November 18, 1777 (Paris) - January 3, 1809 (Cacabelos)
Volunteer in the National Guard of Tarbes, Colbert de Chabanais began his military career in the cavalry of the Army of the West, making himself an aristocrat, hunting Vendeans and Chouans.
Lieutenant in 1795 and aide-de-camp to Grouchy, he was part of the expedition to Ireland in 1797 before becoming aide-de-camp to Murat. Squadron leader in Egypt, wounded at the siege of Saint-Jean-d'Acre, returned to France with Desaix, he was Murat's aide-de-camp at Marengo. He was part of the Grande Armée, became a brigadier general at the end of 1805, served in Prussia and Poland, fought at Jena and Friedland. Baron of the Empire, sent to Spain the same year 1808, he was under the orders of Bessières in Medina del Rio Seco (July 14, 1808), in Tudela (November 23) under Lannes, then commanding the light cavalry brigade under Ney . He is killed by a bullet in the forehead during a charge. The name of Colbert de Chabanais appears on the Arc de Triomphe.