Colonel Antoine Charles Houdar de Lamotte

Colonel of the 36th of the Line who was killed at Jena

Born: November 21, 1773

Place of Birth: Versailles, Yvelines, France

Died: October 14, 1806

Cause of Death: Killed in action

Place of Death: Jena, Germany

Arc de Triomphe: HARD LAMOTTE on the east pillar

Pronunciation:

The son of a clerk in the King's household, Antoine Charles Houdar de Lamotte volunteered in 1793 to join the 6th Battalion of Volunteers of Paris as a sous-lieutenant. Becoming a grenadier, Houdar de Lamotte served in the Army of the North and the Army of the Sambre and Meuse over the next few years and particularly distinguished himself at the Battle of Fleurus .

In 1797 Houdar de Lamotte became an aide-de-camp to General Baraguey d'Hilliers and was promoted to lieutenant. The next year he went along on the expedition to Egypt in this capacity. After taking part in the action of Malta, instead of going on to Egypt he instead went with Baraguey d'Hilliers to take the flags captured at Malta back to France. Unfortunately for them, the English intercepted their frigate La Sensible and both officers were taken prisoner. During Houdar de Lamotte's captivity he was promoted to capitaine and he was finally released and returned to France in July of 1799. Continuing to serve with Baraguey d'Hilliers, Houdar de Lamotte then went on to the Army of the Rhine where he was promoted to chef de bataillon.

In 1805 Houdar de Lamotte was promoted to colonel and took command of the 36th of the Line. He took part in the campaign of 1805 as part of St. Hilaire's division and was slightly wounded at the Battle of Austerlitz. On Christmas Day of that year he was rewarded as a Commander of the Legion of Honor. Taking part in the Prussian campaign the next year, Houdar de Lamotte was leading his regiment in battle at Jena when he was killed by a ball.

Bibliography

Quintin, Danielle, and Bernard Quintin. Dictionnaire des Colonels de Napoléon. Paris: S.P.M., 1996.

Updated May 2019