|
François Jean Baptiste Quesnel du Torpt (18 January 1765 – 8 April 1819) became a division commander under the First French Empire of Napoleon. By the time the French Revolutionary Wars began, he had been a non-commissioned officer in the French army for nearly a decade. Within less than two years he rose to the rank of general officer while fighting against Spain. His career then stagnated until the War of the Second Coalition when he led a brigade in Italy at Verona, Magnano, Cassano, Bassignana where he was wounded, and Novi. Promoted to division command in 1805, he filled non-combat posts in the interior. He was captured in 1808 after participating in the 1807 Invasion of Portugal. After being released, he served in the 1809 Invasion of Portugal but was later detached to lead a column of dismounted cavalrymen back to France. He led a division at Figueras in 1811. During the War of the Sixth Coalition he commanded a division under Eugène de Beauharnais in Italy, fighting at the battles of Feistritz, Bassano, Caldiero, and the Mincio. He retired from the army in 1815 and drowned in the Seine under mysterious circumstances in 1819. Quesnel is one of the names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe on Column 37. ==Revolution== Quesnel was born on 18 January 1765 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye which is now part of Yvelines department near Paris. He enlisted in the 25th Infantry Regiment in the French Royal Army on 18 July 1782. He was promoted to corporal on 18 September 1783, sergeant on 10 October 1784, and farrier on 7 July 1786. After the outbreak of the French Revolution he advanced in rank to sergeant major on 12 September 1789 and sous lieutenant on 15 September 1791. After this, his promotions followed with dizzying swiftness. He became a lieutenant of grenadiers on 19 April 1792 and captain on 1 May of the same year. Promotion to adjutant general chef de bataillon came on 15 May 1793 and adjutant general chef de brigade on 30 September 1793.〔Mullié, ''Biographie''〕 He became a general of brigade on 26 December 1793.〔Broughton, ''Generals''〕 During this period Quesnel served in the Army of the North and Army of the Eastern Pyrenees.〔 At the Battle of Boulou on 30 April 1794, French army commander Jacques François Dugommier launched a heavy attack on the Spanish right center, bending back the enemy lines. The following day, the French cracked the Spanish defenses and the cavalry commander, André de la Barre ordered Quesnel to take his brigade and harass the retreat of one enemy column. His troopers herded the Spanish into a deadly ambush in the Le Perthus Pass and their foes were cut to pieces, losing their artillery and wagon train.〔Prats, ''Boulou Fin''〕 When the War of the Pyrenees ended in 1795, Quesnel transferred to the Army of the Coasts of Cherbourg. Its commander assigned him to the department of Manche. After the Coup of 18 Fructidor on 4 September 1797, Quesnel was denounced by the local Executive Commissioner for having connections with persons with counter-revolutionary leanings. The Minister of War asked the representatives for statements and confirmed that Quesnel's actions in the War in the Vendée were above reproach. However, Quesnel had come under suspicion because he married a noblewoman and socialized with persons believed to be loyal to the pre-coup government. Generals Pierre Augereau and Louis Lemoine both attested to his good conduct while fighting against the Spanish and the Vendée rebels. As a result of the inquiry, the authorities decided to transfer Quesnel to the 13th Military Division.〔〔Mullié gave a date of 18 Fructidor Year VI when the date of the coup was Year V. This is certainly a typographical error.〕 Quesnel was placed on active duty with the Army of Italy on 6 February 1799.〔〔Mullié gave a date of 17 Pluviose Year VIII which is 6 February 1800, a typographical error.〕 At the start of the War of the Second Coalition, Quesnel led a brigade in Paul Grenier's division. The division was made up of three battalions each of the 17th, 24th, and 106th Demi-Brigades, one battalion each of the 2nd Helvetica Legion and the 1st Polish Legion, 450 cavalry, and one foot artillery battery. He led his brigade at the Battle of Verona on 26 March 1799,〔Smith (1998), 149〕 the Battle of Magnano on 5 April,〔Smith (1998), 151〕 and the Battle of Cassano on 27–28 April.〔Smith (1998), 152〕 At the Battle of Bassignana on 12 May 1799,〔Smith (1998), 154-155. The author mistakenly reported that Quesnel was killed.〕 he was shot in the left forearm.〔 At the Battle of Novi (1799) Quesnel led a brigade in Pierre Garnier de Laboissière's division. The brigade consisted of the 17th Light and 63rd Line Infantry Regiments.〔Smith (1998), 163〕 The painful arm wound finally compelled him to take a leave of absence from the army. Starting on 1 June 1801, Quesnel held a military post in the Cisalpine Republic. Two years later he took command of troops near Faenza.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「François Jean Baptiste Quesnel」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|