Born on the island of San Domingo, in Jérémie (now in Haiti), on 25 March 1762.
Bastard son of
Antoine-Alexandre Davy, marquis de la Pailleterie, chevalier de Saint-Louis,
extra-ordinary commissary with the artillery, and a negress, Marie-Césette Dumas.
A son of Thomas-Alexandre
would become the famous novelist. Johnson writes about him: “In addition to
being a first-class soldier and a staunch Republican, Dumas was possibly the
strongest man in the French army. One of his favourite tricks was to place four
infantry muskets on the floor, insert one finger into each barrel, and raise
them simultaneously to shoulder height; in the riding school he liked to stand
up in the stirrups, take hold of an overhead beam, and lift himself and his
horse bodily off the ground. On one occasion, having seen a soldier commit some
breach of discipline, Dumas rode up to him, grasped him by the collar, and
without even bothering to put the man across his saddlebow galloped off with
him to the nearest police post.”
2
Herold says the same and adds: “Once, in Austria, when some infantrymen were
unable to scale a palisade, the general simply picked them up and threw them
across it one by one, thus putting the terrified Austrians to rout.” His
assessment of Dumas is “a veritable one-man army but not a good General.”
4
Dumas entered service on 2 June 1786, as a dragoon in the 5th Régiment
Dragons “la Reine.” When the French Revolution started he was a Brigadier,
serving in Dumouriez’ army. Stationed at Camp Maulde, on 11 August 1792,
on his own he captured twelve Tyrolean Jaeger. Dumouriez promoted him to
maréchal-de-logis, some time later to Lieutenant with the hussars, and was
promoted to higher ranks, distinguishing himself all the time.
After a while Dumas was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the “Légion
Franche de Cavalerie des Américains et du Midi.” On a certain day in
1793 he was ordered to occupy an outpost with one of his squadrons at
Mouviau, in the vicinity of Lille. During this stay he attacked a Dutch
outpost of 42 men with fourteen of his own, and killed six of them and
took sixteen prisoners. For this feat of arms Dumas was promoted to
Général de Brigade (30 July 1793). In this rank he was charged with
the defense of Pont-a-Marque in order to keep open communications between
Douay and Lille, and again distinguished himself in such a way that he was
nominated for Général de Division (3 September 1793). On 9 September the
convention approved his promotion, and ordered him to take over a command
in the ‘Armée des Pyrénées-Orientales’, which command became vacant by
the death of Général Delbecq.
However, Dumas would never make it to that army proper. He was transferred
to the Alpes to take over command of the ‘Armée des Alpes’, at the age of
31. One of his first acts was to ‘invite his staff officers to strip of
their gold and silver rank badges, which in his view smacked of luxury
and corruption, and replace them with items made of wool.’
2
He led on
23 April 1794 the attack on the Piemontese defences on the mountain
St.-Bernard after marching for two days through heavy snowfall, capturing
all redoubts, and following up this victory by attacking three
Piemontese-held redoubts at Mont-Valérien. Taking these, the guns were
turned on their former owners, who were compelled to evacuate the chapel
of the Saint-Bernard also. The French took five guns beside mortars,
thirty mountain guns, 200 muskets, and capturing 200 prisoners. In this
way Dumas secured this access into France.
Following up his previous successes, Dumas planned to throw the Piemontese
out of their defences at Mont Cénis. In a daring night attack on 11 May,
but not after heavy fighting, Fort Miraboue was taken. At the same moment,
Dumas took a column of 3,000 men to the rich valleys of Bordonnach and
Césanne, and established himself at Coulx. Then the attack on Mont Cénis
was executed. The charge was led by the Division Bagdelaune, who advanced
impetuously, in spite of the heavy fire by the Piemontese. The left column
took Rivetz, while the right column turned the Piemontese line, who took
flight. The French advanced as far as the towns Ferriéres and Novarre,
capturing many muskets and much ammunition, and taking 38 guns and mortars,
all the baggage and 1,700 prisoners.
On 21 July 1794, Dumas was appointed to Général en Chef of the
‘Armée de l’Ouest’, and had to fight battles in the Vendée that brought
glory to no-one. However, Dumas did what he could to enlarge and maintain
discipline, and to do justice to anyone. Later he also served in the
province Bouillon to quell the insurrection there.
After this, Dumas was send to the ‘Armée du Rhin’ (General Pichegru),
commanding the right wing of the army. During 1795 he was again sent to
the ‘Armée des Alpes’ to serve under Kellermann. During 1796, he was sent
to Italy to serve under Napoleon Bonaparte, leading the 2nd Cavalry
Division. He commanded a Division taking part in the siege of Mantua. His
active participation in the siege and the interception of important messages
brought him to the notice and he received praise from Napoleon himself.
When on 16 February 1797 the Austrians under Provera tried to enter Mantua,
Dumas vigourously counterattacked near San-Antonio and managed to capture
800 men and two guns.
Before Mantua, again Johnson tells: “Berthier had infuriated Dumas by
reporting that he had remained ‘in observation’ when Wurmser had made
his final attempt to break out of Mantua. Having first got nine officers
of the 20th Dragoons to certify in writing that he had one horse killed
under him on the day in question, and another one buried by a shell, Dumas
wrote to Bonaparte to express the hope that the author of the report would
now ‘make caca in his breeches’”.
2
After Mantua had capitulated, Dumas was send to the defile of Borgo. Then
Napoleon dispatched him to Tyrol leading a cavalry Division, to reinforce
the French there. Commanding the French force was General Joubert, who
put so much trust in Dumas that he gave him command of the advance guard.
On 22 March 1797 the Austrians were defeated at Neumarkt, and scattered.
Dumas and General Belliard were ordered to pursue the Austrians that were
retreating to Tramin with the 5th and 8th Dragoon Regiment and the 85e
Ligne. At Saint-Valentin the Austrians tried to make a stand and managed
to hold again against repeated attacks by General Belliard with the 85e
Ligne, until they were taken in the flank by Dumas at the head of his cavalry.
Driven from the battlefield by an all out attack led by Dumas and Belliard,
the Austrian lost their bagage, two guns and 600 prisoners. Returning to
Joubert at Brixen, Dumas led again the pursuit at the head of his cavalry
on the following day.
On 25 March coming to grips with Austrian cavalry near Botzen, the French
were temporarily driven back by overwhelming numbers. Dumas killed a number
of Austrians in close combat, receiving two slight sabre wounds. Then he
blocked for some minutes, standing on his own on a bridge, the advance of
a complete squadron, before he was reinforced by his own troops. In his
report to Napoleon Joubert wrote: “Especially the conduct of General Dumas
was outstanding. Three times he charged at the head of his cavalry, and with
his own hand he killed many of the enemy. His valour has contributed much to
the success of today’s actions. He received two light sabre cuts, when he held
back the Austrian cavalry, standing on his own on a bridge.” Driving the
Austrians from one position after another, all natural fortresses, Dumas also
took the village Klausen leading the attack of the 5th Dragoons and the
carabiniers (light infantry).
Arriving before the defile of Innsbrück on 27 March, defended by an Austrian
battalion, three guns and Tyrolean inhabitants, General Belliard forced the
defile, after which Dumas charged through it in hot pursuit, losing a horse
that was shot dead under him. The Austrians lost 600 men, two guns, three
caissons, some wagons and twenty dragoon horses. Dumas lost his pistols
during this combat, but they were replaced by Napoleon with some superb
others. However, his original pistols were returned by the Austrian General
Baron de Kerpen, accompanied by a honorary letter about Dumas’ valour.
Advancing further then Innsbrück was very hazardous for the French because of
the kind of terrain and the activities of the inhabitants. Therefore, by
order of Napoleon Dumas was given command over two Divisions counting 5,000
men at Brixen to hold the Austrians in check, while Joubert returned to Italy
with the remainder of the French. Campo-Formio made an end to hostilities.
Returning to France Dumas received much praise from Napoleon for his conduct,
and therefore not surprisingly would accompany him to Egypt.
3
Dumas accompanied Napoleon in the expedition to Egypt. The cavalry was divided
into four brigades (commanded by Leclerc, Murat, Mireur and Davout), under
overall command of Dumas. When the French reached Egypt in July 1798, Dumas
went ashore without waiting for his cavalry, borrowed a musket, and set off
into the interior with the advance guard of the 4e Légère.
2
Dumas took part
in the battle of the Pyramids. When the insurrection of Cairo took place,
according to some it was Dumas who led the counterattack at the head of the
French that restored French control. However, Dumas was very critical of
Napoleon and it nearly came to mutiny. While Napoleon was preparing his Syrian
campaign, Dumas told him that he was very ill because of the climate. Napoleon
is stated to have said: “I can easily replace him with a brigadier”, and let
him go.
4
Dumas’ passage back to France was terrible. The ship he was on was leaking and
in order not to sink nine Arabian horses and ten guns were thrown overboard.
The ship managed to reach Tarente and the captain asked for help, but instead
the passengers and crew were captured, and Dumas was held prisoner in very
horrible circumstances. At last returning in France, Dumas received no active
posting in the new French army, and was finally dismissed by the consuls.
Sources:
Babié, F. & Beaumont, L., “Galerie Militaire ou Notices Historiques sur les Généraux en Chef, Généraux de Division, etc….” (Paris An VIII) Tome 3e
Johnson, David, “The French Cavalry 1792-1815” (London 1989)
