General Nicolas Loverdo

Greek born aide-de-camp to Marshal Masséna

Born: November 3, 1773

Place of Birth: Argostoli, Greece

Died: July 26, 1837

Place of Death: Paris, France

Arc de Triomphe: LOVERDO on the south pillar

Pronunciation:

Originally from Greece, Nicolas Loverdo joined the French army's artillery as a lieutenant in September of 1792. Initially sent to the Army of the Alps, he was later assigned to the Army of Italy. While serving in Italy, Loverdo fought at Savona in April of 1796 where he was wounded in the head and a few months later he retired from the service due to his wounds. In late 1798 he returned to the army as a capitaine commanding two companies of Greek auxiliary gunners at Corfu. The following year Loverdo was assigned to the Army of Italy and he fought at Bocchetta in November where he was wounded in the left thigh.

In 1802 Loverdo was placed on leave due to his wounds but in 1805 he became an aide-de-camp to Marshal Masséna in the Army of Italy. Continuing to serve in Italy, in 1806 he joined the Army of Naples and then in 1807 he followed Masséna to the Grande Armée and was promoted to chef de bataillon. Loverdo was still serving as an aide to Masséna in 1809 during the Danube campaign of that year, and he fought at Aspern-Essling and then Wagram , where he was wounded in the hip. Afterwards, he was appointed the chief of staff of Boudet's division and a Knight of the Empire.

In 1810 Loverdo rejoined Masséna as deputy chief of staff to Masséna's Army of Portugal. He remained in the Spanish peninsula and in early 1812 he was promoted to colonel of the 59th of the Line. In 1813 Loverdo fought at the pass of Roncevaux in July and then the next month he fought at Echalar where he was wounded by a shot to the left arm. That November he was promoted to général de brigade and then in December he took command of the département of Tarn-et-Garonne.

After Napoleon's abdication in 1814, the restored Bourbons named Loverdo commander of the département of Basses-Alpes and a Knight of Saint Louis. When Napoleon escaped from exile in 1815 and landed on French soil, Loverdo did not rally to him, instead serving in the army of the Duke of Angoulême against Napoleon. Napoleon struck Loverdo from the army's ranks, but after his second abdication, the Duke of Angoulême reinstated Loverdo's rank and then promoted him.

Bibliography

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

Updated March 2015