Louis d'Aurelle de Paladines | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1804-01-09)9 January 1804 |
| Died | 17 December 1877(1877-12-17) (aged 73) Versailles, France |
| Allegiance |  Bourbon Restoration July Monarchy French Second RepublicSecond French EmpireFrench Third Republic |
| Branch | French Army |
| Service years | 1824–1872 |
| Rank | Général de Division |
| Conflicts | Conquest of Algeria Crimean War Franco-Austrian War Franco-Prussian War |
| Awards | Legion of Honour (Grand Croix) |
Louis Jean-Baptiste d'Aurelle de Paladines (French pronunciation:[lwiʒɑ̃batistdoʁɛldəpaladin]; 9 January 1804 – 17 December 1877) was a French general.
He was born atLe Malzieu-Ville, Lozère, educated at thePrytanée National Militaire andSt Cyr, and entered the army as sub-lieutenant of foot in 1824. He served with distinction inAlgeria between 1841 and 1848, becominglieutenant-colonel and an officer of theLegion of Honour; took part in the Roman campaigns of 1848 and 1849, and was made colonel.[1]
He served asgeneral of brigade throughout theCrimean War of 1854-56, being promotedgeneral of division and commander of the Legion of Honour. During the campaign inLombardy in 1859 he commanded atMarseille, and superintended the despatch of men and stores to the seat of war, and for his services he was made a grand officer of the Legion of Honour.[1]
Placed on the reserve list in 1869, he was recalled to the Marseille command on the outbreak of theFranco-German War of 1870-71. After the first capture ofOrléans by the Germans, he was appointed by theGovernment of National Defense, in November 1870, to the command of theArmy of the Loire (notwithstanding his monarchist and catholic beliefs). He was at first very successful againstvon der Tann-Rathsamhausen, winning thebattle of Coulmiers and compelling the Germans to evacuate Orléans, but the capitulation ofMetz had set free additional German troops to oppose him, and, after his defeat atBeaune la Rolande and subsequent unsuccessful fighting near Orléans, resulting in its recapture by the Germans in December, Aurelle retreated into theSologne and was superseded. After the government surrendered to Prussia in January 1871, General Paladines was appointed as head of theNational Guard, whose members deeply resented having him as their commander.[1]
After the armistice he was elected to theNational Assembly by the departments both ofAllier andGironde. He sat for Allier as a member of theCentre gauche parliamentary group and was one of the fifteen officers chosen to assist in the peace negotiations. He was decorated with the grand cross of the Legion of Honour, and was given the command atBordeaux, but retired in 1872. Elected alife senator in 1875, he supported the monarchical majority of 1876. He died atVersailles in 1877.[1]
He was the author ofLa Première Armée de la Loire, published in 1872.[1]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Aurelle de Paladines, Louis Jean Baptiste d'".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.