure permission for him to return to Amsterdam and there await the final invitation to re-enter France. At the end of April he took passage in a ship called the "Albion", a vessel belonging to the "Black Ball" line, which, on approaching the coast of southern Ireland encountered very severe weather and sank just off Kinsale.

Lefebvre was among those who lost their lives. Sadly, he did not get to see his only daughter, Charlotte-Lavinie, who must have been conceived just prior to Waterloo. Charlotte was later the recipient of a large inheritance offrancs from the Emperor's estate. Escape At the end of April, beginning of MayLefebvre did the unthinkable and absconded from Cheltenham with his wife and step son under disguise and using, to smooth the way for his escape, a ring given to him by the Emperor, as a bribe.

The escape was made good and Lefebvre, in due course was received with rapture in the Imperial Court circles in Paris. The ring he used to make his get away is made of gold and had a little inner compartment in which is to be found a tiny embossed head of Napoleon. The ring, a real work of art, at present remains in Cheltenham museum and can be viewed by appointment.

The book goes on to say that The Cheltenham Chronicle stated that they were sure that Bonaparte, as he was still referred to by the English, would almost certainly return Lefebvre to his captors or at least refuse to use his services again.

Lefebvre-desnouettes biography of donald: Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes was a

Later, in January the same paper claimed that Lefebvre had been taken by the Russians at Vilna, and suggested that the English Government were making application to Saint Petersburg for the return of the Frenchman. The book also claims on page that Lefebvre was severely wounded in the conflict at Brienne in January and failed to recover from his wounds.

However, the book was wrong on at least two counts. Firstly, the General was never captured at Vilna so whoever the English government were negotiating over at Saint Petersburg is a mystery. Secondly, although it is agreed that Lefebvre was indeed wounded by two bayonet thrusts at Brienne, these were not fatal and he was to live a further eight years.

An American source suggested that she was the daughter of M LaFitte who was indeed a very prominent banker in Paris during those times. The Emperor welcomed Lefebvre back with open arms and immediately restored him to command of the Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde Imperiale. Having served with distinction in most of the major events of that disastrous expedition, Lefebvre was wounded at Inkovo on the 18th October.

Lefebvre-desnouettes biography of donald: Don't forget how unfortunate he

Lefebvre was then himself defeated at Altenbourg and subsequently served at Hanau on the 30th October. He served at Brienne, where as previously stated, he suffered two bayonet wounds to his left side following which he was still fit enough to fight at La Rothiere, Montmirail, Chateau Thierry, Vauchamps and Arcis sur Aube. After the defeat of the French and following the Emperors first abdication in AprilLefebvre was placed in command of the escort to the deposed Emperor as far as Roanne.

On lefebvre-desnouettes biography of donald the news of Napoleon's return from exile on Elba, Lefebvre-Desnouettes was one of a small group of officers which included the two Metz born Generals Francois-Antoine Lallemand and his younger brother Henry-Dominique along with General Antoine Baron Rigau who led troops loyal to the Emperor and attempted to capture the garrison and arsenal of La Fere.

Augustin-Marie had lost his arm at the battle of Wagram in July After Napoleon had been restored to power, Lefebvre-Desnouettes took his rightful place at his side as commander de la Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde Imperiale and saw service at Fleurus, Quatre Bras and Mont Saint Jean, which we know better as Waterloo. Lefebvre had a total of 13 squadrons in his command comprising Chasseurs a Cheval and Chevauxlegers lanciers, a total of just over 2, men under Generale Francois-Antoine Lallemand and Generale Edouard de Colbert Chabanais respectively.

To America After the defeat at Waterloo, where he was once again wounded, Lefebvre-Desnouettes feared for his life and as did both the Lallemand brothers and Generale Rigau, he made plans to leave the country, his destination being America. His fears were proved right when he was on the list of officers condemned to death in his absence, by the military tribunal and Proscribed by Article 1 of the Ordonnance of the 24th July Rigau was not at Waterloo.

Like Lefebvre, he was a fugitive after the failed attempt to take La Fere but went to Epernay and took with him the 12eme regiment de ligne and 5eme regiment des hussards in spite of the efforts of le Marechal Victor. He took possession of the department de la Marne in the name of the Emperor and. Rigau defended Chalons sur Marne from the advancing Russians with just men.

He was captured on 2nd Julystripped of his awards and decorations and also proscribed by the Ordonnance of 24th July. Tried by a second Council of War in May he too was sentenced to death but he escaped and travelled to Ghent from where he began his journey to America. Retrieved 16 August Retrieved 12 February Archived from the original on 9 September Royal Cornwall Gazette.

Encyclopedia of Alabama. Archived from the original on 16 June Retrieved 29 March Dublin Weekly Register. The Echo. Retrieved 27 August External links [ edit ].