October 25, 1755 (Rouffach) - September 14, 1820 (Paris)
Duke of Rivoli, Prince of Essling, Marshal of the Empire.
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- Lefebvre, François-Joseph, Duke of Dantzig
A Soldier's Life
Origins and involvement in the French Guards
His father was a miller and died leaving his eight-year-old son, but an ecclesiastic, his uncle, became his protector and directed his education by destining him for the Church; but an irresistible inclination led him towards a military career. Originally from Alsace, he enlisted at the age of 18 in the French Guards on September 10, 1773.
Marriage to “Madame Sans-Gêne”
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- Madam sans-embarrass
In 1783, he married a laundress, Catherine Hubscher, passed down to posterity as Madame Sans-Gêne, with whom he had fourteen children, thirteen of whom died young.
The St. Thomas Girls' Battalion
He became first sergeant of the French Guards on April 9, 1788. He got involved in the first riots, while protecting his officers against the violence of the people on July 21, 1789, and facilitating their escape. After the dismissal of the French Guards, he entered the battalion of Saint-Thomas girls and, at the head of a detachment of this battalion, was wounded twice while defending the royal family and trying to protect them on their return to the Tuileries, after his departure for Saint-Cloud, and encouraging the flight to Rome of the aunts of King Louis XVI. In 1792, he saved the Caisse d'escompte from looting.
The officer of the revolutionary armies
Captain at the beginning of the war, in 1792, he was brigadier general at the end of 1793, division general in January 1794. Entered the active army on September 3, 1793, he became brigadier general before the end of the year. General of division after the battles of Lambach and Giesberg. He distinguished himself everywhere and almost always at the forefront.
We find Lefebvre in all the important battles in the North and on the Rhine from 1793 to 1799, notably at Geisberg (December 26, 1793), the capture of Arlon (April 18, 1794) and that of Dinant (May 29, 1794) , at Fleurus (June 26), at Altenkirchen (June 4, 1795) and Wetzlar (June 15), at Friedberg (July 10), at the crossing of the Rhine at Neuwied (April 18, 1797).
The first of the generals of the Republic, he carried out the crossing of the Rhine, at the head of his grenadiers, in spite of a terrible fire, and established himself on the right bank in front of Elelkamp. In 1797 he kidnapped Siegberg at the battle of Altenkirchen and collected new palms at the days of Kaldeich, Friedberg, Bamberg and Sulzbach. Lefebvre was appointed governor of the fortress of Mayence from March 13, 1798; his residence was at the Palais Bassenheim.
After the death of Hoche, he temporarily took command of the Army of Sambre-et-Meuse (September 1797). He commanded the vanguard of the Army of the Danube under the orders of Jourdan in March 1799. With 8,000 men, he supported the efforts of 36,000 Austrians in Stockach. But in Pfullendorf (March 21, 1799), a serious injury forced him to leave the army:he became military governor of Paris in 1799.
The Directory then appointed him commander of the 17th military division, the capital of which was Paris. He was nominated by the Council of Five Hundred as a candidate for the Directory but was not elected.
The Military Governor of Paris
Supported by Bonaparte, his post as military governor of Paris enabled him to play an important role during the Coup d'Etat of 18 Brumaire. On 18 Brumaire, at the head of 25 men, he entered the council chamber of the Five Hundred, advanced to the tribune, and, despite the cries, despite the threats, dragged Lucien Bonaparte to his brother. waiting for him outside, when both of them were going to be outlawed.
Lefebvre enters the Salle des Cinq-Cents sword in hand and sends his grenadiers in pursuit of the deputies. At the voice of their general, the troops hesitated no longer, and the Revolution which brought about the consular government was consummated. Lefebvre, an inflexible soldier, passively supported the execution of a plot, the secrets of which he was perhaps unaware of. Bonaparte kept him in command of the 17th division. He was then employed in the pacification of the departments of the West.
The senator and marshal of the Empire
Napoleon will not forget it:for the time being, Lefebvre was made a senator on April 1, 1800:he exercised the functions of Praetor in the Senate. On May 19, 1804 during the first promotion, he was elevated to the dignity of Marshal of the Empire. Grand Aigle de la Légion d'honneur, he was not, however, employed in the army before 1805. His age and his perfect knowledge of infantry regulations nevertheless made him a good rearguard commander, but his rough manners and the behavior of his ex-canteen wife, the famous Madame Sans-Gêne de Sardou, irritated the Emperor when the couple appeared at court.
In 1805 he was put in charge of the command-in-chief of the national guards of Roer, Rhine-et-Moselle and Mont-Tonnerre. In 1806 he commanded the Imperial Guard on foot. For the German campaign, Napoleon entrusted him with a division of the Grande Armée. In Jena, on October 14, 1806, Lefebvre commanded the infantry of the Imperial Guard.
The Duke of Danzig
In 1807, at the head of the 10th Corps, he covered and protected the operations of the Grand Army on the left of the Vistula, and after the Battle of Eylau he went on to win the title of Duke of Dantzig by seizing this town. He assembled the X Army Corps at Thorn and besieged Dantzig (March 27 to May 19, 1807). Lefebvre repeats to the artillerymen:"I don't understand your business, but poke a hole in me and I'll get through it." What he did in May 1807. This difficult seat earned him the title of Duke of Danzig.
The “Dantzig chocolates”
Following the capitulation of this city, Napoleon, receiving the Marshal at the Abbey of Oliva (Poland), asked him if he liked chocolate . Responding in the affirmative, the Emperor offered him a box, supposed to contain chocolate. In fact, the contents consisted of a wad of three hundred thousand-franc notes, as a reward for his bravery.
In 1808 he commanded the 4th Corps in Spain. Lefebvre accompanies the Emperor to Spain where he notably wins victories over the Spaniards at the Battle of Durango (October 31) and Espinosa (November 11) and defeats the British at Guenes (November 7) and Valmaceda (November 8). It takes Bilbao, Santander and Segovia (December 3).
Back in Germany in 1809, he was appointed commander of the Bavarian army. He was in Abensberg on April 20, Schierling on April 21, Eckmühl on April 22, commanding the army of Tyrol from May to October but could not overcome the revolt of Andreas Hofer.
In 1812, he commanded the Vigil Guard at Moskowa and during the retreat from Russia. During the French campaign in 1814, he fought at Montmirail, Arcis-sur-Aube and Champaubert where he had a horse killed under him.
On April 4, Lefebvre was one of the marshals who attended Napoleon's interview with Macdonald, who had come to ask him to abdicate. He left the Emperor only after his abdication.
The Peer of France
He voted for the forfeiture of the Emperor in the Senate, was made a peer of France by Louis XVIII (June 4, 1814), but joined Napoleon during the Hundred Days.
On March 20, 1815, his age and infirmities keeping him away from the battlefields, he remained in the Upper House.
Marshal Lefebvre was mayor of Pontault-Combault from 1813 to 1820.
He was expelled from the Chamber of Peers during the Second Restoration. He is nevertheless maintained at his rank of marshal. Louis XVIII returned his peerage to him on March 5, 1819. He returned there in 1819 to vote with the constitutional members.
He died in Paris on September 14, 1820 of dropsy of the chest. Of fourteen children he fathered, including twelve sons, he left none to inherit his name and titles. A few days before dying, he himself had marked his place at Père-Lachaise in Paris, next to Masséna, not far from Pérignon and Sérurier.
His name is inscribed on the north side of the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile.
Views of contemporaries
Napoleon's opinion in Saint Helena:
“Lefebvre, at the siege of Danzig, wrote me nonsense at first, but when the Russians landed, he found himself in his element, and his reports became those of a man who sees well. »
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- Lefebvre, François-Joseph, Duke of Dantzig