Jacques Lazare Savettier de Candras (1768-1812)
Command Ratings
Jacques Lazare Savettier de Candras was born on 24 August 1768 in Époisses (Côte-d'Or). He entered military service on 3 September 1792 as a volunteer in the 7e bataillon de volontaires de Paris and served under général Dumouriez in the armée du Nord. On 9 May 1793 he became sous-lieutenant at the état-major général, and on 27 May he was appointed chef du 3e bataillon des côtes maritimes. He served in 1793 and 1794 with the armée des Pyrénées occidentales against Spanish forces and later was transferred to the armée d’Italie during the campaigns of Years V and VI. He was wounded in the right thigh on 11 November 1796 (21 brumaire an V) at the combat of Caldiero. He was then assigned to the armée d’Angleterre during Years VI and VII, followed by service with the armée de Hollande and the armée du Rhin during Years VIII and IX. On 10 March 1800 he was appointed chef de brigade of a demi-brigade d'infanterie de ligne. On 10 December 1803 he became chevalier de la Légion d’honneur. He was promoted to général de brigade on 13 April 1804 and elevated to commandeur de la Légion d’honneur on 14 June 1804. He served at the camp of Saint‑Omer during Year XII and Year XIII. During Year XIV he commanded the 2e brigade du 4e corps of the Grande Armée and participated in the battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805. He transferred to command the 1re brigade on 13 March 1806 and fought at Jéna and at Eylau. He distinguished himself in the combat of Heilsberg on 10 June 1807 and at Königsberg on 14 June 1807. He was created baron de l’Empire on 27 November 1808, bearing the title baron de la Tour de Pré, and was appointed to govern Swedish Pomerania. During the insurrection of Schill in 1809 he maintained discipline among the allied troops under his command. In March 1810 he handed over governance of Swedish Pomerania to the comte d’Essen after two years in charge. He returned to France and on 15 January 1812 rejoined the Grande Armée. He fought in the Russian campaign and on 18 August 1812 commanded Swiss troops at the battle of Polotsk, where three horses were killed beneath him and his troops’ extraordinary performance earned high praise from général en chef Gouvion Saint‑Cyr. On 28 November 1812, at the crossing of the Berezina, he was killed by a gunshot while defending a strategic position with only 1,500 men against more than 10,000 Russians. In recognition, the emperor invested his daughter with the majorat previously conferred upon him. He died on 28 November 1812 at the Berezina in Russia.
Sources
X 09 – Baltic - L