General Jean Pierre Pouget

Général de division who served in Italy for much of his career


Born: October 5, 1761

Place of Birth: Péret, Hérault, France

Died: February 7, 1825

Place of Death: Montepellier, France

Arc de Triomphe: POUGET on the south pillar

Pronunciation:



The son of a laborer, Jean Pierre Pouget began his military career by joining the National Guard of Carcassonne as a lieutenant on August 14, 1789. Four months later he was promoted to capitaine, and then in November of 1791 he was elected a lieutenant colonel of the 1st Battalion of Volunteers of Aude. Pouget went on to serve in the Army of the South in 1792 and then the Army of the Alps when the Army of the South was split apart. In April of 1793 he received a promotion to chef de brigade and then that September he served at the siege of Lyon where he was promoted to général de brigade by the representatives of the people. After the conclusion of the siege, Pouget was appointed chief of staff of the Army of the Alps. April of 1794 saw Pouget again promoted by the representatives of the people, this time to général de division. Later that month he served at Carouge and then that June he took command of the 3rd Division of the Army of the Alps. In 1795 Pouget took command of the 2nd Division and he won at the pass of Croix and at Novalaise before being named commander of Maurienne. Two years later in 1797 he served in the 7th military division and in Savoy. In 1798 Pouget joined the Army of Switzerland and he briefly served as commander of Lausanne before being appointed commander of Milan.

Next Pouget took command of the departments of Basses-Alpes and Alpes-Maritimes and then in September of 1799 he joined the Army of Italy. In 1800 he took command of the 2nd Division and he led them on campaign that spring under General Suchet. During the years of peace that followed, Pouget served as commander of Mantua and he was employed in the 27th military division. In 1804 he was made a Commander of the Legion of Honor and then in 1805 he was appointed commander of the department of Sésia. Pouget continued to serve in Italy until the end of 1808 when he was sent to the Army of Spain.

In March of 1809 Pouget was recalled to Italy to take command of the 2nd Brigade of Barbou's 5th Division of the Army of Italy. Serving on the campaign against Austria that year, in July he was taken prisoner at Leoben during the night of 3rd and 4th July. Once peace was achieved, in August he was released on parole and he became a Baron of the Empire. Pouget returned to the 28th military division in Italy and the camp of Alexandria where he would remain for a number of years.

Pouget did not take part in the campaign against Russia in 1812. Instead, in August of 1812 he was recalled to France to take command of the 12th Brigade of the National Guard. The following year he served as commander of the department of Aude and therefore he did not actively participate in the campaigns in Saxony of 1813 or the defense of France of 1814. After Napoleon's abdication in 1814, Pouget was made a Knight of Saint Louis by the restored Bourbons.

After Napoleon returned from exile on Elba and resumed power in 1815, Pouget was elected a representative of Aude to the Chamber during the Hundred Days. He was appointed commander of the departments of Gers and Aude but then put on non-activity after Napoleon's second abdication. In 1817 Pouget was reemployed by the Bourbons, and he finally retired from the army in 1822.


Bibliography


Updated March 2025

© Nathan D. Jensen