MenuGeneral Jean Pierre Maransin
Born: March 20, 1770
Place of Birth: Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrénées, France
Died: May 16, 1828
Place of Death: Paris, France
Arc de Triomphe: MARANSIN on the west pillar
Pronunciation:
Volunteering to join the army in February of 1792, Jean Pierre Maransin was elected a capitaine in the 1st Battalion of Hautes-Pyrénées. For the next two years he served with the Army of the Western Pyrenees. In September of 1793 Marasin defended the camp of Ainhoüe and in 1794 he seized the camp of the legion of Saint-Simon and later the chateau of Iraty. Maransin was next sent to the Army of the West in 1795 and in 1796 he joined the 10th Light. Towards the end of the year he joined the Army of the Rhine and Moselle with which he served at the crossing of the Kinzig and at the defense of Ehlering. In 1798 Maransin served with the Army of England and in 1799 he joined the Army of the Danube. That June he was promoted to chef de bataillon and in September he served at the Battle of Zürich where he served with Lorge's division. During the battle Maransin was the first to cross the Limmat River and for that achievement he was awarded a saber of honor. In 1800 he began serving with the Army of the Rhine and he served at the crossing of the Rhine before seizing Schaffhouse in May and then serving at Messkirch and being wounded in the thigh by a shot at Memmingen.
In 1803 Maransin joined the Army of the Coasts of the Ocean and he was appointed major of the 31st Light. In 1807 he was promoted to colonel of the 1st Legion of Midi and later that year he joined the army formed under General Junot. Taking part in the invasion of Portugal with this army, Maransin seized Beja in June of 1808 and then he served at the Battle of Vimeiro in August. That November he was promoted to général de brigade in the VIII Corps of the Army of Spain. The next month Maransin took command of the 2nd Brigade of Heudelet's division and then in January of 1809 he began serving as part of Marshal Soult's II Corps. In 1810 he again served under Junot with VIII Corps and then in April he joined the V Corps under Marshal Mortier. That May Maransin seized Albodonalez and Grazalema and in June he was named a Baron of the Empire.
In 1811 Maransin served at the combat of Los Castillejos in January and then the Siege of Badajoz as part of Girard's division. Next he seized Huelva and he served at the combat of Santa-Marta and then in May he was grievously wounded at the Battle of Albuera . Maransin later fought at Villalba and in October he was named governor of Malaga. In December he retook Estepona. In February of 1812 Maransin fought at the combat of Cartama where he was wounded by a shot. His next major action came when he was attacked by Ballesteros who successfully entered Malaga. In July Maransin was able to push Ballesteros' forces out of town and then at the end of August he evacuated Malaga and then took command of a brigade in the Army of the South. In February and March of 1813 he provisionally commanded the 5th Infantry Division and then in April he took command of a brigade of light cavalry under General Soult. Receiving a promotion to général de division in May, Maransin joined the headquarters of the Army of Portugal and he served at the Battle of Vitoria in June. The next day he took command of the 6th Division, replacing Darmagnac. Continuing to fight, in July he served at the combat of the pass of Maya and in August he fought at Irun. After General Vandermaesen was mortally wounded, Maransin was given command of Vandermaesen's 5th Division, serving as part of the left wing under General Clauzel. In December he fought at the combats on the Nive and then at Saint-Pierre-d'Irube where he was wounded by a shot to the groin. In January of 1814 Maransin moved to the right wing to serve under General Reille and in February he served at the Battle of Orthez . On March 1st he fought at the combat of Aire and then he was briefly ordered to organize a levée en masse in the Hautes-Pyrénées. However, Maransin returned to command of his division not long after and he served at the Battle of Toulouse in April.
After Napoleon's abdication and the Bourbon Restoration, Maransin was put on non-activity but also named a Commander of the Legion of Honor. In January of 1815 he took an administrative command at Tarbes and then after Napoleon resumed power for the Hundred Days Maransin commanded a division of the reserve in the Army of the Alps. A few months after the Bourbons resumed power they put Maransin on non-activity. In 1816 Maransin was arrested at Tarbes and imprisoned for four months before being released.
Bibliography
Updated June 2020
© Nathan D. Jensen