François-Roch Ledru des Essarts
Command Ratings
Commands
Units Commanded
- Line Infantry (3B) — 20 figs at Heilsberg (1807, age 37)
François-Roch Ledru des Essarts was a French infantry officer whose career progressed from Revolutionary volunteer service to senior command under the Empire, followed by inspection and administrative duties under the Restoration and the July Monarchy. Born at Chantenay (Sarthe) to a notary’s family, he studied at Le Mans under the Oratorians before entering military service in 1792 with the 2nd battalion of the Sarthe.
In the early Revolutionary campaigns he served in the North, including the bombardment of Lille and the battles of Hondschoote (8 September 1793) and Wattignies (16 October 1793). Promoted chef de bataillon on 18 Prairial Year II, he later served in Italy, taking part in the crossing of the Tagliamento and the capture of Gradisca (1797). After Campo Formio he campaigned in the Abruzzi under Championnet with the 55e Régiment d’infanterie de ligne and was wounded at the Trebbia; he was promoted chef de brigade (colonel) on 1 Messidor Year VII. Subsequent assignments included service with Masséna’s Army of Italy, a posting at Bruges, and then the Boulogne camp.
Ledru des Essarts entered the order of the Légion d’honneur in Frimaire Year XII and was advanced to officer the following year. In 1805 he fought in the Austerlitz campaign as Colonel of the 55e de ligne, and was promoted général de brigade soon afterwards. He served in the 1806–1807 campaigns, was wounded at Nordhausen, and fought at Hoff and Eylau, where his injuries were severe enough that he was reported dead. He was promoted to commander of the Légion d’honneur in July 1807 and took part in operations culminating in the capture of Königsberg.
Created baron de l’Empire (baron des Essarts) on 24 February 1809, he served in Masséna’s corps during the Danube campaign, fighting at Eckmühl, at Lobau, and at Aspern; in 1809 he suffered another grave wound when a ball passed through his neck. He was promoted général de division in July 1811 and, on the eve of the 1812 campaign, received divisional command in Marshal Ney’s corps. In Russia he fought at Krasnoï, Smolensk, and the Moskowa, and during the retreat he commanded rear-guard operations, outmanoeuvred Kutuzov by a flank march, and crossed the Berezina. In 1813 he served with the 11th Corps and fought at Bautzen, Leipzig, and Hanau; in 1814 he fought in the defence of Paris.
During the political crisis of 1814 he protested Marmont’s defection and intervened to protect General Souham from ill-treatment by his troops; he was unable to reach Fontainebleau with his command after communications were cut. Under the first Restoration he was tasked with reorganising several line and light infantry regiments. During the Cent-Jours he was sent to the armée des Alpes under Suchet.
From 1817 he was employed on organisational and inspection duties, including the formation of three Swiss regiments taken into French pay and appointment as inspecteur général d’infanterie (1818). He refused the command of the Lyon division in 1819 but was assigned to Grenoble to restore order after the Didier affair. In 1830 he was in the Paris division as an inspector, and under the July Monarchy he was given responsibility for disbanding the so-called régiments de la Charte and redistributing their personnel into new light infantry battalions and line regiments. He was retired as lieutenant-général on 11 June 1832 and was named a Peer of France on 11 September 1835, sitting with the ministerial majority until his death at Champrosay.
His recorded distinctions include the Légion d’honneur through the grade of grand-croix (1827) and appointment as chevalier de Saint-Louis. His name appears among those inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe as “LEDRU des ESSds”.
Sources
He seems to have commanded Neapolitan troops at some point but I can't find the dates. X (Temp. – Lt. Col.) 93 – W; Col. rank 6/19/99; X rank on 12/24/05; X 07 Heilsberg, Eylau; X 09 Abensberg-Eckmuhl, Aspern-Essling, Wagram, Znaim; XX rank on 7/31/11; XX 12 Smolensk, Lubino, Borodino; XX 13 Bautzen, Leipzig, Hanau; XX 14 Northern France & then forming a new division @ Paris, defense of Paris. (1770-1844)