General Jean François Joseph Debelle

Brother-in-law and friend to General Hoche who became an artillery general and died in Saint-Domingue

Born: May 22, 1767

Place of Birth: Voreppe, Isère, France

Died: June 15, 1802

Cause of Death: Illness

Place of Death: Saint-Raphael, Saint-Domingue

Arc de Triomphe: DEBELLE on the north pillar

Pronunciation:

The son of a municipal officer, Jean François Joseph Debelle first joined the military when he enlisted in the artillery regiment of Auxonne in 1782. By the start of the French Revolution in 1789 he had only risen to the rank of sergeant, but then in September of 1789 he received a promotion to lieutenant. In May of 1792 Debelle was promoted to capitaine and then given a position in the 2nd Company of Horse Artillery at Metz. In 1793 he participated in the attack of the camp of Pirmasens and he was then promoted to chef de bataillon by the representatives of the people near the Army of the Moselle. Debelle went on to distinguish himself at the recovery of the lines of Wissembourg and the deliverance of Landau, and he was named a général de brigade by the representatives of the people. However, this promotion was not confirmed. March of 1794 saw Debelle promoted to chef de brigade and he married Marguerite Justine Dechaux on the same day that General Hoche married Anne Adélaïde Dechaux, making the two officers brothers-in-law. In April Debelle took part in the action of Arlon and then in June he fought at the combat on the Sambre where he had two horses killed under him and he received four saber blows. Three months later he was promoted to général de brigade and this time the promotion was confirmed. Debelle next served at the siege of Maestricht where he distinguished himself.

In September of 1795 General Debelle crossed the Rhine near Dusseldorf at the front of his troops despite the fire from the enemy. The next year he was named deputy commander of the artillery of the Army of the Sambre and Meuse in July and then promoted to général de division in November. Debelle commanded the artillery of the first expedition to Ireland under his brother-in-law and friend Hoche in late 1796. After that expedition failed, Hoche was named commander-in-chief of the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, and he took Debelle along with him, naming Debelle the commander of the artillery. Debelle distinguished himself that April at Neuwied.

In 1797 Debelle's brother-in-law Hoche died and Debelle was then named inspector general of the 4th arrondissement of artillery. At the end of 1798 he was appointed commander of the artillery of the Army of Italy, and therefore during the campaign of 1799 he commanded the artillery at the Battle of Novi . In 1800 Debelle was named commander of the left wing of the Army of the West and then in 1801 he returned to the Army of Italy before being authorized to return to his home to rest.

At the end of 1801 General Debelle was named the commander of the artillery of the expedition to Saint-Domingue. Taking part in that campaign, he was badly wounded in March of 1802 during the attack on the fort of Crête-à-Pierrot. He survived that wound only to succumb to yellow fever a few months later. His brother César Alexandre Debelle went on to have a successful military career during the French Empire.

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Updated May 2025