General Auguste Jean Joseph Gilbert, baron Ameil (; January 6, 1776 – September 16, 1822) was a French soldier who fought during the French Revolution and the

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

, attaining the rank of Brigade General in 1812.

Biography

Born in

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, the son of a parliamentary lawyer, Ameil entered the army as a simple

infantryman Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

on July 14, 1789. He would subsequently rise through every rank in the army. In 1805 he was made squadron commander of a cavalry company in

Marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...

Bernadotte's army. He then participated in the

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, and

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n campaigns. On July 12, 1809, he was named colonel of the 24th Chasseurs de Cheval ight CavalryRegiment,Broughton, Tony "French Chasseur-a-Cheval Regiments and the Colonels Who Led Them 1791-1815: 21e - 31e Regiments

Accessed September 1, 2007. and on November 21, 1812, he was made a Brigade General. After the abdication of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

in 1814, Ameil accepted the restored Bourbon regime and was made a Knight of the

Order of Saint Louis The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis () is a dynastic order of chivalry founded 5 April 1693 by King Louis XIV, named after Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France). It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, notable as the fi ...

. He then accompanied the

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(

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) to

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

, with orders to stop Napoleon's advance. However, the army deserted ''en masse'' to Napoleon's side, and when the Count retreated for Paris, Ameil pledged himself to Napoleon. He was sent to

Auxerre Auxerre ( , , Burgundian language (Oïl), Burgundian: ''Auchoirre'') is the capital (Prefectures in France, prefecture) of the Yonne Departments of France, department and the fourth-largest city in the Burgundy historical region southeast of Par ...

, but was intercepted by royalist forces and sent as a prisoner to Paris on the same day that Napoleon victoriously entered the

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. Upon regaining his liberty, Ameil took part in the formation of Napoleon's army. Hedging somewhat, he sent a letter to

Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 y ...

on the day of the

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for the purpose of justifying his conduct. The letter was not persuasive: court martial proceedings against him were soon begun. To escape, Ameil travelled to

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, later travelling to

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with the intention of reaching

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and the protection of Bernadotte. However, he was arrested in

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and transferred to

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as a prisoner of the state. Accused of

high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its d ...

, on November 15, 1816, he was condemned to death by court martial. However, the sentence was not carried out, and on July 25, 1821, he was pardoned by a royal decree and his titles, rights, honors, and rank were restored. On October 24, 1821, he retired. The following year, he died in Paris, on the same day that he was named a Commander of the

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

by Louis XVIII. By this time he was also a Knight of the

Order of Saint Hubert The Royal Order of Saint Hubert (), or sometimes () is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood founded in 1444 or 1445 by Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg. He sought to commemorate his victory over the House of Egmond at the Battle of ...

of Bavaria and of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword.

References

*Mullié, Charles. "Auguste Jean Ameil". ''Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850''. Poignavant et Compagnie: 1852.
Wikisource
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ameil, August Jean French generals 1776 births 1822 deaths French Army personnel who were court-martialed French commanders of the Napoleonic Wars French prisoners sentenced to death People convicted of treason against France Prisoners sentenced to death by the French military Recipients of French royal pardons Commanders of the Legion of Honour Knights of the Order of the Sword Knights of the Order of Saint Louis Barons of the First French Empire