General Martial Bardet

Officer who served in VI Corps for many years

Born: May 22, 1764

Place of Birth: Maison-Rouge, Haute-Vienne, France

Died: May 3, 1837

Place of Death: Maison-Rouge, France

Arc de Triomphe: BARDET on the north pillar

Pronunciation:

Beginning his military career in the regiment of Médoc in 1781, Martial Bardet left the army in September of 1789 and then returned in September of 1791 when he became a volunteer in the 1st Battalion of Haute-Vienne. The next month he was elected capitaine and then in 1792 he began serving with the Army of the North. In November of 1793 Bardet was promoted to chef de bataillon and then in 1794 he began serving with the Army of the Sambre and Meuse. That September he distinguished himself at the crossing of the Ourthe. In August of 1796 Bardet again distinguished himself, this time at Burg Eberbach during the retreat of Bernadotte. In 1799 he joined the French-Dutch army and that September he was promoted to chef de brigade of the 49th of the Line and he went to to distinguish himself at Bergen.

In 1803 Bardet was named colonel of the 27th of the Line and he served with the Army of the Coasts of the Ocean. When the Grande Armée marched out in 1805, he served with the 2nd Division of Marshal Ney's VI Corps on the campaign. Named a Commander of the Legion of Honor on Christmas Day in 1805, Bardet continued to serve with the 2nd Division of VI Corps and he was promoted to général de brigade in March of 1807.

Bardet was sent to Spain in September of 1808 as commander of the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Division of VI Corps. He served at Tudela and then distinguished himself at Bubierca and the action of Oviedo. In 1811 Bardet served at Fuentes de Oñoro but afterwards he went on leave for health reasons. He was named a Baron of the Empire later that year and in 1812 he was employed at the camp of Boulogne. February of 1813 saw Bardet being named commander of Berlin and then later he began taking an active part in the campaign in Saxony. That July he took command of the 1st Brigade of Pacthod's 13th Infantry Division of Oudinot's XII Corps. Two months later Bardet was wounded by a shot to the left leg at Juterbock near Dennewitz and afterwards he was authorized to return to France to recover.

For the defense of France of 1814, Bardet returned to the army in February and he was employed under Marshal Augereau. At the end of the month he seized the fort of Ecluse and less than a week later he was promoted to général de division. That March Bardet went on to serve at the combat of Mâcon and he fought at the Battle of Limonest. After Napoleon's abdication and the Bourbon Restoration, Bardet was named a Knight of Saint Louis. He retired later that year but when Napoleon resumed power in 1815 for the Hundred Days, Bardet was placed in command of Strasbourg.

Bibliography

Six, Georges. Dictionnaire Biographique des Généraux & Amiraux Français de la Révolution et de l'Empire (1792-1814). 2 vols. Paris: Gaston Saffroy, 2003.

Updated June 2019