Spotlight on
L'incomparable 9e Leger

Mathieu Labassee (1764-1835)

by Terry Crowdy and Martin Lancaster,
Illustrations by Terri Julians
Photos by kind permission of 9è Légèr and Mëck Hoffmann

Born at Saint-Fargeau (Yonne) the son of a lieutenant in the volunteers de Clermont. Instead of attending military school, Labassée was sent away to sea at the age of 11 years old. Serving on a succession of Frigates and acting as a 'Corsair' Labassée saw action in America, Gibraltar and the Channel Islands. By his twentieth birthday he had been shot in the knee, body and neck as well as receiving several sabre blows to the face and hands in a boarding operation. He transferred to the Chasseurs des Cévennes on the 24.09.1784. His capitaine had been a lieutenant with his father during the 7YW. Made capitaine (4.5.92) then chef de bataillon after the treachery of Dumouriez (6.5.93) Labassée was wounded in the shoulder at Hondschoote (8.9.93). Chef de brigade (11.01.1800) served with distinction at Marengo. Général de Brigade 09.09.03). A baron de l'Empire (20.08.09) Labassée was unwilling to serve the Bourbons, Labassée quit the army in 1815. An excellent, hard, dedicated officer, Labassée was once described as having, what the inspector politely referred to as a 'rare frankness.'

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