General François-Hilarion Point

Général de brigade who was killed at Popoli

Born: April 14, 1759

Place of Birth: Montélimar, Drôme, France

Died: December 24, 1798

Cause of Death: Killed in action

Place of Death: Popoli, Italy

Arc de Triomphe: POINT on the south pillar

A career soldier, François-Hilarion Point first enlisted in 1779 in the Royal Cavalry Regiment of Champagne. After the Revolution had arrived, in 1790 he left the army but in November of 1791 he was elected a capitaine in the 1st Battalion of Volunteers of Isère. Point served with this unit in Savoy in 1792, and then in 1793 he became the lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Battalion of Mont Blanc. In September of 1793 Point received a promotion to chef de brigade, and less than a month later he received a promotion to général de brigade. That December he took part in the Siege of Toulon and after the conclusion of the siege he was sent to the Army of the Eastern Pyrenees.

Point served in Pérignon's division in the Pyrenees and fought at Boulou in May of 1794. He went on to fight at Llobrégat, Bascara, and the Battle of the Fluvia before peace was signed with Spain in 1795. Point was then sent to the Army of the Alps and the Army of Italy. In December of 1796 he was attached to Augereau's division with the 45th and 51st of the Line, and in January he fought at Anghiari where he commanded the left wing and destroyed Provera's rear guard. Continuing on the campaign, Point occupied Treviso in February and then joined Guieu's division in March.

In 1798 General Point joined the Army of England and then was given command of the flotilla to retake the Îles Saint-Marcouf near Normandy from the British. He left Le Havre and engaged in battle with two British frigates, but his ships were forced to take refuge in the mouth of the Orne River and abandon the attempt. Next Point was sent to the Army of Italy and when that army was split up he served with the Army of Rome as part of Lemoine's division. On Christmas Eve, Point was leading his grenadiers in an attack on the bridge of Popoli when he was killed.

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 May 2015