General Anne Marie François Barbuat de Maison-Rouge de Boisgérard
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 combat 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 he was 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. That year Boisgérard took part in the sieges of Charleroi, Landrecies, Quesnoy where he was wounded, and then Valenciennes. In 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 he 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 he participated 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
Updated June 2024
© Nathan D. Jensen