General Auguste Marie Henri Picot de Dampierre

Army commander during the Revolution who was mortally wounded at Raismes

Born: August 19, 1756

Place of Birth: Paris, Paris, France

Died: May 9, 1793

Cause of Death: Mortally wounded

Place of Death: Valenciennes, France

Arc de Triomphe: DAMPIERRE on the north pillar

Pronunciation:

The son of an army officer, Auguste Marie Henri Picot de Dampierre first joined the army in 1772 at age 15 when he joined the Gardes Françaises. Eight years later he was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant and then in 1784 he quit the Gardes Françaises due to a dislike of working with Marshal Biron. The Duke of Chartres requested Dampierre join the Chartres Regiment as a capitaine, and Dampierre agreed. In 1788 Dampierre was promoted to major in the Chasseurs of Normandy.

With the arrival of the French Revolution, in July of 1791 Dampierre was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the 5th Dragoons and then he became an aide-de-camp to Marshal Rochambeau. In February of 1792 he was promoted to colonel of the 5th Dragoons and for a time served under General Biron, the nephew of his former commander. Dampierre fought at Quiévrain that April where he rallied the troops running away, and then in June he was placed under Dumouriez's command. A promotion to maréchal de camp followed that August and then Dampierre served under Beurnonville at Valmy in September when the Prussians were turned back. Two months later he commanded the right wing at the Battle of Jemappes where he distinguished himself.

In March of 1793 Dampierre was promoted to général de division, he fought at Neerwinden under the Duke of Chartres, and he was named commander at Quesnoy. After Dumouriez's defection, Dampierre was named commander-in-chief of the Army of the North and the Army of the Ardennes. That April he and his men reoccupied the camp of Famars but were then repulsed by the Austrians at Saint-Amand. Dampierre next tried to relieve Condé but his men were repulsed again and returned to their original positions after a fierce fight. On May 8th he was leading his men at Raismes near the edge of the forest of Vicoigne when a cannonball carried off his leg at the thigh. Transported to Valenciennes, he died the next day.

Dampierre's daughter Louise later married General Dessolle.

Bibliography

Updated September 2024