Aimable Pélissier
| Aimable Pélissier | |
|---|---|
Maréchal Aimable Pélissier,
1e duc de Malakoff |
|
| Born |
6 November 1794 Maromme, France |
| Died | 22 May 1864 (aged 69) Algiers, Algeria |
| Allegiance |
 Bourbon Restoration July Monarchy French Second Republic Second French Empire
|
| Service/branch | French Army |
| Years of service | 1818–1864 |
| Rank | Maréchal de France |
| Battles/wars |
Spanish Campaign Conquest of Algeria Crimean War |
| Awards | Legion of Honour (Grand Chancelier) |
Aimable-Jean-Jacques Pélissier, 1st Duc de Malakoff (6 November 1794 – 22 May 1864), was a Marshal of France.
Pélissier was born at Maromme (Seine Inférieure), of a family of prosperous artisans, his father being employed in a powder-magazine. After attending the military college of La Flèche and the special school of St Cyr, he entered the army in 1815 as second-lieutenant in an artillery regiment. Brilliant examination results in 1819 secured his appointment to the staff. He served as aide-de-camp in the Spanish campaign of 1823, and in the expedition to the Morea, 1828-1829. In 1830, he took part in the expedition to Algeria, and on his return was promoted to the rank of chef d'escadron.
After some years of staff service in Paris, he was again sent to Algeria as chief of staff of the province of Oran with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and remained there until the Crimean War, taking a leading part in many important operations. However, the severity of his conduct in suffocating a whole Arab tribe in the Dahra or Dahna caves, near Mostaganem, where they had taken refuge (18 June 1845), aroused such indignation in Europe that Marshal Soult, the minister of war, publicly expressed his regret; but Marshal Bugeaud, the governor-general of Algeria, not only approved, but secured for Pélissier the rank of général de brigade (Brigadier-General), which he held until 1850, when he was promoted to général de division (Major-General). In 1852 he successfully commanded the Siege of Laghouat.
...
Wikipedia