Jean-Baptiste Drouet (Napoleonic soldier)
Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Count d'Erlon and a marshal of France.
Born July 29, 1765, in Reims.
Died January 25, 1844, in Paris.
Lieutenant General Drouet d'Erlon commanded a French Army core at the battle of Waterloo. It was his column which attacked the Allies centre near La Haye Sainte at 13:30 and was stopped by Picton's Peninsular War veterans and then attacked in the flanks by British heavy cavalry.
- 1765 Born July 29 in Reims
- 1792 Corporal in the pre-revolutionary army
- 1793 Elected captain in the revolutionary army.
- Marries
- 1799 promoted Brigadier (general) fights under Masséna in Switzerland and distinguishes himself at the Second Battle of Zurich.
- 1800 wounded at the Battle of Hohenlinden
- 1803 promoted Major General at 38 years age after performing well in the Hanover region.
- 1805 Shines at the Battle of Austerlitz, his first battle as Division commander.
- 1806 Plays a decisive role with the Battle of Jena where he takes Blücker capitulation.
- 1807 As chief of staff for Lefebvre at the siege of Danzig he negotiats the terms of surrender. As chief of staff for Lannes He is wounded in the foot at Friedland.
- 1809 In January Napoleon gives him the Legion of honour in person along with the title of Count d'Erlon. As chief of staff of the Bavarian Army, in March he fights in Tyrol against the partisans of Andréas Hofer. Later in the year he is given the command of the 9th army corps of Spain. He defeats Hill in Extremadura
- 1810 Had some success in Portugal
- 1810-1814 he fought for Soult in the Peninsular War playing an important part in a number of the battles.
- 1814 Transfers his aligence to the House of Bourbon along with the rest of the army.
- 1815 Accepts the command of the 16th military division under Napoleon from Marshal Davout. Fights with distiction at the Battle of Waterloo, After Napolion surrenders, d'Erlorin enters exile in Munich
- 1825 Granted amnesty by Charles X
- returns to France under Louis-Philippe
- 1828 His wife dies
- 1830 supports the Juilletistes in the July Revolution, given the command of the 12th Division (Nantes)
- 1831 12th Division suppresses a Vendean revolt and arrests the duchess of Berry
- 1834 Is named governor-general of Algeria
- 1835 After the defeat of the French army under General Trezelon on the banks of the Macta, D'Erlon is recalled to France replaced.
- 1843 Is made a marshal of France
- 1844 Died January 25 in Paris.
