This article includes alist of references,related reading, orexternal links,but its sources remain unclear because it lacksinline citations. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(August 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Pierre Hugues Victoire Merle
Born	26 August 1766 (1766-08-26) Montreuil-sur-Mer, France
Died	5 December 1830(1830-12-05) (aged 64) Marseille, France
Allegiance	France
Branch	Infantry
Service years	1781–1816
Rank	General of Division
Conflicts	War of the First Coalition War of the Pyrenees War of the Third Coalition Battle of Austerlitz Peninsular War Battle of Medina de Rioseco Battle of Corunna First Battle of Porto Second Battle of Porto Battle of Bussaco Battle of Sabugal Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro First Battle of Polotsk Second Battle of Polotsk
Awards	Légion d'Honneur, GC, 1808
Other work	Baron of the Empire, 1808

Pierre Hugues Victoire Merle (French pronunciation:[pjɛʁyɡviktwaʁmɛʁl]; 26 August 1766 – 5 December 1830) was a French general during theFirst French Empire ofNapoleon. He joined the French army as a private in 1781 but after theFrench Revolution, the pace of promotion quickened. He was appointed ageneral officer in 1794 for distinguishing himself during theWar of the Pyrenees. After leading a brigade atAusterlitz in December 1805, he was promoted again. His division was in the first wave of the 1808 invasion of Spain, which precipitated thePeninsular War. In Spain, he led his division atMedina de Rioseco,Corunna,First andSecond Porto,Bussaco,Sabugal, andFuentes de Oñoro. After being sent home from Spain, Merle was assigned to lead a division in theFrench invasion of Russia. He led his troops atFirst andSecond Polotsk. He embraced the Bourbon cause in 1814, retired from the army in 1816, and died atMarseille in 1830. Merle is one of thenames inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe on Column 35.

• Broughton, Tony (2007)."Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815: Mellet to Mireur". The Napoleon Series. Retrieved15 June 2013.
• Gates, David (2002).The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War. London: Pimlico.ISBN 0-7126-9730-6.
• Glover, Michael (2001).The Peninsular War 1807-1814. London: Penguin.ISBN 0-141-39041-7.
• Mullié, Charles (1852).Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 a 1850: MERLE (in French). Paris. Retrieved15 June 2013.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Oman, Charles (2010).A History of the Peninsular War Volume I. La Vergne, Tenn.: Kessinger Publishing.ISBN 978-1432636821.
• Oman, Charles (1995).A History of the Peninsular War Volume II. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole.ISBN 1-85367-215-7.
• Oman, Charles (1996).A History of the Peninsular War Volume III. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole.ISBN 1-85367-223-8.
• Oman, Charles (1996).A History of the Peninsular War Volume IV. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole.ISBN 1-85367-224-6.
• Pelet, Jean Jacques (1973). Horward, Donald D. (ed.).The French Campaign in Portugal 1810-1811: An Account by Jean Jacques Pelet. Minneapolis, Minn.: University of Minnesota Press.ISBN 0-8166-0658-7.
• Smith, Digby (1998).The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill.ISBN 1-85367-276-9.

This biographical article related to the French military is astub. You can help Wikipedia byadding missing information.

• v
• t
• e

• 1766 births
• 1830 deaths
• People from Montreuil, Pas-de-Calais
• Barons of the First French Empire
• Generals of the First French Empire
• French military personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars
• French commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
• Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe
• People of the War of the First Coalition
• French military personnel stubs

• Articles lacking in-text citations from August 2022
• All articles lacking in-text citations
• Pages with French IPA
• CS1 maint: location missing publisher
• CS1 French-language sources (fr)
• All stub articles