MenuGeneral Jean-Pierre Pouget
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 joined the National Guard of Carcassonne as a lieutenant on August 14, 1789. Four months later he was promoted to capitaine, and then in late 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 won at the pass of Croix and at Novalaise before taking command of Maurienne. Two years later in 1797 he was sent to the 7th military division and continued to serve in Savoy. In 1798 Pouget joined the Army of Switzerland and briefly served as commander of Lausanne before taking command at Milan.
Next Pouget took command of the département of Alpes-Maritimes and then in September of 1799 he joined the Army of Italy. The following year he took command of the 2nd Division and led them on campaign that spring under General Suchet. During the years of peace that followed, Pouget commanded at Mantua and 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 département 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, a month later 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 took command of the département of Aude and therefore he did not actively participate in the campaigns in Germany 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 escaped from 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 départements 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 in 1822.
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Updated August 2014
© Nathan D. Jensen