Charles Sapinaud de La Rairie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 30 November 1760 |
| Died | 12 July 1829(1829-07-12) (aged 68) |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of France Véndéens Kingdom of France |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Order of Saint Louis Pair de France |
Charles Henri Félicité Sapinaud de la Rairie (French pronunciation:[ʃaʁlɑ̃ʁifelisitesapinodəlaʁɛʁi]; December 30, 1760 - August 12, 1829) was aFrench soldier andVendéen general during thewar in the Vendée.
Sapinaud was born inLa Gaubretière. In 1778, he enlisted ascadet gentilhomme in theFoix regiment (later renamed 83rd infantry regiment). He resigned from the army in 1789 as a lieutenant, and retired to his lands atLa Gaubretière where he was elected mayor.
In March 1793, thewar in the Vendée broke loose and Sapinaud joined the insurgents serving under his uncleCharles Sapinaud de La Verrie, himself under the orders ofCharles de Royrand, chief general of the Vendéens of theCatholic and Royal army of the Centre which originated from the east side of theVendéedepartment. Sapinaud de la Verrie was killed on 25 July 1793 nearChantonnay; Sapinaud de La Rairie succeeded him.
In October, Sapinaud followed the Vendéen army during theVirée de Galerne, yet he was separated from the army at theBattle of Le Mans on December 13, 1793. Lost after the routing, he managed to gain military Vendée.
Royrand died on November 5 after sicknesses and wounds, Sapinaud hence led the Catholic and Royal Army of the centre and fought theinfernal columns during the first months of 1794. Along withFrançois de Charette,Jean-Nicolas Stofflet andGaspard de Bernard de Marigny, he was one of the main Vendéen generals.
In April 1794, the four generals who were until then fighting separately, signed a treaty of assistance. Yet Charette and Stofflet quickly got into disputes with Marigny who decided to part from the army. A military court thus condemned Marigny to death but Sapinaud refused to vote for his execution. Marigny was eventually shot by Stofflet's men on July 10, 1794.
By the end of 1794, the Vendéens and Republicans negotiated and signed theTreaty of La Jaunaye that Sapinaud signed with Charette of February 17, 1795. The fragile peace was broken a few months later and Sapinaud joined the war once more on October 3, 1795. His troops were greatly diminished, and Stofflet was executed by the Republicans on February 25, 1796, followed by Charette on March 29. Sapinaud, then leading only a few dozen men, signed the peace inNantes at the end of January 1796.
He married in 1797 withMarie-Louise Charette.
The war resumed on October 15, 1799, and Sapinaud retook the command of his army, yet on November 9 thecoup of 18 Brumaire which overthrew theFrench Directory disconcerted the Vendéens andChouans who begin negotiations in December. The peace conditions proposed byNapoleon Bonaparte divided the chouan and Vendéen generals, but Sapinaud sided for peace. He signed for peace on January 18, 1800.
In 1814, Napoleon was defeated and the monarchy was restored. Sapinaud was named lieutenant-general.
Sapinaud took up arms during theHundred Days, during theWar in the Vendée and Chouannerie of 1815. After the death ofLouis du Vergier de La Rochejaquelein, Sapinaud succeeded him on June 10, 1815, at the head of theCatholic and Royal Army of Vendée, yet he resigned after a few days and namedCharles d'Autichamp as his successor. After the defeat of the Vendéens at thebattle of Rocheservière, Sapinaud sided again for peace.
After theSecond Restoration, Sapinaud became a duke andPair de France. He died on August 12, 1829, atLa Gaubretière.
