General Antoine Louis Popon de Maucune

Infantry commander who spent much of his career in Spain and received a number of wounds

Born: February 21, 1772

Place of Birth: Brive, Corrèze, France

Died: February 18, 1824

Place of Death: Paris, France

Arc de Triomphe: MAUCUNE on the west pillar

Pronunciation:

Joining the army as a sous-lieutenant of pioneers in February of 1786, Antoine Louis Popon de Maucune received a promotion to lieutenant the following year. After the Revolution began he served with the National Guard of Paris and then in 1791 he joined the 1st Battalion of Parisian Volunteers as a grenadier. Maucune saw action in June of 1792 when he was wounded by a shot to the left thigh at Menin. In 1793 he joined the Army of the Alps and that August he fought at Bardonnèche where he was wounded by a bayonet blow to the right arm. In 1794 Maucune was promoted to capitaine and he joined the Army of Italy. Taking part in the famous campaign in Italy of 1796, he served at the Battle of Arcola in November and then in December he was promoted to chef de bataillon by General Bonaparte. Still serving with the Army of Italy three years later, in March of 1799 Maucune fought at the attack of Tauffern where he was wounded by a shot to the right thigh and a shot to the left thigh, and on the battlefield he received a promotion to chef de brigade of the 39th of the Line. Maucune next fought at the Battle of Novi in August where he was wounded by a shot to the right foot. In 1800 he joined the Army of the Reserve and that May he served at the action of Ivrée and then the combat of Chiusella where he was wounded. In June Maucune fought at Stradella and then he served at the Battle of Marengo. That December he served at Pozzolo where he was again wounded.

During the peace that followed, Maucune served in garrison at Paris. In 1803 he was sent to the camp of Montreuil and when the army marched out in 1805 to confront the Third Coalition Maucune served as part of the 2nd Division of the Marshal Ney's VI Corps. Maucune took part in the campaign of 1805 and at the end of the year he was named a Commander of the Legion of Honor. Serving against Prussia in 1806, he was named commander of Landsberg in November and he remained there until January of 1807. In March of 1807 Maucune received a promotion to général de brigade and he took command of the 1st Brigade of Marchand's division in VI Corps.

Rewards followed for in 1808 Maucune was named a Knight of the Iron Crown and a Baron of the Empire, but in October he was sent to Spain as part of VI Corps. In May of 1809 Maucune fought at the combat of Santiago where his right femur was shattered. By November he was recovered enough to fight again for he distinguished himself at the combat of Alba de Tormès. Maucune continued to see action and get wounded in Spain, in 1810 he was wounded by a shot to the right thigh at the Battle of Bussaco and in May of 1811 he fought at Fuentes de Oñoro where he was wounded by two shots, one to the groin and one to the right heel. Later that month he was promoted to général de division and he took command of the 5th Division of the Army of Portugal, replacing Marchand who had returned to France. In July of 1812 Maucune fought at the Battle of Salamanca. That October he led the advance guard of the Army of Portugal under General Souham in the march to relieve the Siege of Burgos. Maucune and his men seized Quintanapalla, lifted the Siege of Burgos, won at Tamamès, and fought at Villa Muriel. In July of 1813 he took command of the 7th Division of the right wing under General Reille in the Army of the South. That month he fought at Cubiry and then in August he served at Irun.

In November of 1813 Maucune was sent to Italy to serve in the Army of Italy under Viceroy Eugene de Beauharnais. In March of 1814 he took command of the right wing of the Army of Italy and in April he was defeated at Ponte Nure. With the Bourbons returning to power, Maucune was put on non-activity and named a Knight of Saint Louis. When Napoleon returned to power in 1815 for the Hundred Days, Maucune was named commander of the National Guard at Lille, but he did not take up this command. After the Second Restoration of the Bourbons, Maucune was put on non-activity.

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 August 2018