Charles-Marie Denys de Damrémont

Charles-Marie Denys, count de Damrémont (8 February 1783 – 12 October 1837) was a French general and military governor of French Algeria. He was killed in combat during the siege of Constantine.

Damrémont was born in Chaumont on 8 February 1787. He entered the military school at Fontainebleau in 1803. After graduating from the school he became a lieutenant in the 12th regiment of chasseurs à cheval, with which he took part in the Wars of the Third and Fourth Coalitions. In 1807 he became aide-de-camp to general Defrance and afterwards to Marshal Marmont. In 1811 and 1812 Damrémont served in the Peninsular War but in 1813 he transferred to the Grande Armée with which he fought in the campaigns in Germany (1813) and France (1814). During the Hundred Days Damrémont became a colonel.

On 25 April 1821 Damrémont was promoted to Maréchal de camp. In 1823 he was given command of a unit in the 5th Corps in the Army of the Pyrenees, which took part in the French invasion of Spain. From 1823 to 1829 he served as inspector of the infantry and was named as a member of various military commissions.

In 1830 he commanded an infantry brigade in the French invasion of Algeria. On 13 December 1830 Damrémont was promoted to lieutenant-general. After he returned to France he was given command of the 8th military division on 6 February 1832. On 15 September 1835 he was named Pair de France. On 12 February 1837 Damrémont was appointed governor-general of French Algeria.

In October 1837 Damrémont commanded an expedition against Constantine. During the siege Damrémont was hit in the head by a bullet and mortally wounded during the evening of October 12. He was replaced by general Valée who continued the attack and proceeded to capture the city on the 13th. He left a widow, the daughter of general Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers, and two children. Damrémont was buried in a ceremony at Les Invalides, which also saw the premiere of Hector Berlioz's Requiem.

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