Sapeurs de la Garde

Although those men picked to perform 'the qaulity of a sapeur' were meant to be chosen on rotation, for the duration of a campaign, it becomes clear from reading their Livrets that the appointment of sapeur was to reward long-service, meritorious soldiers who probably stood little chance of being promoted above corporal. Furthermore, it is abundantly clear these men were career soldiers, serving Revolutionary, Imperial and Royal governments: most of their careers followed a similar - if not the same - trajectory.

 

   Louis Antoine Barault

Was born in Mercy, in the Department of L'yonne 9 September 1773 and entered the army  in the 2e Regiment de Ligne 4 Nivose AnII.

• Promoted Corporal  9 Ventose AnXI
• Admitted into the Guard 30 Floreal An XI
• Sapeur-Grenadier 9 April 1811
• Incorporated in the Corps des Grenadiers de France as Sapeur 1 July 1814
• Incorporated into 1e Regiment des Grenadiers a Pied de la Garde Imperiale from  1 April 1815 to 10 September 1815 (when the Garde Imperiale was disbanded) and entered the 5e Regiment d'Infanterie de la Garde Royale 11 September 1815.

He was nominted as Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur 21 February 1814.

He had been wounded three times by gun-shouts during the passage of the Castel-Franco; wounded  three times by sabre cuts: in the left foot, left shoulder and on the head.

Louis Bellau

Was born 22 March 1777 at St Germain in the Department of Seine et Oise.
He entered the army 1 May 1793 in the 42e de Ligne.

• Admitted into the Garde des Consulls as a Grenadier 4 October 1799.
• Incorporated into the Grenadiers Royaux de France 29 August 1814
• Sapuer 1e Regiment Grenadiers a Pied de la Garde Imperiale 1 April 1815
• Engaged as a volunteer in the 2e Regiment d'Infanterie de la Garde Royale 12 November 1815.

 Alexandre Pierre Coffin

Was born 10 May 1776 in the Department of the Seine. He entered the army as a Fusilier in the 31e de Ligne 19 April 1794.

• Passed into the 9e de Ligne (no date recorded)
• Admitted into the Grenadiers a Pied de la Garde Imperiale 29 July 1806
• Incorporated as Sapeur with the rank of Corporal into the Grenadiers Royaux de France 1 July 1814
• Incorporated into the 1e Regiment Grenadiers a Pied de la Garde Imperiale 1 April 1815
• Incorporated to the 5e Regiment d'Infanterie de la Garde Royale in the quality of Sergent-Sapeur 16 October 1815.

Nominated Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur 28 November 1813.

Pierre Jean Deres

Was born 30 September 1772 in the Department of the Rhone. He had a very varied military career!

• Entered the army in a battalion of volunteers 27 September 1794.
• Transferred to the 8e Regiment des Dragons 12 June 1796.
• Transferred to the 21e Legere 4 Floreal AnVI
• Admitted into 1e Regiment Grenadiers a Pied de la Garde Imperiale 2 April 1813
• Appointed Sapeur 1e Regiment Grenadiers a Pied 16 April 1813.
• Incorporated into the Grenadiers Royaux de France as Caporal-Sapeur 1 July 1814.
• Incorporated into the Grenadiers de la Garde Imperiale 1 April 1815.  
• Dismissed from the army 10 September 1815 (with the disbanding of the Imperial Guard).  

Gerard Gastal

Born in Lyon, 1 February 1766. He entered the army in a battalion of volunteers in 1794.

• Promoted Corporal 8 December 1803.
• Admitted into  1e Grenadiers de la Garde Imperiale as Sapeur, 1 February 1814.
• Incorporated into the Grenadiers Royaux de France as Sapeur 1 July 1814.
• Incorporated into the 1e Regiment Grenadiers a Pied de la Garde Imperiale 1 April 1815. 
• Passed as Sergent into the Legion of Garonne, 27 September 1815.       

 Cousin Hennebert
He was the legal son of   Andre and Marie Laurence Sibon, born on 1 April 1773 in Boussiere in the Department du Nord.

• Entered the army  4 Nivose AnIV in 48e de Ligne as a Grenadier.
•  Admitted into the Grenadiers de la Garde 25 Nivose AnX.
• Appointed Sapeur 1 April 1807.
• Incorporated into the Grenadiers Royaux de France 1 July 1814.
• Incorporated into the 1e Grenadiers de la Garde Imperiale 1 April 1815.
• Left the army 10 Septmber 1815.

Awarded Legion d'Honneur 30 April 1815.

Francois Lemaire

Francois Lemaire was born 19 March 1774 in the Department of the Seine and entered the army as a volunteer 14 March 1791.

• Passed into the 54e de Ligne 12 June 1796.
• Appointed Corporal-Tambour (54e de Ligne) 30 April 1794 (sic).
• Passed as Sergent 22e de Ligne October 1798.
• Admitted to the 1e Regiment Greandiers a Pied de le Garde 19 July 1806.
• Appointed Sapeur 18 September 1806.
• Incorporated into Grenadiers Royaux de France 1 July 1814.
• Incorporated into 1e Regiment Grenadiers a Pied de la Garde Imperiale 1 April 1815.
• Incorporated into 5e Regiment d'Infanterie de la Garde Royale 6 November 1815.
• Promoted Sergent-Sapeur, Garde Royale, 11 June 1818.

Nominated Chevalier Legion d'Honneur 21 November 1814.         
   

Louis Mallet

Louis Mallet was born 1 April 1772 in Fontonay le Compte [?] in the Department of  the Seine et Oise. He was the legal son of Jian [?] Mallet and Marie Hernault. He had a glittering early militry career:

• Entered the army as a volunteer into the 83e de Ligne 10 January 1791.
• Promoted Caporal 5 March 1793.
• Promoted Fourier 1793.
• Promoted Sergent 1794.
• Promoted Sergent-Major 1794.
• Admitted as a Grenadier, Grenadiers de la Garde 25 Nivose AnV.
• Promoted Corporal 1March 1812.
• Promoted Sergent 13 April 1813.
• Incorporated into the Grenadiers Royaux de France 1 July 1814.
• Incorparated as Sergent-Sapeur into  1e Grenadiers a Pied de la Garde Imperiale 1 April 1815.
• Dismissed from the army 10 September 1815.