Nicolas jean de dieu soult biography examples

By Nathan D. Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult was one of the many young soldiers who rose from obscurity to high command and proved himself a talented commander. Originally he wanted to open his own bakery, but when his father, a notary, died when Soult was 16, he enlisted in the Royal Infantry Regiment. Promoted to sergeant in , his military training was in demand at the start of when he was sent as drill instructor to the 1st Battalion of Haut-Rhin.

Six months later, he was promoted to sous-lieutenant. Soult's first major battle came in March of when he fought at Ueberfelsheim. Later that year he was promoted to captain and fought at Bodenthal and Saverne before requesting to join the staff of the Army of Moselle. His request was granted and he was attached to the headquarters of Taponier's division.

Fulfilling whatever needs were required, he frequently undertook special missions and fought at Niederbronn.

Soult meaning

The next January, Soult was given the position of chief of staff of the advance guard division under Lefebvre of the Army of the Moselle. Less than two weeks later, he received a promotion to chef de bataillon. That spring his division joined the Army of the Sambre and Meuse and he received a promotion to chef de brigade. In June Soult served at the Battle of Fleurus where he had five horses shot out from under him.

Soult's brigade spent the next months securing Belgium and Luxembourg, and took part in the siege of Luxembourg. In April of , Soult married Louise Berg of Solingen, whom he had met when quartered at her mother's house.