Backstabber Report

Pierre Dupont de l’Étang Backstabbed By Napoleon

Dupont de l’Étang was born in Chabanais, Charente and first saw active service during the French Revolutionary Wars, as a member of Maillebois legion in Holland.

l’Étang received his backstabbing from Napoleon for having one loss on the battlefield, even having victories that helped Napoleon’s rise to power and Dupont’s support, from the beginning of his desire for conquest.

Dupont de l’Étang distinguished himself in the Battle of Valmy. While fighting near Menen in the campaign of 1793 it was his command that forced a regiment of Austrian troops to surrender. For this accomplishment Dupont de l’Étang was promoted to a rank of Brigadier General. Soon, further advancement from Lazare Carnot came in the form of further promotion to Général de Division.

His support of Napoleon Bonaparte brought him further opportunities under the Consulate and Empire. He obtained a victory against greatly superior forces, at Pozzolo.

In the campaign on the Danube in 1805 he earned further distinction, especially in the Battle of Haslach-Jungingen (Albeck), in which he prevented the escape of the Austrians from Ulm, and so contributed most effectively to the isolation and subsequent capture of Freiherr Mack von Leiberich and his whole army. He also distinguished himself in the Battle of Friedland.

With a record that few of Napoleon’s divisional commanders possessed, he entered Spain in 1808 commanding a poorly trained corps made up of provisional battalions and Swiss troops pressed into French service from the Spanish Royal Army. After the occupation of Madrid, Dupont, a newly created count by Napoleon, was sent with his motley force to subdue Andalusia.

After a few initial successes he had to retire toward the passes of the Sierra Morena. Pursued and cut off by a Spanish army under the Duke of Castaños, Dupont de l’Étang’s troops were defeated in the Battle of Bailén after his Swiss deserted and returned to their former allegiance.

Wounded in the hip, Dupont felt constrained to capitulate. Even so, Dupont sent secret orders to General Vedel to escape with his division, which was outside the Spanish trap. The Spanish found out about the orders and they threatened to massacre Dupont’s men if Vedel did not also surrender. With the surrender of Vedel, 17,600 French soldiers laid down their arms in the disaster.

Madrid was lost to the Spanish forces which forced Napoleon to intervene with his Grand Army in order to salvage the situation.

Dupont took the brunt of the Napoleon’s anger and the blame for the disaster. It was not taken into account that l’Étang’s troops were for the most part raw, lacking discipline, and foreign.

After his return to France, Dupont was sent before a court-martial, deprived of his rank and title, and imprisoned at Fort de Joux from 1812 to 1814.

Released only by the initial Restoration, he was employed by Louis XVIII in a military command, which he lost on the return of Napoleon during the Hundred Days. But the Second Restoration saw him reinstated to the army, and appointed a member of the conseil privé of Louis XVIII. From 1815 to 1830, Dupont was deputy for the Charente. He lived in retirement from 1832 until his death in 1840.