Henri-François Delaborde
Command Ratings
Commands
Henri-François Delaborde was a seasoned French commander whose career blended professional steadiness with flashes of real tactical acuity, rising from the ranks of the old royal army into a reliable divisional leader by the time he faced the British in Portugal. He fought with notable skill at Roliça in 1808, conducting a disciplined fighting withdrawal that checked Wellesley’s advance and earned him quiet respect even among his adversaries; later, in the wider Peninsular struggle, he continued to serve as one of the army’s more dependable senior officers, capable of holding difficult ground and managing hard-pressed formations with composure. Though never counted among the Empire’s great captains, Delaborde embodied the solid, professional backbone of France’s field commands — a man whose judgement, steadiness, and soldierly bearing helped sustain the army through the long, grinding campaigns of Iberia.
Joined as a private in 1783; X 93 Toulon; XX rank in 1793; XX 94 Army of the Pyrenees - W; XX 99 Rhine; XX 00 Hohenlinden; XX 07-11 – L, Rolica, Vimiero (wounded), Corunna, 2nd Oporto; XX 12 Borodino, Krasny; XX (YGD) 13 Pirna (wounded). (1764-1833)