MenuGeneral Dominique Honoré Antoine Marie Vedel
Born: July 2, 1771
Place of Birth: Monaco, Monaco
Died: March 30, 1848
Place of Death: Paris, France
The son of a noble officer, Dominique Honoré Antoine Marie Vedel enlisted in the regiment of Maine in 1784 and three years later he was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant. By September of 1791 his unit was renamed the 28th Infantry Regiment and he was promoted to lieutenant that month. The next year Vedel was promoted to capitaine and he served in the Army of the Center before serving in the Army of the North. Next he joined the Army of Italy and then later he was sent to Corsica. In Corsica Vedel served at the defense of Fort Mazella before Calvi where he was wounded by a shot to the left cheek. After returning to France, in 1795 he joined the staff of the Army of Italy and was promoted to chef de bataillon. During the Italian campaign of 1796 to 1797, Vedel distinguished himself at the crossing of the Po, the crossing of the Adda, and Lonato. He then went on to distinguish himself at Salo, he served at Feltre and Bassano, and then he distinguished himself at Ceréa. That December he joined the 17th Light which served as part of Joubert's division and the following month he was wounded by a shot to the head at the Battle of Rivoli . Vedel continued to serve in Italy and in March of 1799 he was wounded by a bayonet blow and shot to the left leg at Bussolengo but he was also promoted to chef de brigade on the battlefield. At the end of 1800 Vedel served in the Army of Grisons and he took part in the attack of Mount Tonale.
From 1801 to 1803 Vedel served in garrison at Blois and from 1803 to 1805 he served at the camp of Saint-Omer. When the Grande Armée marched to war against the Third Coalition at the end of August of 1805, Vedel was placed in Suchet's division in Marshal Lannes' V Corps. He served at Ulm in October where he managed to penetrate the Austrian defenses but was taken prisoner. However, when the Austrians surrendered at Ulm, Vedel was released and he resumed his command for the remainder of the campaign, serving at Austerlitz in December. On Christmas Eve of 1805 he was promoted to général de brigade. In 1806 Vedel took command of the 3rd Brigade of Suchet's division and in October during the campaign against Prussia he served at Saalfeld and Jena. That December he served at Pultusk where he was wounded by a shot to the left knee. In February of 1807 Vedel was named commander at Marienbourg and he also commanded the depots on the isle of the Nogat River. When Marshal Lannes returned to command the newly formed Reserve Corps, Vedel took command of the 1st Brigade of Verdier's 2nd Division. Vedel was named a Commander of the Legion of Honor and then in June then he fought at Heilsberg where he was wounded twice and then at Friedland where he was lightly wounded.
In November of 1807 Vedel was promoted to général de division and he took command of the 2nd Division of Dupont's II Corps of Observation of the Gironde. He led his men into Spain in December and then in May of 1808 he served at Aranjuez. The next month Vedel left Toledo and then won at Despena Perros, and he was named a Count of the Empire. In July he was established at Bailen and he left to support Liger-Belair at Menjibar before rejoining Dupont at Andujar. Next he returned to Bailen and then he joined General Dufour at Caroline. Vedel then retraced his steps and attacked Reding at Bailen but then he received an order from Dupont to cease combat. He dutifully followed this order and then fell back to Sainte-Hélène but he was ordered by Dupont to put down his arms at Guarroman. After the French surrender at Bailen, Vedel was transported to Cadiz and then Marseille. Back in France he was arrested and imprisoned at Fort Saint-Nicolas before being transferred to Paris and imprisoned at l'Abbaye in January of 1809. Vedel was eventually brought before a high court presided over by Cambacérès that dismissed him from the army and ordered him to remain at least 40 leagues from Paris.
As France was threatened in late 1813, Vedel was reintegrated into the army with his full rank and given command of the 2nd Division of the Army of the Reserve of Italy. Initially ordered to meet at Turin, he was then detached with 4000 soldiers to return to Chambéry. In March of 1814 Vedel joined Augereau's Army of Lyon where he took command of a division and defended the bridge of Romans. After Napoleon's abdication, the restored Bourbons kept Vedel employed and also named him a Knight of Saint Louis. During the Hundred Days of 1815 when Napoleon resumed power temporarily, Vedel commanded the 14th military division. After Napoleon's second abdication, Vedel was replaced and put on non-activity.
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Updated February 2025
© Nathan D. Jensen