Michel-Marie Pacthod
| Michel-Marie Pacthod | |
|---|---|
General Count Michel-Marie Pacthod
|
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| Born |
16 January 1764 Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France |
| Died | 24 March 1830 (aged 66) Paris, France |
| Buried at | Père Lachaise Cemetery |
| Allegiance | |
| Years of service | 1792–1815 |
| Rank | General of Division |
| Commands held | Infantry |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Baron, the Count of the Empire |
| Other work | General Inspector of Infantry |
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Count Michel-Marie Pacthod (1764–1830) was a French officer during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars, who rose to the rank of General of Division in 1808. A competent and brave infantry commander, his career was much affected by a 1795 incident, while he was the military commander of Marseille, and failed to come to the aid of Napoleon Bonaparte's family, which had taken refuge in the city.
Born in the 20 April 1776 in the town of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, then a part of Piedmont, Pacthod joined the King's Life Guards but France soon occupied his country and the French-speaking Pacthod rallied to the ideas of the French Revolution. He was elected lieutenant-colonel by the volunteers of the Mont-Blanc department and then sent to serve in the Siege of Toulon, where he was wounded seven times. He was deputy to the Chief of Staff of the French expeditionary force destined to Corsica and then, in January 1795, appointed to the military command of Marseille. He was holding this command when the family of General Napoleon Bonaparte, which had fled their native Corsica during the British occupation of the island, took refuge in the city. The Bonapartes had fled Corsica in order to escape possible retaliation from the British occupants and arrived destitute in Marseille. It seems that Pacthod showed little generosity towards the Bonapartes, a behaviour which Napoleon would never forgive. His career did advance quickly during the following years, seeing promotion to Brigadier General in May 1795, and was noted for his actions at the Battle of Alkmaar and Battle of Castricum.
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