July 31, 1754 (Moncey) - April 20, 1842 (Paris)
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- Moncey, Bon-Adrien-jannot de, Duke of Conegliano
Bon Adrien Jeannot de Moncey born, according to the sources, in Palise or Moncey in the Doubs, on July 31, 1754, died in Paris on April 20, 1842), Marshal of France, Duke of Conegliano.
The name Moncey comes from a hamlet that the family bought in 1789 from the Marquis de Cheylard. Within the Grande Armée, Marshal Moncey received the nickname Fabius.
Old Regime
His father is a lawyer in Besançon. Annoying the family, from the age of 15, he escaped from college and enlisted in the regiment of Conti-Infanterie, and served as a grenadier until 1773. He bought back his leave twice and then engaged in the study of law. In 1774 he entered the gendarmerie of the guard and remained there until 1778. In 1779, he was second lieutenant in the infantry corps of Nassau-Siegen. In 1782, he was second lieutenant and first lieutenant in 1785. On April 1, 1791, he was captain.
Revolutionary Wars
In 1793, he joined the army of the Western Pyrenees which fought against the Spaniards, and was assigned to the regiment of Cantabrian hunters (renamed the 5th battalion of light infantry). The companies of Basque hunters are placed under his command:the fighting consists of a fierce defense, in the mountains, of the border against superior troops. On June 26, 1793, he was made battalion commander and placed at the head of the 5th light infantry demi-brigade. He distinguished himself on February 5, 1794, in the defense of the sans-culottes camp near Hendaye. On the 18th, he was provisionally appointed brigadier general, due to the lack of senior officers. He is thus one of the four future Marshals of the Empire to have skipped the rank of brigade leader (colonel) instituted by the decree of February 21, 1793. Six months later, despite his own reluctance after having been brigadier general in April 1794, then general of division in June. He seized the Pyrenean passes, repelled a Spanish counter-offensive, and reached the Spanish valleys in July. On August 30, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the army of the Pyrenees and won a series of victories, pushing the Spaniards behind the Ebro and taking Bilbao on July 17, 1795.
He was commander of the 11th military division in 1796. Accused of royalism, he was discharged on October 26, 1797. He was commander of one of the corps of the army of Italy in 1799, he contributed to the battle of Marengo. /P>
Empire Wars
He was in Helvetia in 1800, in the Army of Italy in 1801, became Marshal in 1804, Duke of Conegliano. On December 3, 1801, Bonaparte created the General Inspectorate of the Gendarmerie and entrusted it to Moncey, who thus became the equal of the Minister of Police. He retained this position throughout the First Empire and the First Restoration.
He was Marshal of the Empire in 1804, and Commander of the Northern Reserve Army, Major General. Commander of the Ocean Coast Observation Corps (December 21, 1807) intended to invade Spain. He entered Spain in March 1808, where he won a few victories and was created Duke of Conegliano on July 25, 1808. From 1809 to 1813, he commanded various reserve armies.
He was second in command of the Paris National Guard in 1814. On March 31, during the battle fought under the walls of this city, he displayed an uncommon firmness of character and presence of mind. As major-general of the Parisian guard, he defends the Clichy barrier against the Russians.
He was named peer of France by Louis XVIII during the First Restoration and then by Napoleon during the Hundred Days. He stays away during the Hundred Days but allows himself to be created Peer of the Imperial Court.
Restoration
During the Restoration, he had the audacity to refuse to preside over the council of war in charge of judging Marshal Ney, which earned him three months in prison at the fortress of Ham. On July 3, 1816, he was reinstated, by Louis XVIII, in his ranks and dignities with a reminder of the salary. He was again named Peer of France in 1819. He opposed the Villele ministry.
He was governor of the 9th military division from 1820 to 1830.
Spain shipping
He conquered, at the head of the 4th corps, Catalonia in 1823, seizing Barcelona, Tarragona and Hostalrich.
July Monarchy
In 1830 he happily resumed his cockade of 1792.
After Jourdan's death in 1833, he was appointed governor of the Invalides and welcomed the ashes of Napoleon I there. Already seriously ill before the arrival of the coffin, he would have declared to his doctor:"doctor, make me live a little longer, I want to receive the Emperor". During the ceremony, he is carried in a wheelchair to the coffin, kisses the hilt of Napoleon's sword and declares:"Now let's go home to die".
It was Soult who gave his funeral speech in April 1842. This dean of the marshals is quoted only once in the Mémorial de Sainte-Hélène:"Moncey was an honest man".
He died on April 20, 1842.
His son, barely 25 years old, was killed in December 1817 in the most deplorable way, by a shotgun blast, which he had released the trigger, by jumping a ditch. He was colonel of the 3rd regiment of hussars.
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- Blason de Moncey