Barbanègre, Joseph (1772-1830)

Barbanègre, Joseph

GENERAL (FRANCE)

BORN 22 Aug 1772, Pontacq, Pyrénées-Atlantiques - DIED 7 Nov 1830, Paris
GRAVE LOCATION Paris: Père Lachaise, Rue du Repos 16 (division 28, line 11 (Moiroux: R32))

Joseph Barbanègre was the son of the merchant Jean Paul Barbanègre, a member of an old noble family in Pontacq. Joseph was a sailor before he became a captain in the army in 1794. After a serious injury he was discharged in 1796. In 1800 he returned as a captain. In 1805 he was promoted to colonel of the the 48 Infantry Regiment and he saw action at Austerlitz, Jena and Eylau. In the same year he received the Légion d'honneur. In 1809 he was promoted to Brigadie General and he fought at Eckmühl, Regensburg and Wagram. On 20 August 1809 Napoleon made him a Baron of the Empire.

He was with the Grand Armée in Moscow in 1812 and left the city together with Ney. They escaped by crossing the Dnieper. In 1813 he fought at Stettin. After the capitulation of that city he was a prisoner of war until he was allowed to return to France in July 1814. During the 100 Days he was punt in command of the Loiret department and in may he was ordered to defend the Fortress of Huningue He did so with a few hundred men against 25,000 Austrians and only surrendered on 26 August after Napoleon's abdication. In June he had ordered the bombardment of Basel and was considered a war crime by by members of the allied forces.

Because he had suppported during the 100 Days his services were no longer desired and he was left on standby. He died in Paris in 1830.

Images

The grave of Joseph Barbanègre at Père Lachaise, Paris.
Picture by Androom (01 Nov 2022)