Jean-Baptiste Billot
| Jean-Baptiste Billot | |
|---|---|
General Jean-Baptiste Billot
|
|
| Born |
15 August 1828 Chaumeil, Corrèze |
| Died | 31 May 1907 (aged 78) Paris |
| Allegiance | Second French Empire |
| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1849–1888 |
| Rank | général de division |
| Commands held | state of Chihuahua (1861–67), state of Querétaro (1861–67), Constantine (1869), 18th Army Corps (1870), 1st Infantry Division (1879), 15th Army Corps (1880), 1st Army Corps (1884–88) |
| Battles/wars |
French intervention in Mexico, Franco-Prussian War (Sarrebruck, Forbach, Borny, Noiseville, Metz, Beaune-la-Rolande, Villersexel) |
| Awards | Légion d'Honneur, Military Medal |
| Other work | Deputy, life senator, Minister for War |
Jean-Baptiste Billot (15 August 1828, Chaumeil, Corrèze – 31 May 1907, Paris) was a French general and politician.
Jean-Baptiste Billot entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1847, and on leaving it in 1849 joined the staff with the rank of sous-lieutenant. His Republican convictions led to his voting no in the plebiscite of 1851 according full powers to Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte. Even so, he pursued a brilliant military career under the Second French Empire, promoted to lieutenant in 1852 then captain in 1854. He received the légion d'honneur in 1859. Billot participated in the Mexico expedition (1861–1867) : commandant of the state of Chihuahua then of Querétaro with the rank of chef d'escadrons (1863, he was mentioned 7 times in dispatches and received the cross of an officer of the légion d'honneur in 1867. He refused the post of under-secretary of state for war under emperor Maximilian. On his return to France, he made a rich marriage and in 1869 was named Chief of staff of the province of Constantine with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
He fought in the Franco-Prussian War, at first as Chief of staff under general Laveaucoupet, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division integrated into 2nd Army Corps of general Frossard. Billot participated in the battles of Sarrebruck, Forbach where he was mentioned in dispatches, Borny and Noiseville. He managed to escape after the capture of Metz and put himself in the service of the Government of National Defence. He was promoted to colonel, then général de brigade and provisional général de division. Chief of staff then commander of the 18th Army Corps, Billot was beaten at Beaune-la-Rolande on 28 November 1870. Confirmed as permanent général de brigade, he fought in the battle of Villersexel in January 1871.
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