Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers

Louis-Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers, 1st Comte Baraguey d'Hilliers (September 6, 1795 - June 6, 1878) was a Marshal of France and politician.

Baraguey d'Hilliers was born in Paris, the son of the French revolutionary general Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers. He was educated at the Prytanée National Militaire and joined the French army and took part in the Russian campaign of 1812, in 1813 he served as aide-de-camp to Marshal Marmont in the battle of Möckern, where he lost his left hand. Promoted to captain in 1815, he fought at Quatre Bras. In 1823, he served in the campaign to restore Bourbon power in Spain, where he remained until 1825.

He distinguished himself under in Algeria, where he was promoted to colonel after the capture of Algiers in 1830. In 1834, Baraguey d'Hilliers was made vice-governor of the military academy of Saint Cyr, promoted to "général de brigade" in 1836, he was made commandant of the academy. Sent to Algeria in 1841, by 1843 he had been promoted to "général de division" and was made commandant of Constantine. Put on the non active list in 1844, by 1847 he was reinstated and made Inspector-General of infantry. After the Revolution of 1848, he was sent as commanding general to Besançon. Elected to the House of Representatives, Baraguey d'Hilliers remained on active duty and lead a French expeditionary force to Rome until 1851.

In 1853, Baraguey d'Hilliers was sent to Constantinople as ambassador extraordinaire, and recalled in 1854. During the Crimean War he was given command of the expeditionary force destined for the Baltic Sea. After capturing Bomarsund, Baraguey d'Hilliers was promoted to Marshal of France and made a Senator. He would later serve as vice-president of the French Senate. During the Italian campaign of 1859, Baraguey d'Hilliers commanded the I Corps with which he distinguished himself by capturing the town of Solferino during the Battle of Solferino. After the war he was given command of V Corps in Tours.

Made governor of Paris in 1870, by his frankness he made himself unpopular with the Empress Eugénie and with Palikao and on August 12, he was replaced by Trochu. After the end of the Franco-Prussian War, Adolphe Thiers made him president of a commission investigating the causes of the French defeat. He died in 1878 in Amélie-les-Bains.

External links

* [http://www.stehelene.org/php/baraguey.php Biography (French)]