Nansouty was to serve with l'armee du Rhin for the next eight years till its disbandment in 1801. He served at Neresheim on 11 August 1796 and then under General Laurent Gouvion-Saint-Cyr at Schliengen on 24 October the same year. During this period, he was more than once praised for his valour and leadership by the army's corrimander, General Jean-Victor Moreau.

Promotion to general de brigade came on 29 August 1799, after which, for a short time he led a brigade under General Michel Ney before moving to the army's Cavalry Reserve when the Besan~on born General Claude Jacques Lecourbe took temporary command of the army in October the same year.

His time with the armee du Rhin was briefly interrupted when recalled to Paris on 9 March 1800 to take charge offour cavalry regiments destined to operate with Lannes' advance guard of l'army de Reserve. To him the new command did not offer the same prospects and its a result he was quite happy to return his former command on the Rhine.

A week later, the 44 year old General Jean Rivaud was given the command, and so Nansouty missed the Marengo campaign in Italy. Like most officers from l'armee du Rhin, he held a deep Suspicion of the First Consul and resented the clique of "l'armee d'Italie" veterans that Surrounded him. In the campaign that followed, with Lecourbe as commander of the army's right wing,

Nansouty rejoined his cavalry brigade of two dragoon regiments that were behind the Rhine near Schaffhausen. While Moreau manoeuvered to the north, Lecourbe crossed the river at Schaffhausen on 3 May with the intent to fall on the Hungarian born General Paul Kray's rear-guard at Stockach. In the days that followed, Nansouty was to shoot to prominence as one of the foremost cavalry commanders with Moreau's army.

The first day he cleared the high road between the two towns. The 12,000 Austrians under the command the Prince Lorraine-Vaudemont realising too late Stockach was threatened, his infantry took post behind the nearby village of Steusslingen covered by a strong force of cavalry. General de Montrichard's 2nd division accompanying Nansouty, led the infantry attack that ploughed through the village in two columns, opening out to the left and right, and threatening the enemy's flanks.

At the same moment Nansouty with his horsemen pouring past Seusslingen overthrew the Austrians, who fell back on Neuzingen, the last strongpoint before Stockach. Seeing many infantry barring the way to that village, the divisions of General Vandarnme and de Montrichard outflanked Neuzingen and poured into Stockach. The enemy tried to rally on the other side of the city deploying 4,000 infantry in line supported in front by cavalry. So furious was the charge by Nansouty's regiments, they threw the enemy cavalry into complete disorder back upon their infantry, which could do little but surrender. Nansouty's success netted Lecourbe four thousand prisoners, eight cannon, five hundred horses and an immense quantity of stores in Stockach.

Pursuit Missed

A vigorous pursuit should have been made against Kray's army as he fell back towards the Danube after the French successes at Stockach and Engen, but Moreau was no Bonaparte. So slow was the advance, Kray regrouped at Moeskirch surprising Lecourbe as the French approached the town on 5 May. Montrichard's division, deploying from the woods before the Krumbach heights, was raked by a savage fire.

Nansouty in support tried to cover the infantry and artillery with his horsemen and in turn his three regiments the 11th Dragoons, 12th Dragoons and 25th Chasseurs a Cheval took a hammering. It was a brave and fruitless endeavour and within minutes both guns and horsemen were forced to retire. It was Vandamme's division falling on the enemy's left that forced them to quit their position and win another French success.

The Austrians were defeated a third time at Biberach on 9 May, Lecourbe's troops, not engaged, joined the pursuit. Nansouty heading for Memmingen on 10 May, intercepted a column moving for the town to protect the vast magazines and stores there. Routing that detachment, he took the town with all its provisions.

Vandamme having been succeeded as divisional commander by General Charles-Etienne Gudin de la Sablonniere, Nansouty's brigade remained attached to the division. He took part in the operations to neutralise the Prince de Reuss whose forces, issuing from the Tyrol and Voralberg threatened Moreau's flank. On 11 July he was victor at Saulgrub while Gudin was successful nearby at Fussen.

In September 1800 he took command of the reserve cavalry of Lecourbe's corps that formed the right wing of Moreau's army. The campaign that led to the defeat at Hohenlinden did not see him actively engaged, the weather and the countryside generally being unsuited to cavalry operations saw to that.

The disbandment of the armee du Rhin after the Treaty of Luneville saw Nansouty leave its ranks on 10 March 1801. A posting to the Corps d'Observation de la Gironde on I June 1801 gave him the prospect of another campaign as French relations with Portugal deteriorated. That formation later disbanded, he then found himself unattached from 1 January 1802. He later found employment on 22 March 1802 in the 22nd Military Division based at Tours.

It was during this period, on 27 August 1802 that Nansouty married the 20 year old Jeanne Francoise Adelaide Gravier the daughter of Charles Gravier, Marquis de Vergennes. He spent a quiet year at Tours, away from the politics of Paris that were to bedevil the careers of so many former generals of Moreau's army, who justifiably felt they had been passed over.

It resulted in Nansouty's promotion to general de division on 24 March 1803 and command of troops in the department of the Seine-et- Oise. That lasted barely a month before he was posted to Holland to head the large cavalry encampment at Niemegen. The troops there were used to form the Armee d'Hanovre gathering under General Mortier, with Nansouty on 3 May 1803 being appointed its cavalry commander.

Involved in the occupation of Hanover, he remained in Germany till recalled to Paris on 31 January 1804. While away in Germany, his only child, a boy, Etienne Jean Charles was born on 16 July 1803. During his period in Hanover he also earned the respect and admiration of the people in the city who presented him with a magnificent horse when he departed. That in itself was a fine compliment, for during the occupation, corruption amongst French generals, including Cesar Berthier, the marachal's brother, was rife.

Nansouty had become a Moreau sympathiser, and the Pichegru plot and Moreau's later trial placed him under suspicion. He was to hold no command for eighteen months, only being called to take over the 6th division of cuirassiers of Prince Louis Bonaparte's corps at the Camp of Boulogne on 3 August 1805. Then with the formal constitution of the Grande Armee on 24 August this was to become the 1st Cuirassier Division of the Cavalry Reserve under Napoleon's flamboyant brother-in- law Prince Joachim Murat.

Nansouty was also appointed the same day premier chambellan de Pimperatrice Josephine. It was a ceremonial title, which did not impress him, as he was rather contemptuous of the new bourgeois aristocracy Napoleon was creating around himself. Later, while on campaign, news reached him that his wife had been snubbed by Josephine's entourage at the Imperial Court, so he made excuses to be relieved, which were accepted.

The Austerlitz Campaign

Considering he had been out of favour, Nansouty was fortunate to receive such a prestigious command. To handle a mass of heavy cavalry required a particular skill and with the armee du Rhin Nansouty had proved that he had the ability. For the campaign against Austria the eight cuirassier and two carabineer regiments of the Cavalry Reserve were grouped into two divisions. Nansouty's comprised three brigades, the 1st led by General Piston (1st and 2nd Carabimer), the 2nd by General Armand Lebrun de la Houssaye (2nd and 3rd Cuirassiers) and the 3rd by General Saint Germain (9th and 12th Cuirassiers). All very experienced commanders, with regiments in the finest condition, numbering in all some 2,724 officers and men when they broke camp at Boulogne.

The veteran 51 year old General Jean-Joseph-Ange d'Hautpoul who had risen from the ranks was commander of the other division. The two men were complete opposites. Nansouty's aloof, stem and forbidding manner never made him popular with his men, whereas d'Hautpoul was loved by all for his dash and style, though he cared very little for their welfare. Nansouty in that regard was considered careful and caring, if not to a fault. That soon became apparent before the French had even crossed the Rhine when it appeared d'Hautpoul on average, had fifty lame horses more per regiment, than Nansouty.

Until Austerlitz, the campaign was not very eventful for Nansouty's cavalry. Their role was clearly to be used as the shock weapon when the big engagement occurred. They crossed to the southern bank of the Danube at Donauworth on 7 October and lent support as Marshals Murat and Lannes crushed a force of 5,000 Austrians under Auffenberg at Wertingen the next day. He then took part in the manoeuviing that led to the unfortunate General Karl Freiherr von Leibericb Mack's capitulation at Ulm on 20 October 1805. When the French advance resumed on 26 October, Nansouty with his cavalry was attached to Jean Lannes' command as it moved down Danube towards Vienna. After the fall of the Austrian capital and the french crossing to the Danube's north bank Nansouty rejoined Murat as the French pressed north into Moravia.

As the armies jockeyed for position before Austerlitz it became clear the stage was set for a major cavalry battle. The 2 December 1805 at Austerlitz was undoubtedly the day Nansouty achieved the finest exploits of his career when his cuirassiers and carabineers established a battle reputation for a decade to come. At first the cavalry had a torrid time massed on the French left, where Murat supported the infantry corps of le Mar6chal Lannes with 80 squadrons. Opposed to him were 82 Allied squadrons led by Prince Alois Lichtenstein, reputedly the most formidable body of horsemen in Europe, plus a strong body of Russian horse forming part of Prince Peter Bagration's corps.

Besides his cuirassiers, carabiniers and dragoons, Murat disposed of two light cavalry brigades under General Franqois Etienne Kellermann, the hero of Marengo. Kellermarm out of luck that day was the cause of the French problems. After leading his four regiments in several vigorous charges he was furiously attacked by Russian uhlans, dragoons and cuirassiers. His division suffering heavy losses he was carried wounded from the field.

Lichtenstein having cleared the field deployed his 5,000 cavalry, ready to fall on the infantry of Lannes' corps behind which stood the long lines of Nansouty's division. Nansouty saw he must charge the mass of Allied horse, but feared the look of the uneven ground before him. Ordering right by troops, he moved his six regiments in column through Lannes' lines, then reforming into line of battle he had his trumpeters sound the trot and then the charge. The years of training paid as the division kept its alignment in spite of the battle debris before it. In the fighting that followed, Lichtenstein's first line was broken by the carabiniers, his second by the supporting cuirassiers.

Maintaining superb discipline the regiments were soon able to rally behind a stream and charge again. The whole Cavalry Reserve followed the movement. Led by Murat, d'Hautpoul's division rode to the attack, followed by dragoons and light cavalry. Lichtenstein's cavalry again overwhelmed, the French fell on Bagration's infantry and overturned his artillery. As d'Hautpoul's division went forward it was joined by the glittering ranks of Nansouty's, creating one of the most spectacular sights ever seen on a Napoleonic battlefield, ten regiments of heavy cavalry riding in line abreast.

Resembling a wall of iron, the result was beyond doubt as they overthrew all before them. Lichtenstein's cavalry never recovered and Bagration's infantry, who only an hour before, expected so easily overwhelm Lannes' corps, were reduced to a flight pouring through Austerlitz. By dusk he managed to rally around Rausnitz but by then the battle was lost. The Allied right immobilised, their cavalry destroyed, they lost 2,000 killed and wounded and 4,000 prisoners. The events were key in enabling Napoleon to complete the destruction of the Russians on the Pratzen heights. His flank secure, the Emperor was able to press his assaults against the Russian centre and secure his most famous success.

The Prussian Campaign

After Austerlitz, Nansouty spent time with his division in Germany stationed at Anspach until the opening of the Prussian campaign. For the campaign his fort-nation was at its best, fully manned and well mounted. The speed and decisiveness of the campaign however left him standing. At dawn on 14 October, when Napoleon met the Prussians at Jena, Nansouty's horsemen were still strung out along the left bank of the Saale several miles from the battlefield.

By midday as the battle reached its climax Nansouty still faced the steep climb up the Landgrafenberg. Being the last formation in the Cavalry Reserve's line of march he had to wait his turn. Eventually reaching the field around 4.00pm all he could see was the Prussians fleeing in the distance in the direction of Weimar.

He was with the army as it pursued the broken Prussian armies, but again the speed was so great there were few instances where he was able to play any decisive part in the events. Quartered at Potsdam when the French entered Berlin on 25 October he spent his time usefully obtaining new mounts for his men from the vast number of fine horses taken from the Prussians.

The Polish Winter Campaign

The deteriorating weather affected Nansouty's performance as the French marched on Warsaw. He became increasingly concerned with the welfare of his men to the extent that he often didn't meet march objectives. Murat, not one to spare men or horses, soon became annoyed, as did his fellow generals who felt Nansouty was not pulling his weight. Across the Vistula, he was in the vicinity, when a major action took place at Kolozomb on 24 December but mysteriously appeared late. The same happened again at Golymin on 26 December, Nansouty claiming the sea of mud had prevented him moving. There was an element of truth, but by now it was well known that Nansouty would go to any lengths to conserve his men not exposing them unnecessarily to the enemy.

Nansouty was with his division at Warsaw when the Eylau campaign opened at the end of January 1807. His division ordered to rejoin the Cavalry Reserve he went ahead and joined Murat before Eylau on 7 February. Ironically again his division was to miss a major battle. However he was at Murat's side on 8 February when the French centre collapsed, threatening the Emperor's person as the Russians poured into the village after the destruction of Marshal Augereau's VII Corps.

He also took part in the great charge by 10,000 men of the cavalry Reserve that saved the day. Eighty squadrons advanced in two massive columns and crashed through the nearest Russian formations. They then overran a 70 gun battery, pierced the centre of the Russian line, before reuniting as a single column of horsemen and returned to their lines. It was one of the great charges of history, saddened by Nansouty's rival and colleague d'Hautpoul being one of the 1,500 casualties. The popular general, mortally wounded died at Vomen Castle six days later.

Nansouty's unit after Eylau, was the only full strength heavy cavalry formation that remained, and did valuable work covering the French as they returned to their winter quarters behind the Passarge. In March the Russian General Levin Bennigsen, once more stirred as reports came in of another possible offensive.

To unsettle the Russian soldier, Napoleon ordered Murat to lead a diversion against Willenberg on the Omulev with a view to cutting behind the Russian rear. Nansouty's division formed the major element of Murat's 6,000 strong cavalry force as it drove the outposts from Willenberg on 10 March and crossed the river. Then moving northwards to Wartenburg, he remained there a day cutting up stragglers in the Russian rear, before reaching the safety of Osterode behind the Passarge.

The Friedland Campaign

The opening of the summer campaign saw Nansouty in action at Guttstadt on 9 June as Napoleon pushed Bennigsen's forces down the left bank of the Alle. His command missed the battle at Heilsberg on 10- 11 June but on the 14th joined Lannes before Friedland. In the absence of Murat, as the French cavalry gathered, they were placed under the command of General Emmanuel Grouchy.

Over the years Grouchy, a fellow aristocrat, had gained a reputation as a difficult colleague, and was considered by many contemporaries, an arrogant insufferable snob. No one resented having to take orders from him more than Nansouty, who only recently had taken interim command of the Reserve Cavalry in the absence of Murat. That his heavy cavalry regiments were placed at the disposal of another general de division, least of all one who commanded a dragoon division, was too much for Nansouty's professional pride, despite that in rank, Grouchy was eight years senior to him, and was perhaps the most experienced cavalry general with the army.

Grouchy's first order to Nansouty, was to take post with his 1,800 men covering the road past the Georgenau woods towards K6nigsberg, where there was a gap in Lannes' thinly stretched line. He obeyed with ill grace and many misgivings, since it weakened the French right before the Eylau road and with a heavy concentration also in that direction, opened another way for the Russians to turn their flank. He also felt the move was reckless, exposing his men unnecessarily to Russian artillery intent on pounding Lannes' line.

Since the Austerlitz campaign, Nansouty was often in the habit of protecting his division from Murat's recklessness by delaying his response to orders, or even neglecting to carry them out, under the pretext he had never received them. He persisted with the habit at Friedland on 14 June 1807. For the usually insubordinate Murat, Nansouty's tactics had worked well enough. However to disobey Grouchy, who had been a professional cavalry officer before the Revolution and a member of the King's household was a mistake.

The incident arose when to win time and help stem the Russian advance across the Alle, Grouchy was ordered by Lannes to sacrifice his cavalry, if need be, to the last man. He had already led his dragoons in several charges against the enemy infantry threatening Lannes' line and called on Nansouty to help. Nansouty, also seeing elements of Russian cavalry start a wide encircling movement to turn the French left and cut the Eylau road, retired at the trot in the opposite direction to meet the threat. Returning from a charge, Grouchy was outraged to see the heavy cavalry division abandoning the position he had ordered it to occupy. He galloped after it, and after a furious argument gave Nansouty a direct and formal order to return to his station and remain there. This time Nansouty obeyed.

As more troops came to Lannes' help, the cavalry began to go on the offensive. Mortier's infantry corps deployed about Heinrichdorf, allow Lannes to close to his right and Grouchy to give a superb display cavalry tactics once the dragoon division of General de Fay, viscomte la Tour Maubourg joined him. Concealing his dragoons and artillery west of Heinrichsdorf, Grouchy sent his light cavalry and Nansouty's cuirassiers forward towards a mass of Russian horse. Nansouty orders the French regiments to work their horses up to a slow gallop, then suddenly turned about and began to retire.

The Russia pursued, losing alignment in the excitement of the chase. Then as they moved beyond Heinrichsdorf, Grouchy at the head of the dragoons took them in the flank whilst Nansouty turned to charge their front. Riding away in disorder, the Russians passed in front of Grouchy's artillery which showered them with grapeshot.

The cavalry's success on the French left was crucial in allowing time for Napoleon to gather his forces to deliver the knockout blow later in the day. For the rest of the afternoon as reinforcements poured onto the field, Grouchy with Nansouty and General Espagne's cuirassiers, which arrived later, kept the enemy cavalry at bay.

The battle cost the Russians 23,000 men that day. Had Friedland not been such a stunning French success, Nansouty's act of insubordinati, could so easily have spelled the end of his career. As it was, the matter was overlooked by Grouchy, who basking in unaccustomed new found glory paid handsome tribute to Nansouty's division, saying that it had gloriously atoned for its earlier mistakes.

Europe at Napoleon's feet, Nansouty shared in the rewards that followed. On 30 June he was awarded an annual pension of 12,846 francs drawn on the Duchy of Warsaw. In a ceremony at Tilsit on 11 July 1807, he received the Grand Aigle de la Legion d'Honneur. The creation of the Imperial nobility, in particular Napoleon's penchant for appointing former nobles to posts within the Imperial household saw Nansouty receive the post of Grand Ecuyer de l'Empereur in March 1808. That Was followed by further annual pensions of 25,000 francs and 10,000 francs drawn respectively from Westphalia and Hanover.

In spite these awards, Nansouty was continually short of funds. The pay of a general de division was 15,000 francs a year plus an allowance for lodgings and forage. The emperor required that his generals also have at least eight horses, four servants, a carriage and a wagon. In addition, Napoleon gave his senior commanders extra monies to purchase homes. Nansouty was one of thirty-nine who received 100,000 francs with which, he purchased 53 rue de Lille in Paris. The awards were finally capped with him receiving the title comte de l'Empire on 27 July 1808.

As the Grande Artnee moved to the Spanish border in the summer 1808, Nansouty remained in Germany under Marshal Davout's comma with his division renamed the 1re division de grosse cavalerie de l'Armee du Rhin. Napoleon then required Nansouty to accompany him as Grande Ecuyer when he set out for Spain in November 1808. At the Emperor's side throughout the next three months in Spain he never held any command and returned to France with him at the end of January 1809.

The Danube Campaign

Nansouty spent the next three months with Napoleon in Paris as preparations for war against Austria were made. It was only after many requests to resume command of his division in Germany that was he released and able to join the 1er division de grosse cavalerie of the armee d'Allemagne at Ingolstadt on 17 April 1809. His division was huge, including two horse artillery batteries, it numbered around 5,300 cuirassiers and carabiniers, as yet unattached to any higher formation.

From Ingolstadt he hurried forward to Neustadt with Vandamme's Wurttemberg contingent. From there he joined Lannes' Reserve Corps at Abensberg on 20 April. In the battle that followed he took part in Napoleon's major attack against Archduke Charles' overextended army that was passing south of Abensberg.

The Austrian army split in two, Charles retreated on Eckmuhl with his fight wing, while his left, under the 55 year old General Johann Hiller, fell back towards Landshut. Nansouty now attached to Marshal Bessi&es' command, the next day pressed the Austrian left as far as Landshut before Lannes' infantry, pounding up behind took over.

On 22 April, Nansouty's division made an eighteen mile diversion to Eckmuhl where Archduke Charles had fallen on Davout's isolated corps. With General Saint Sulpice's in the afternoon, the two heavy cavalry divisions, numbering nearly 7,000 troopers, on a two regiment front, charged the Bettel Berg forming the Austrian centre. Moving at little more than a trot up the slope wave upon wave of French squadrons absorbed the Austrian artillery fire. They overwhelmed the enemy light cavalry before them and fell amongst the Hapsburg guns. There being no reserves, the Austrians broke, and leaving behind twelve pieces began to fall back towards Ratisbon.

With Bessieres engaged chasing Hiller from Landshut, command of the French cavalry as they regathered after Eckmuhl to take up the chase, devolved on Nansouty, who accepted it with relish. The action at Alt Eglotheim, was in reality, a continuation of the battle of Eckmuhl and has generally been rolled up into the events of the day by writers on the campaign. It was significant that it was the first time Nansouty had led the Cavalry Reserve. The action is interesting, in that it showed Nansouty and his handling of the French cavalry again at its best.

The Austrians chose to stem the French advance along a series of low ridges perpendicular to the Eckmuhl-Ratisbon highway at Alt Eglofsheim some ten kilometres up the road. These gentle rises ran in steps from the village to a road block at Hohen Berg, which had earlier been overwhelmed by the pursuing French. In front of the village deployed General Andreas von Schneller with a mixed force of 3,000 light and heavy cavalry to challenge the French pursuit. The cuirassiers made up of the Gottesheim and Kaiser regiments had only been lightly engaged during the day, however the light troops including the Vincent Chevaulegers and Stipsicz Hussars had suffered heavy casualties earlier in the day. To the right of this mass of horsemen stood at least twelve six pound cavalry guns positioned to block the highway while another battery supported the left flank.

At 7.00pm the French pursuit began to debouch before the mounted rearguard. of the Austrian army, ready to make the greatest cavalry charge since Eylau, had Murat committed the Cavalry Reserve. One column defiled from the main road near Hagerstadt while the other advanced along the open terrain to the right of the road.

Nansouty's force totalled some sixty six squadrons with 6,000 sabres. A regiment of his carabiniers flanked by two of cuirassiers formed his first line, with the remainder of his division providing a second, supporting line. These deployed in line, while to their rear Saint Sulpice's division stood in compact columns. German allied light cavalry supported his right, including six fresh, and some twenty weary Bavarian and Wurttemberg squadrons.

The Austrian artillery began to open fire on the French cavalry masses as they completed their battle array. Nansouty's horse gunners returned the fire from the edge of the woods that skirted the battlefield. Then, as the French braced themselves to face a bail of canister before charging home, the Gottesheirn Cuirassiers burst through the gloom and smoke. As they drew within a hundred yards, they didn't notice the more numerous French overlap their line on both flanks. Steeped in a long tradition of mounted-fire action, the French carabiniers halted and aimed their carbines. At forty paces they fired a volley into the faces of the charging Hapsburg troopers. Replacing their carbines, they drew their swords and advanced at the trot. Simultaneously on both flanks the French cuirassiers moved forward in line. The physical pressure exerted on troopers riding knee to knee on giant horses ensured a proper alignment. The supporting second line conformed to the advance.

The Gottesheim regiment, despite being stunned by the volley, closed impetuously. The two lines collided and were brought to a standstill. The Austrian troopers on the outside of their formation soon realised their immediate danger as the French overlapped their flanks. From the formation's outside, single outnumbered Austrians fled. The fear spread inwards as first by twos, and threes, and then by entire groups, the Gottesheim regiment broke to the rear.

The Kaiser cuirassiers close at hand charged into the confused fighting, with the Stipsicz hussars supporting their left flank. The Austrian cuirassiers stabilised the situation along the front while the hussars gained some success when they momentarily closed in on the disordered first rank of French horsemen. Before the Austrians could penetrate the French line, Nansouty's second line joined the melee. The Vincent Chevaulegers holding back, calmly worked their way to a flank position, hoping to take Nansouty's division in the side. Nansouty had prepared for the threat in his initial deployment. The Bavarian and Wijrttemberg light cavalry on his right counter-charged the Vincent Chevauleger leaving the field clear for his heavy cavalry.

Seventy squadrons were engaged in mortal combat as moonlight illuminated the gathering dusk. In the centre, the second line of French cuirassiers drove their huge chargers into the gaps between the smaller Austrian horses. Each French horseman fought secure in the knowledge his sides and rear were protected by friends, while outnumbered the Austrians had to parry from all directions. Turning to confront one opponent, the Austrians left an exposed back to another, and paid the price for only having a front cuirass.

A final charge into the fray by two squadrons of Ferdinand Hussars won a brief respite for most of the Austrian cavalry to break and run. In great confusion they galloped toward Alt Eglofsheim and the safety of the highway to Ratisbon, the fresher Austrian mounts soon outdistanced the blown French horses. The entire action had lasted barely ten minutes and ended before Saint Sulpice's supporting cuirassier division could engage.

Nansouty was engaged in the pursuit of the Austrians down the Danube valley. At Ebelsberg on 3 May, he helped Massena's hard pressed divisions to force the Traun by crossing up river and panicing Hiller into retiring.

Nansouty was present at Aspem-Essling on 21-22 May 1809. He did not arrive on the battlefield till late in the day, around 7.00pm, due to delays caused by breaks in the pontoon over the Danube. At the head of Saint Germain's brigade and several of Saint Sulpice's cuirassier regiments he reinforced Bessieres' cavalry occupying the area between Aspern and Essling. The move enabled the marshal to renew his attacks on Hohenzollern's II Corps, which had brought Lannes' infantry to a halt. The cavalry broke through between the enemy's squares and partially defeated his cavalry before falling back. The action petered out by 8.00pm, but was vital in enabling Napoleon overnight to consolidate his position.

During the battle's second day, the rest of his division joined him and operating under Marechal Bessi&es, Nansouty supported Lannes' attacks that pushed the Austrians back two miles. Then with the bridge over the Danube once more cut, and no chance of reinforcements, Lannes had to fall back. Throughout the day Nansouty's cavalry was ordered forward to break up the counter-attacks by the enemy infantry and disperse their batteries when fire from them became unendurable. His regiments paid a high price, by dusk when they withdrew to the Isle of Lobau they had lost over 1,000 men.

At Wagram on 5-6 July, he was again under Bessieres' orders. It was not till the second day that he came into play as Napoleon tried to conserve his cavalry for the final blow. The plan went awry when Bernadotte abandoned Aderklaa in the early hours. Massena's IV Corps had to retake the village, which it did with Nansouty's cavalry deployed before Sussenbrunn to cover the attacks. Another crisis developed, when news arrived around 10.00am that Klenau's VI Corps had enveloped the French left and had broken into Aspern. Massena at Aderklaa, ready to launch himself against the Austrian centre, was ordered to close the gap.

He had to perform a delicate manoeuvre, first extracting his corps from the line, then march three miles across the enemy's front. It was Nansouty who played the key role by charging all before him and enduring a destructive fire as Massena completed the move. So effective was their fire that only Deftance's carabineer brigade succeeded in reaching the Austrian line. The Guard cavalry under Walther was supposed to support, but orders were either never delivered or understood. For nearly an hour, as Massena completed the manoeuvre, while Nansouty faced the Austrians alone and weathered a bombardment losing 1,200 men before retiring.

When Macdonald's attack on Sussenbrunn broke, to relieve pressure on Massena and the French left, Nansouty moved up once more in support. By driving his cavalry between Kollowrat's and Lichtenstein's corps his charges made little impression. With Macdonald they did however, force Archduke Charles to commit his final reserves, and then soon after, order a retreat. Down to under half their strength, Nansouty's formations were exhausted and could not continue. For him there was no glorious final blow and pursuit. The campaign had shown Nansouty at his best, even though the fighting efficiency of the Imperial armies was on the wane.

On 17 October 1809 Nansouty returned to his functions as Grand Ecuyer and was succeeded in command by General Pierre-Joseph Bruyeres. Nansouty was then named premier inspecteur general des dragoons before being appointed commander of the 2e and 4e divisions des cuirassiers on 19 October 1811.

The Russian Campaign 1812

The build up of forces for the Russian campaign led to several changes in command. At Cologne on 15 January 1812 Nansouty took charge of the 2e division des cuirassiers from General Louis Chretien Carriere de Beaumont. Then on 15 February he became commander of the Grande Armee's I Cavalry Corps forming in Germany. Like most of Napoleon's commanders he looked forward to the campaign and under no illusions that it would be easy he made careful preparations.

By June, his divisions up to strength, he had moved into Poland as part of Murat's Cavalry Reserve. Under him was the 1st Light Cavalry Division commanded by General Bruyere, which included a mixed Polish Prussian brigade. The two cuirassier divisions the 1st and the 5th led by Generals Saint Germain and the veteran General Jean-Baptiste Valence had broken from tradition, instead of the normal four cuirassier regiments with each formation, one had been replaced by a chevauleger regiment. The troops were in magnificent condition, well mounted and trained. In all they numbered 11,700 men with 30 horse guns.

By 24 June he had cleared the Niemen and was pushing forward aggressively towards Vilna and as the enemy withdrew, Bruyere's horsemen entered the city after a brief skirmish on 28 June. The Russians breaking contact, and avoiding a major battle before Vilna, caused Napoleon problems. He broke up Davout's command into three mobile columns, in order to fan out into the interior and interpose themselves between the an- nies of Generals Prince Michael Barclay de Tolly and Peter Bagration bringing them to battle. He supplemented them with cavalry from Grouchy's and Nansouty's formations. Nansouty forming the left column had under him Saint Germain's cuirassiers and General Alexis Morand's infantry division. Saint Sulpice's troops went to Davout while Bruyeres' cavalry was placed directly under Murat.

The arrangement was not a success, Nansouty while under the operational control of Davout, was continually drawn northwards and away from him by the retreating Russians. This then brought him into Murat's area of operations with demands being made on him from that quarter. Coupled with this the weather broke. Insufferably hot and dry weather was followed by five days of non stop rain. The dirt roads turned to mud, supply trains bogged down and men and horses could not be fed. With no feed the horses ate unripe grain and died by their thousands. His men also suffered from the alternating bitter cold and heat. Horseless and exhausted, many men lay down and died, while other succumbed to the fevers that ravage armies on the march. When he reached Borodino his Corps had yet to fight a major battle and was down to barely 4,500 men. Bruyeres' division crossed the Niemen 5,500 strong, but only 1,000 reached Borodino.

On 3 July he encountered elements of Barclay's army under Gener Dmitri Docturov at Svir, but they slipped away. Davout's columns also failed to catch Bagration as the Russian fell back on Minsk. After two weeks the columns were broken up and his divisions eventually rejoined him.

Nansouty's next major action was near Vitebsk on 25 July. Murat, encountering strong opposition at Ostrovno on the banks of the Dvir was convinced the Russian army was preparing to make a stand. To fix the enemy to their position and ensure they did not make off before Napoleon's arrival, he rashly hurled his cavalry at them. Nansouty in particular, was greatly upset in the reckless way in which Bruyere's division was used.

Near Krasnoe on 14 August Murat again drew Nansouty into an ill-advised action against General Neverovski. The Russian, aware of cavalry nearby, had formed his division into a huge marching square, formation that was bristling with bayonets and numbering nearly 8,000 men. Murat decided to attack and was not prepared to wait for horse artillery to weaken the square. Nansouty's formations again more drew the short straw, with Bruyeres' division sent forward. Hurled against the Russians they made little impact and were left with over 500 killed and wounded.

In need of a rest, his troops were present at the capture of Smolensk that followed, but were not actively engaged. Their next action was at Shevardino on 5 September when they supported General Jean Dominique Compans' division, which pushed the Russians from their their strongpoint before Borodino.

At Borodino, Nansouty was positioned in the rear on the French left with the Cavalry Reserve. As the battle progressed, he moved forward in support the assaults after Ney and Davout had driven the Russians from the Bagration Fleches over the Semyonovkaya creek. As he led a charge against the Russians on the heights beyond, a musket ball smashed ini Nansouty's knee.

For the rest of the campaign in Russia he was a mere spectator. Distrusting the ability of any of his subordinates, he insisted on returning to duty before he was well. That only aggravated his wound, and in the end he was carried out of Russia and shipped back to France with convoy of wounded. On his arrival he took the waters of Bourbonne-les-Bains in an attempt in an attempt to ease his recovery.

The 1813 Campaign in Germany

Napoleon, aware that Nansouty was unfit for active service, but mindful of his fine organisational skills, recalled him and on 14 January 1813 gave him the post of Colonel General des Dragons replacing the disgraced General Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers. The Guard Cavalry after lengthy period of rebuilding also needed a new leader after the death of Bessieres in May. On 29 July, this post also went to Nansouty, not without some misgivings since it was felt the command should have gone to someone within the Guard but then there was no one of his experience or stature. His rudeness and sarcasm towards subordinates also worked against him and he was never really accepted by them.

With the highly experienced 52 year old General Frederic-Hen Walther as his deputy, the Guard Cavalry numbered over 8,000 men at the end of the Armistice. Divided into two divisions, Lefebvre-Desnoettes headed the 1st, which included the Polish, Dutch and Berg lancers. The 2nd formed of, the Guard Chasseurs a Cheval, the Empress Dragoons and the Grenadiers a Cheval, under the Emperor's cousin, Philippe-Antoine d'Ornano. Still in France preparing to join the army was the 32 year old Pierre Dejean, son of Napoleon's Minister for Administration of War, with the Guard d'Honneur regiments, which numbered another 5,000 indifferently trained and mounted men.

To his credit Nansouty led the cavalry from the front and was very effective at Dresden on 27 August where it was the heroic efforts of the cavalry that won the day. Murat's cavalry played the dominant role and in pouring rain tore up the Austrian left and netted some 15,000 prisoners. Nansouty on the French left supported Mortier's attacks on the Blasewitz woods followed by a harder struggle around Seidnitz and Gross Dobritz that finally turned the allied right. He did not try any bold enveloping moves, similar to Murat's, since the enemy was much stronger. The poor visibility, and aware that there were some 60 allied squadrons facing him, was sufficient reason for him to err on the side of caution.

At Leipzig on 18 October he led a gallant charge by d'Ornano's and Lefebvre-Desnouettes' squadrons that helped stem the allied advance when a breach occurred after the defection of the Saxons. The action supported by Durutte's infantry division and 20 pieces of horse artillery, forced its way between Bernadotte's Swedes and Bermigsen's army preventing the allies pressing forward for several hours. Then in the evening he crossed the bridges over the Elster and joined Mortier with the rest of the Imperial Guard.

His horsemen helped cover the French retreat from Leipzig and on 30 October, played a key role when Napoleon brushed aside the Bavarian Field Marshal Carl Philipp Wrede's attempt to cut off the French at Hanau. With Michel Letort's Empress Dragoons he supported Drouot's bombardment of the Bavarian left and broke three infantry squares before driving them over the Kinzig river. Wounded in the action Nansouty had to relinquish his command and took no further part in the campaign.

The 1814 Campaign in France

He returned to duty on 10 January 1814 with a heavy heart, believing that France's best hopes lay in peace. On 1 February he was present at La Rothiere where he deployed his Grenadiers a Cheval and 2nd Guard Lancers under General Claude-Etienne Guyot and the dashing and popular General Edouard de Colbert-Chabanais respectively, in two lines behind its horse artillery. Noticing through the clouds of smoke, the Russian guns appeared to be firing high, he seized the advantage and sent Guyot's squadrons to sabre the gunners. Then as the gunners found their range, Nansouty was stopped by a storm of grape, and the sight of enemy horse preparing to counterattack.

The French retired behind their artillery to regroup leaving their guns unmasked. Colbert nearby had just overturned two divisions of Lanskoi's hussars when he in turn was overwhelmed by four regiments of the 23 year old Russian commander Dmitri Sacken's dragoons. The fleeing lancers fled past the French guns who managed to release a salvo before being overcome. The Guard Chasseurs a Cheval in reserve, not prepared for the dramatic turn of events, were unable to intervene, and the Russians made off with twenty-four French guns.

It was not the way the Guard cavalry was expected to behave. Had Sacken advanced with his infantry, he would probably have carried La Rothiere, broken the French centre, and hemmed their right against the Aube inflicting a major defeat. But the fiery Prussian Field Marshal Gerhardt Blucher in command of the Allied army had not seen the cavalry affair due to the snow, and when he heard of it, the opportunity was lost. Nansouty was not so fortunate, and receiving a savage rebuke from the Emperor, unfairly made Guyot the scapecoat who later lost his command.

On 11 February Nansouty fared better at Montmirail, when shortly after midnight with Colbert's lancers he surprised Karpov's Cossacks in their sleep and threw them out of the town. Later in the day he covered Napoleon's right as the battle developed, and then supported Ney's attacks against Sacken's corps before overwhelming numbers of Allied cavalry began to restrict his movements.

He was at the capture of Troyes on 24 February and seized Berry-au-Bac on 6 March before the battle at Craonne the next day. For Nansouty, the battle was a personal disaster. Napoleon planned to keep Blucher's attention pinned by a frontal attack against the Craonne plateau, while Ney, with Nansouty's cavalry in support, would outflank them from the north. The timing went wrong, Ney attacked prematurely and was badly mauled. Nansouty arrived late, and lost many men halting a Prussian counterattack, before Napoleon ordered him forward.

He refused to comply, claiming it was to risk certain death charging the Allied guns on his own. Angry, Napoleon changed the order. Nansouty's subordinates, Colbert and Exelmans were also outraged. They had just overcome some hussars and cossacks and were eager to fall on Blucher's rear. A heated argument followed with the jovial General Belliard trying to defuse the situation. The incident caused a critical delay and allowed the Prussian to start his withdrawal unhindered.

During the battle Nansouty also received a slight leg wounded. The wound was the excuse needed to remove him, yet it was no doubt his lack of zeal at Craonne, caused by war weariness, his outspokenness and sarcasm, that really spelt the end for him. He was replaced by General Horace-Franqois-Bastien Sebastiani de la Porta, officially on grounds of ill-health. On his way to Paris the convoy he was travelling with was attacked near Aisne by Cossacks. He managed to reach the river bank, but as he urged his horse into the water it was shot under him. The supposedly ailing general, swam across the river to safety, still wearing his cavalry boots.

After Napoleon's abdication, Nansouty was one of the first to back the Provisional Government proclaiming Louis XVIII as king, by including his name in a proclamation in Le Moniteur on 7 April. The act from a general who was still a member of the Guard won him few friends, but it secured his future with the Bourbons. He was made aide de camp to comte d'Artois and then on 20 April was appointed to serve a commission with the task to determine the future of the Guard formations. Awarded the title Chevalier de Saint Louis on I June he then became capitaine lieutenant with the King's musketeers on 6 July 1814.

The question whether he would have rallied to Napoleon on the latter's return never arose, as he died suddenly, at his home 53 rue de Lille in Paris on 15 February 1815. Whilst he may not have fared as well under the Bourbons as Napoleon, he had grown to dislike the Emperor and his selfless ambition. There is little likelihood Napoleon would have recalled him on his return had he been alive. Equally, Nansouty a proud man, is unlikely to have accepted any position offered. Probably he would have joined the band of generals that followed the Louis XVIII into exile during the Hundred Days.

Nansouty's widow lived until 16 September 1849 when aged 68 she died at the family home, chateau d'Orain on the Cote d'Or. Their only child, Jean-Charles Champion de Nansouty also had a military career, rising to chef d'escadron with the 3e regiment de chasseurs a cheval during the Restoration. He later sat in the Chamber of Peers. He also died at the chateau d'Orain on 16 January 1865 aged 61. Nansouty's family line came to an end, when his two granddaughters died without issue.

There is little around to recall Nansouty's life. A portrait of him by Llanta is displayed in the Musee Militaire de Bordeaux. The general's name is also inscribed on the east face of the Arc de Triomphe de I'Etoile in Paris.

Personality and Career Assessment

Nansouty went with the Revolution, but as an aristocrat was careful not to compromise himself. The excesses of the Revolution over by 1796, he set about building his career. Very much the nobleman, he retained his aristocratic airs, an example was his appearance on the battlefield, always with his hair powdered and queued. A man of tradition, intelligence, education, and great exactitude, he served France well. His men were always carefully trained and cared for.

Unfortunately the elan and spirit he showed in his early days, passed as the years rolled by. There ceased to be a readiness do the unexpected, nor was he prepared for the all-out blow to save a desperate situation. He did not suffer fools gladly, and was often searingly sarcastic to his hapless subordinates. Even to Napoleon he could be blunt, yet was able to get away with it.

He certainly had a very high opinion of himself, with the result many contemporaries considered him arrogant. The writer Thournas, cites in his work Les Grandes Cavaliers de l'Empire, the occasion when the Emperor censured Nansouty, and he brazenly replied, "It is not Your Majesty at any rate who can teach me how to lead cavalry." The statement may have been correct, but it was not right.

As a traditionalist he was known to take measures to the extreme. By 1809, his division was the only cuirassier formation where mens' hair remained queued. Whilst on leave the cuirassiers petitioned their colonels, who agreed to allow their hair to be cut. Nansouty on his return, outraged, had the colonels arrested. The story goes that higher authority intervened, and the colonels were released, but mysteriously hair didn't grow and queues never reappeared. In Nansouty's defence, he was not alone, many high ranking officers including Bessieres and Lannes had fought long against the abolition of the queue. It was his persistence in allowing such a minor issue to become une cause celebre, that led him to be the subject of many ribald comments in the army.

Towards the end of his career inspirational leadership in Nansouty's case was certainly wanting. He had undoubtedly become disillusioned, cynical and war weary. Had it been he who died at Aspem Essling in 1809, and not Espagne, he would have been remembered as one of the great cavalry leaders of the period, even though a trifle eccentric and sarcastic. Unfortunately his later performances, particularly leading the Guard cavalry, the circumstances surrounding his dismissal and increased cynicism, all tarnished his reputation. In the final balance, until 1814 he was amongst the best. It was the last few weeks of Napoleon's rule that cost his reputation dearly.