General Anne-Marie-François Barbuat de Maison-Rouge de Boisgérard

Général de brigade of engineers who was mortally wounded at the siege of Capua

Born: July 8, 1767

Place of Birth: Tonnerre, Yonne, France

Died: February 9, 1799

Cause of Death: Mortally wounded

Place of Death: Capua, Italy

Arc de Triomphe: BOISGERARD on the south pillar

Pronunciation:

Anne-Marie-François Barbuat de Maison Rouge de Boisgérard began his military career when he was sent to the military school of Paris in 1783. Six years later in 1789 he entered the engineering school of Mézières as a sous-lieutenant, and two years after that he completed the coursework and left as a lieutenant of engineers. Boisgérard went to Besançon to be near his father, and then in 1792 he saw action under Custine at the action of Spire. A little over a month later he was promoted to capitaine and then he took part in the defense of Mainz.

In June of 1793 Boisgérard was promoted to chef de bataillon by a council of war and then appointed Kléber's chief of staff in the Vendée. He went on to distinguish himself at Torfou and Tiffauges before following Kléber to the Army of the Sambre and Meuse. In 1794 Boisgérard took part in the sieges of Charleroi, Landrecies, Quesnoy where he was wounded, and then Valenciennes. That November he fought at Maestricht.

In 1795 Boisgérard was promoted to chef de brigade by the representatives of the people and he joined the Army of the Rhine and Moselle. The next year he prepared the crossing of the Rhine at Kehl and then was promoted to général de brigade and made deputy commander of engineers of the Army of the Rhine and Moselle. Boisgérard went on to defend Kehl in November of 1796 and then participate in the crossing of the Rhine there again in April of 1797. The following December he was appointed commander of engineers at Mainz.

In 1798 Boisgérard was designated for the Army of England and he was sent to Boulogne to study a possible landing and attack on England. Later that year he was sent to the Army of Rome to serve under Championnet.

In January of 1799 Boisgérard was directed to lay siege to Capua. On the night of January 7th, he was making a reconnaissance of enemy positions near the village of Caiazzo when he was shot in the chest. Falling to the ground, he was taken prisoner by the Neapolitans but then returned to the French when an armistice was signed on January 11th. Boisgérard was transported to Capua but finally succumbed to his wounds a month later.

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 April 2014