General Pierre Franconin Sauret de La Borie

General in the Army of the Eastern Pyrenees who later served in Napoleon's first Italian campaign in 1796

Born: March 23, 1742

Place of Birth: Gannat, Allier, France

Died: June 18, 1818

Place of Death: Gannat, France

Arc de Triomphe: SAURET on the west pillar

Enlisting in the infantry regiment of Mailly in 1756, Pierre Franconin, called Sauret, was immediately sent to Germany to take part in the Seven Years War. In 1757 he served at Hastembeck and then he was wounded by a saber blow to the head at Rossbach. The next year Sauret was sent to the Army of the Coasts and then in 1759 he served with the squadron of the Marquis of Conflans. In 1761 he returned to Germany to serve there until the end of the war and in 1763 he was promoted to sergeant. Sauret remained with his regiment until 1771 when he was dismissed and then admitted to the regiment of Champagne. In 1780 he was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant and then in 1784 he was promoted to lieutenant.

After the onset of the French Revolution, Sauret was named a Knight of Saint Louis in 1791. In 1792 he was promoted to capitaine and he served with the Army of the South and then the Army of the Alps. That October Sauret was named lieutenant colonel of the 7th Infantry and then in 1793 he began serving with the Army of the Eastern Pyrenees. In April of 1793 he served at the combat of Céret and then in May the representatives of the people promoted him to chef de brigade. Sauret's next promotion came later the same year when the representatives of the people promoted him to général de brigade in October. Next in December he took part in retaking the redoubts of Villelongue but during this action he was wounded by a shot to the left leg. Before the end of the month, Sauret was promoted to général de division. In April of 1794 Sauret won at the combat of Palau and then in May he served at the action of the camp of Boulou. That August he was given command of the division of the left which became the 3rd Division and he fought at the action of Saint-Laurent de la Mouga where he was wounded by a shot to the left side. Sauret went on to serve at the action of Bellegarde and then in November at the Battle of Montagne Noire . Next he laid siege to the fortress at Roses and during the siege he was wounded in the arm. In January Sauret seized the fort of Bouton near Roses and later he was wounded by a shot while serving at Saint-Pierre Pescadore.

In October of 1795 Sauret was sent to the Army of Italy and in April of 1796 he took command of the 5th Division at Loano. In May he was given command of Cherasco, Ceva, and Mondovi and then in June his division began to take a more active part in General Bonaparte's campaign. At the end of July Sauret was beaten and chased out of Salo but two days later he returned and retook Salo, rescuing General Guieu. In August he seized Rocca d'Anfo and later he was named commander in Piedmont. That November the Directory authorized Sauret to retire but he remained in service and in April of 1797 he was named commander of Tortona and Alexandria. In 1798 Sauret began receiving his pension but he remained on active duty as commander of Ancona. Finally at the end of the year he requested to retire due to health reasons.

In December of 1799 Sauret joined the Corps Législatif as a deputy of Allier. However, in February of 1800 he returned to the army and the next month he was named commander at Geneva. In May of 1801 Sauret returned to retirement and then in March of 1802 he returned to the Corps Législatif. In 1803 he served as secretary of the Corps Législatif and in 1804 he was named a Commander of the Legion of Honor. In 1806 Sauret left the Corps Législatif and over the following years he was named a Knight of the Iron Crown. In 1813 he was named a Baron of the Empire and he became Baron de La Borie at this time.

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Updated April 2020