Marshal of France,
duc
d'Auerstädt, prince d'Eckmühl.
(May 10, 1770 – June 1, 1823)
He was born at Annoux (Yonne), and joined the French army
as a sub-lieutenant in 1788.
On the outbreak of the French Revolution, he embraced its
principles. He was chef de bataillon in a volunteer corps in the
campaign of 1792, and distinguished himself at the Battle of Neerwinden the
following spring. He had just been promoted to general of brigade when he was
removed from the active list because of his noble birth. He nevertheless served
in the campaigns of 1794-1797 on the Rhine, and accompanied Desaix in the
Egyptian expedition of Napoleon Bonaparte.
On his return he took part in the Battle of Marengo under
Napoleon, who had great confidence in his abilities, made him a general of
division soon after Marengo, and around 1801 gave him a command in the consular
guard. At the accession of Napoleon as emperor, Davout was one of the generals
who were created marshals of France.
As commander of the III corps of the Grande Armée, Davout
rendered the greatest services. At the Battle of Austerlitz, after a forced
march of forty-eight hours, the III corps bore the brunt of the allies' attack.
In the Jena campaign Davout with a single corps fought and won the brilliant
victory of Auerstäedt against the main Prussian army.
He took part, and added to his renown, in the campaign of
Eylau and Friedland. Napoleon left him as governor-general in the grand-duchy
of Warsaw when the Treaty of Tilsit put an end to the war (1807), and in 1808
created him Duke of Auerstaedt. In the war of 1809 Davout took part in the
actions which culminated in the Battle of Eckmühl, and also distinguished
himself in the Battle of Wagram.
He was created Prince of Eckmühl about this time. He was
entrusted by Napoleon with the task of organizing the "corps of
observation of the Elbe," which was in reality the gigantic army with
which the emperor invaded Russia in 1812. In this Davout commanded the I corps,
over 70,000 strong, and defeated the Russians at Mohilev before he joined the
main army, with which he continued throughout the campaign and the retreat from
Moscow. In 1813 he commanded the Hamburg military district, and defended
Hamburg, a city ill fortified and provisioned, and full of disaffection,
through a long siege, only surrendering the place on the direct order of King
Louis XVIII after the fall of Napoleon in 1814.
Davout's military character has been interpreted as cruel
and rapacious, and he had to defend himself against many attacks upon his
conduct at Hamburg. He was a stern disciplinarian, who exacted rigid and
precise obedience from his troops, and consequently his corps was more
trustworthy and exact in the performance of its duty than any other. Thus, in
the early days of the Grande Armée, the III corps tended to be entrusted with
the most difficult work. His loyalty and obedience to Napoleon were absolute.
He was regarded by his contemporaries as one of the ablest of Napoleon's marshals.
On the first restoration he retired into private life, openly displaying his
hostility to the Bourbons, and when Napoleon returned from Elba, Davout
rejoined him.
Appointed minister of war, he reorganized the French army
as far as the limited time available permitted, and he was so indispensable to
the war department that Napoleon kept him at Paris during the Waterloo
campaign. To what degree his skill and bravery would have altered the fortunes
of the campaign of 1815 can only be surmised, but it has been made a ground of
criticism against Napoleon that he did not avail himself in the field of the
services of the best general he then possessed.
Davout directed the gallant, but hopeless, defence of
Paris after Waterloo, and was deprived of his marshalate and his titles at the
second restoration. When some of his subordinate generals were proscribed, he
demanded to be held responsible for their acts, as executed under his orders,
and he endeavoured to prevent the condemnation of Ney. After a time the hostility
of the Bourbons towards Davout died away, and he was reconciled to the
monarchy. In 1817 his rank and titles were restored, and in 1819 he became a
member of the chamber of peers.
He was elected mayor of Savigny-sur-Orge from 1822 to
1823.
His son Louis-Napoléon Davout was also mayor of this city
from 1843 to 1846. A main square bear their name and some streets are called “rue d’Auerstaedt”, “rue d’Eckmühl”, “rue du général
Friant”, “rue du général Louis Morand”, “rue du général Lasalle”. Curiously the
“rue du général Gudin” does not exist ! .