Nicolas Oudinot

Nicolas Charles Oudinot was born at Bar-le-Duc (Meuse) and entered the royal army in 1784 as a private in the Médoc infantry regiment. He left active service in 1787, joined the National Guard in 1789, and, during the Revolutionary mobilisations, became commander of volunteer units from the Meuse. In 1793 he served on the northeastern frontier, including the defence of Bitche, and in 1794 he was promoted général de brigade after actions with the Army of the Rhine. Over the following campaigns on the Rhine and in Germany he was repeatedly wounded and briefly captured (1795). In 1799 he was promoted général de division and served as chief of staff to André Masséna during operations in Switzerland, including the fighting around Zürich, before further service in Italy and the army organisation of the Consulate.

From 1805 Oudinot commanded an elite grenadier formation within the Grande Armée and took part in the campaigns of 1805–1807, including Austerlitz, Ostrołęka, and Friedland, as well as the siege of Danzig. He was created comte de l’Empire (1808). In the 1809 campaign against Austria he served under Jean Lannes in the II Corps; he was wounded at Essling, assumed corps command after Lannes was mortally wounded, and fought at Wagram. In July 1809 he received a marshal’s baton as maréchal d’Empire, and in 1810 he was created duc de Reggio. In 1810–1812 he held Major commands and administrative responsibilities in the Netherlands following the incorporation of the former Kingdom of Holland into the Empire.

In 1812 Oudinot commanded the II Corps in the Russian campaign and operated in the northern sector, including actions in the Polotsk region, where he was seriously wounded; he later returned to duty during the retreat and was again wounded during the crossing of the Berezina. In 1813 he commanded a field formation in the German theatre and led the attempt against Berlin, culminating in defeat at Großbeeren and his replacement in that role. In the 1814 campaign in France he commanded troops in several engagements and was wounded again, including at Brienne and Arcis-sur-Aube. After Napoleon’s abdication he supported the transition to the Bourbon government and became pair de France under Louis XVIII; during the Hundred Days (1815) he declined to re-enter Napoleon’s service. His last Major field employment came in 1823 with the French intervention in Spain, where he commanded a corps and served for a time as governor of Madrid. Under the July Monarchy he accepted appointment as grand chancelier de la Légion d’honneur (1839) and was named governor of the Hôtel des Invalides (1842), a position he held until his death in Paris in 1847.

Sources

• Britannica: Nicolas-Charles Oudinot, duc de Reggio
• Fondation Napoléon (Napoleon.org): Oudinot, Nicolas-Charles
• BnF Data: Nicolas Charles Oudinot (1767–1847)
• BnF Catalogue: Notice de personne “Oudinot, Nicolas Charles (1767-1847)”
• FranceArchives: Authority record “Oudinot, Nicolas Charles (1767-1847)”
• FranceArchives: Archives de la famille Oudinot (1789–1912)
• Service historique de la Défense: Fonds du Maréchal Nicolas-Charles Oudinot, duc de Reggio
• Sénat: Oudinot (Charles-Nicolas), duc de Reggio
• Google Arts & Culture: Nicolas-Charles Oudinot (Musée de l’Armée)