General Anne Gilbert de Laval

Infantry general who served under Suchet in Spain

Born: November 9, 1762

Place of Birth: Riom, Puy-de-Dôme, France

Died: September 6, 1810

Cause of Death: Illness

Place of Death: Mora, Spain

Arc de Triomphe: LAVAL on the west pillar

Pronunciation:

Beginning his military career in 1781, Anne Gilbert de Laval, sometimes styled as La Val, joined the infantry regiment of Condé. The following year he was promoted to sous-lieutenant and then in 1787 he was promoted to lieutenant. In September of 1791 Laval was promoted to capitaine and then in 1792 he served with the Army of the North and was named lieutenant colonel of the 55th Infantry. In 1793 he served with the Army of the Rhine and he took part in the defense of Landau, and then in January of 1794 he was suspended. About a year later Lavel was reintegrated into the army in February of 1795, joining the Army of the Rhine. Later that year he was promoted to chef de brigade. In February of 1796 Laval took command of the 100th of the Line and in July he joined Duhesme's division. He served at the combat of Diersheim in April of 1797 and then in 1798 and 1799 he served with the Army of Switzerland and the Army of the Danube. In June of 1799 Laval was promoted to général de brigade and then in September he served at the Battle of Zürich . Laval served with the Army of the Rhine in 1800 and that May he served at Stockach and Messkirch before later serving at Hochstaedt and Feldkirch.

During the peace that followed, Laval was sent to command the 10th military division at Toulouse. In 1805 he took over the 19th military division at Lyon as interim commander and then the next year he was called to the Grande Armée to serve with VIII Corps. In November of 1806 Laval occupied Hanau and at the end of the year he commanded Mecklembourg.

In May of 1808 Laval was named commander of the 1st Brigade of Frère's division, serving in Spain. That November he served under General Grandjean in III Corps and then in February of 1809 he participated in the Siege of Saragossa. In April Laval passed under Suchet's command and in September he was promoted to général de division, backdated to April. Laval continued to serve in Spain and in February of 1810 he won at Villastar. The next month he served at the bridge of Alventosa and then in June he joined the Siege of Tortosa. During the siege Laval fell ill and he died from that illness in September.

Bibliography

Six, Georges. Dictionnaire Biographique des Généraux & Amiraux Français de la Révolution et de l'Empire (1792-1814). 2 vols. Paris: Gaston Saffroy, 2003.

Related Pages:

Laval's commander Suchet

Updated September 2019