Facing a New Alliance of Russia and Prussia, Napoleon Appoints the Head of All His Cavalry
Naming Augustin Belliard Aide-major general of the Grande Army, he states: "I am counting on him for the organization of all the cavalry, French and allied.".
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia was the turning point in the Napoleonic wars. In 1811, Tsar Alexander I, nominally allied with Napoleon, refused to be part of the Continental blockade of British goods, as it was ruining the Russian economy. On June 24, 1812, ignoring the advice of many advisers, Napoleon invaded Russia,...
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia was the turning point in the Napoleonic wars. In 1811, Tsar Alexander I, nominally allied with Napoleon, refused to be part of the Continental blockade of British goods, as it was ruining the Russian economy. On June 24, 1812, ignoring the advice of many advisers, Napoleon invaded Russia, de facto ending the Treaty of Tilsit, which had joined Russia with France against England. He took with him as large an army as had yet been assembled – French, Italians, Poles, Germans – between 400,000-600,000 men from every corner of his empire. Napoleon prophesied the war would be over in twenty days. “I know Alexander,” Napoleon reportedly said. “I once had influence over him; it will come back. If not, let destiny be accomplished and let Russia be crushed under my hatred of England.”
His hope of a quick victory did not materialize and on September 7 he fought the Battle of Borodino, the bloodiest day of the entire conflict, which resulted in about 70,000 casualties. The French technically won the battle but it was a Pyrrhic victory, as they lost nearly 30,000 men, many general officers, and much of their momentum. One of the men who survived this battle was Augustin Belliard, a Cavalry officer who had served in the French military for years. He had been Governor of Madrid and New Castille until March of 1810, when he was sent to Germany to command an infantry division, before joining the Russian campaign as Marshal Murat’s chief of staff. He was wounded at Borodino, was with Napoleon as he entered Moscow, and retreated with the devastated army as it limped back to Germany and France. Belliard arrived back in France in February 1813.
Fresh from his failure in Russia, Napoleon now had to face an emboldened Tsar, and Prussia as well, as the two had formed an alliance. In March, the two powers declared war against Napoleon. Napoleon relied on skill and speed to overwhelm his opponents, and this required a skilled and well-equipped cavalry. But the defeat in Russia had stretched the cavalry too thin. The soldiers had mainly either lost their horses in battle or eaten them to survive, and the supply of horses in French-controlled Europe was low. He needed good leadership and turned to Belliard, naming him interim Aide-major general of the Grande Armée.
Letter Signed, Paris, February 6, 1813, to his Minister of War, “Mr. le Duc de Feltre”, being Belliard’s letter of appointment. “General Belliard will perform the functions, at the main headquarters, of aide major general in charge of the cavalry. He will be attached to the Viceroy at headquarters. Inform him that I am counting on him for the organization of all the cavalry, French and allied, and to unify all resources and instruction.” In July 1813 this appointment was made permanent.
In this position, Belliard was placed at the head of Napoleon’s cavalry. He lost an arm at Leipzig. Winning new honors at Craonne, he received from the Emperor, on April 3, 1814, the Grand Cordon of the Legion of Honor. After Napoleon’s abdication, he served the Bourbons; on Napoleon’s return from Elba, Belliard served Napoleon again. Upon the restoration of the Bourbons, he in time again returned to their favor and finished his career as French ambassador to Austria and then Belgium.
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