MenuGeneral Joseph Gilot
Born: April 16, 1734
Place of Birth: Chatenay, Isère, France
Died: March 27, 1811
Place of Death: Nancy, France
Arc de Triomphe: GILLOT on the north pillar
Pronunciation:
A career soldier, Joseph Gilot first enlisted in the artillery battalion of Bourgfelden in 1750. The following year he was authorized to leave his unit and he joined the infantry, eventually becoming a grenadier. Gilot served during the Seven Years War and during this time he was wounded in the left leg by an explosion at the Siege of Port-Mahon in 1756 and then in 1759 he was promoted to sergeant. Gilot was finally commissioned as a sous-lieutenant in regiment of Brie in 1776. Four years later in 1780 he was promoted to lieutenant and then in 1787 he was recognized as a Knight of Saint Louis.
At the onset of the Revolution in 1789, Gilot was promoted to capitaine. In 1792 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 22nd Infantry and that June he took temporary command of Landau. That December Gilot was promoted to maréchal de camp and then in March of 1793 he was employed in the Army of the Rhine. Gilot spent the next few months defending Landau and during that time he received another promotion, this time to général de division. However, in September of 1793 he was suspended from command.
In 1795 Gilot was reintegrated as a general in the army and he was then employed in the Army of the Coasts of Cherbourg. This command was short-lived though as he was again suspended that October, but then returned to the army in December. Next Gilot took command of the 4th military division at Nancy, where he remained until October of 1798 when he took command of the 17th military division at Paris. In June of 1799 Gilot returned to the 4th military division at Nancy and he commanded there until his death twelve years later.
Bibliography
Updated December 2015
© Nathan D. Jensen