François Christophe de Kellermann Duke ofValmy | |
|---|---|
 Kellermann as Marshal of the Empire, after a contemporary portrait byAntoine Ansiaux | |
| Born | (1735-05-28)28 May 1735 Strasbourg, France |
| Died | 23 September 1820(1820-09-23) (aged 85) Paris, France |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of France Kingdom of the French French First Republic First French Empire Kingdom of France |
| Branch | Army |
| Rank | Marshal of the Empire |
| Awards | Grand Cross of theLegion of Honour Order of the Red Eagle Grand Cross of theOrder of the Württemberg Crown Grand Dignitary of theHouse Order of Fidelity Grand Cross of theOrder of Saint Louis[1] |
François-Étienne-Christophe Kellermann orde Kellermann, 1st Duke ofValmy (German:Franz Stephan Christoph Edler[a] von Kellermann; 28 May 1735 – 23 September 1820) was a French military commander, later theGénéral d'Armée, aMarshal of the Empire andfreemason. Marshal Kellermann served in varying roles throughout the entirety of two epochal conflicts, theFrench Revolutionary Wars and theNapoleonic Wars. He was made aduke (1808) for theBattle of Valmy.[2]Kellermann is one of thenames inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe, on Column 3.
François Christophe de Kellermann came from aSaxon family, which was long settled inStrasbourg and ennobled.[2] He was the only son of a family living in the French province of Alsace. His father was François de Kellermann (or Johann Christoph Edler von Kellermann) and his mother, Baroness Marie Magdalenevon Dyhrn.[3][4]
The fifteen-year-old François Kellermann entered the French Army as a cadet volunteer[2] with ahussar regiment: theRégiment de Loweridath. He was commissioned as an ensign in theRoyal-Bavière infantry regiment and promoted to captain in 1758 in the course of theSeven Years' War.[2] On one occasion he distinguished himself by capturing 300 prisoners while leading a small cavalry detachment. In 1771, Kellermann saw active service in Poland,[2] becoming a chevalier of theOrder of Saint-Louis. A further promotion tocapitaine-commandant followed in 1776 before he became major in the Hussars of Conflans (Hussards de Conflans) three years later. Kellermann becamebrigadier-general in 1784, and in the following yearmarechal-de-camp.[2] While a number of Napoleon's marshals served in the Royal army prior to the Revolution, Kellermann was the only one to have reached such senior rank under the former regime.[5]
In 1789 Kellermann enthusiastically embraced the cause of theFrench Revolution, and in 1791 becamegeneral of the army inAlsace. In April 1792 he was made alieutenant-general, and in August of the same year there came to him the opportunity of his lifetime. He rose to the occasion, and his victory over thePrussians at theBattle of Valmy, inGoethe's words, "opened a new era in the history of the world".[2] Napoleon later commented that: "I think I'm the boldest general that ever lived, but I daren't take post on that ridge with windmill at Valmy (where Kellermann took position) in 1793".[citation needed]
Transferred to the army on theMoselle, Kellermann was accused by GeneralAdam Custine of neglecting to support his operations on theRhine; but he was acquitted at the bar of theNational Convention in Paris, and placed at the head of the army of theAlps and of Italy, in which position he showed himself a careful commander and excellent administrator.[2]
Shortly afterwards he received instructions to reduceLyon, then in revolt against the convention, but shortly after the surrender he was imprisoned in Paris for thirteen months, duringThe Terror. After the fall of Robespierre, he was acquitted and reinstated in his command, and did good service in maintaining thesouth-eastern border against the Austrians until his army was merged into that of GeneralNapoleon Bonaparte in Italy.[2]
Kellermann was then sixty-two years of age, still physically equal to his work, but the young generals who had come to the front in the previous two years represented the new spirit and the newart of war, and Kellermann's active career came to an end. But the hero of Valmy was never forgotten. When Napoleon came to power Kellermann was named successivelysenator (1800), president of theSenate (1801), honoraryMarshal of France (19 May 1804), and title ofDuke of Valmy (1808).[6]
In his service to theFirst French Empire, Kellermann was frequently employed in the administration and training of the army.[7][8] He also took control of the line of communications and the command of reserve troops, and his long and wide experience made him one of Napoleon's most valuable assistants.[7]
In 1814 he voted for the deposition of theemperor and became apeer under the royal government ofLouis XVIII. After the "Hundred Days" he sat in theChamber of Peers and voted with theLiberals.[7]
Marshal Kellermann died in Paris on 23 September 1820,[7] and is buried inPère Lachaise Cemetery.[9]
His sonFrançois Étienne de Kellermann, 2nd Duke of Valmy,[7] also fought for Napoleon and was promoted to cavalry general after theBattle of Marengo.[8] Kellermann's grandson was the politicianFrançois Christophe Edmond de Kellermann[7] and his sister Magdalena married the Black Viennese courtierAngelo Soliman.[10]
Battle of Valmy Napoleon -wikipedia.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Kellermann, François Christophe de".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 718–719.
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