General Jacques Barthélemy Marin

Colonel of the 16th Light whose career was cut short by a bad wound at Aspern-Essling

Born: August 23, 1772

Place of Birth: Ville, Oise, France

Died: March 24, 1848

Place of Death: Paris, France

Arc de Triomphe: MARIN on the east pillar

Pronunciation:

The son of a laborer, Jacques Barthélemy Marin joined the 5th Battalion of Volunteers of Oise in September of 1792. The next month he was elected a sous-lieutenant in his unit and he went on to serve with the Army of the North. In April of 1794 Marin fought at the affair of Marcinelle where he was wounded by a shot to the right leg. That July he joined the Army of the Sambre and Meuse. Marin next served in the Army of the West in 1795 and then in 1797 he served in the Army of Italy as part of Bernadotte's division. During that campaign he served at the action of Gradisca in March.

Marin joined the Army of the Orient in May of 1798 and he took part in the expedition to Egypt. Upon arriving at Egypt, he served at the action of Alexandria and then a few days later he was promoted to capitaine in the 13th of the Line. In 1799 Marin took part in the expedition to Syria and he served at the Siege of Jaffa and then the Siege of Acre where he was wounded by a saber blow to the head. That May he was promoted to chef de bataillon. Marin's next combat came in April of 1800 as the French retook Cairo and in this action he was wounded by a dagger blow to the neck. Remaining in Egypt, in May of 1801 Marin fought at Rahmanieh where he was struck by a cannonball in the shoulder and neck.

Back in France, in 1803 Marin was named major in the 16th of the Line. In 1804 and 1805 he served aboard Admiral Villeneuve's fleet and in 1807 he joined the Grande Armée where he served with Molitor's division in Prussia and Swedish Pomerania. In September of 1807 he was promoted to colonel of the 16th of the Line.

When Austria attacked in 1809, Marin served with Carra Saint-Cyr's division. Named an Officer of the Legion of Honor in May, later that month he served at the Battle of Aspern-Essling where he was wounded by a shot to the left thigh. The wound was bad enough that his leg was amputated and he was promoted to général de brigade the next month. In September Marin was named deputy governor of pages of the Emperor and then in July of 1810 he was named a Baron of the Empire. After the Bourbon Restoration in 1814, Marin was named a Knight of Saint Louis and a Commander of the Legion of Honor but he was also put on non-activity. He retired from the army in November of 1815.

Bibliography

Updated January 2021