General Louis Léger Boyeldieu
Born: August 13, 1774
Died: August 17, 1815
Place of Birth: Monsures, Somme
Cause of Death: Wounds never fully healed
| Battle | Unit | Rank |
| Battle of the Pyramids | Capitaine | Division Desaix |
| Heilsberg | Colonel | |
| Aspern-Essling | Colonel | IV Corps (Masséna) - 2nd Division (Carra St. Cyr) - 2nd Brigade |
| Wagram | Colonel | IV Corps (Masséna) - 2nd Division (Carra St. Cyr) - 2nd Brigade |
| Dresden | Général de brigade | Young Guard - 2nd Division - 3rd Brigade |
Boyeldieu's military career began when he became a sous-lieutenant of the 3rd Batallion of Volunteers of the Somme in 1791. Over the next three years he served with the Army of the North, becoming a lieutenant in 1792 and a captain in 1794. From 1794 to 1796 he served with the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, joining the 61st Infantry Regiment in June of 1796. 1797 was spent with the Army of Italy, and in 1798 he left France for Egypt with the Army of the Orient.
By July of 1798 Boyeldieu was serving in Desaix's division, and fought at the Battle of the Pyramids. Serving in Upper Egypt and the Delta, he fought at and was wounded at the siege of Abukir the following year. In 1801, Boyeldieu was serving under Friant when he was hit in the neck by a shot in the fighting around Lake Madieh. A month later, the commander in Egypt, General Menou, promoted him to chef de batallion.
After returning to France, Boyeldieu served with the Army of the Coasts of the Ocean, and was named a member of the Legion of Honor in June of 1804. Another honor soon followed, as he was appointed a chef de batallion in the Grenadiers à Pied of the Guard in September of 1805. After serving in Austria, he was appointed colonel of the 4th Infantry Regiment of the line in March of 1806, and later served under Generals Vandamme and Leval. Fighting at Bergfried in early 1807, Boyeldieu was wounded by a shot to the left buttock but was well enough to return to duty by the battle of Heilsberg. Unfortunately for Boyeldieu, he was wounded in that battle, this time taking canister shot to his left shoulder. A month later he was made a Commander of the Legion of Honor, and the next year he received another honor, being made a Baron of the Empire.
1809 saw Boyeldieu serving in Germany with Dalesme's 2nd Brigade of Carra St. Cyr's division. With this unit, he fought at Aspern-Essling and then in the culmination of the campaign at Wagram was wounded by a shot to the left thigh and taken prisoner. Fortunately for Boyeldieu, he was released a month later.
In July of 1811 he was promoted to general de brigade, and the next year Boyeldieu served in the Russian campaign. While in Russia, he commanded the 1st Brigade of Roguet's 2nd Division of Marshal Mortier's Young Guard. He received another honor in April of 1813, being appointed a Knight of the Iron Crown. Taking part in the campaigns of Germany, Boyeldieu again served with the Young Guard, this time as commander of the 3rd Brigade of Barrois' 2nd Division. At the Battle of Dresden, Boyeldieu was wounded in his left shoulder again, this time by a single shot. His contributions did not go unnoticed though, and a few weeks later he was promoted to general de division. Unfortunately, his wounds were beginning to catch up with him, and at the end of September of 1813, he was placed on leave to recover.
After the Emperor's abdication, he was placed on non-activity. With Napoleon's return to power, General Boyeldieu was appointed as the commander of Toulon, but he did not accept the position, citing ill health from his many wounds. Boyeldieu's many wounds finally caught up with him shortly after Napoleon's second abdication, as he died in August of 1815 from complications of his wounds.
Sources: Six (Dictionnaire Biographique)