General Jean-Marie-Pierre-François Lepaige Dorsenne

Born: April 30, 1773

Died: July 24, 1812

Place of Birth: Ardres, Pas-de-Calais

Cause of Death: Wounds never fully healed

Battle	Unit	Rank
Battle of the Pyramids	Colonel	Division Desaix
Austerlitz	Colonel	Imperial Guard - Grenadiers à Pied
Eylau	Général de brigade	Old Guard - Grenadiers à Pied
Aspern-Essling	Général de brigade	Imperial Guard - Grenadiers et Chassuers à Pied
Wagram	Général de division	Old Guard - 2nd Infantry Division

Dorsenne was known for his strict discipline and excellent attention to detail, hence he was well-suited for his position in the Imperial Guard and helped make it the most disciplined unit in the army. He was very proud of his Guard soldiers, and so sure was he of their discipline that he once remarked, "If I had a van full of gold, I would put it in a barrack room of my grenadiers, as it would be more safe there than in a vault."

While a considerable number of officers showed remarkable sang froid under fire, Dorsenne was unique among them for being the only one who would completely turn his back on the enemy fire, inspiring and giving orders to his men without one glance as to what was going on behind him.

Dorsenne's wife accompanied him to Spain, but refused to travel at a walking pace, forcing her escort of soldiers to run alongside the carriage to keep up with her. Many soldiers of her escort were hospitalized due to this.

At the Battle of Aspern-Essling, as his men were cut down and the dirt kicked up by the artillery rained down upon him, Dorsenne held his ground and told his men, "Your general is not hurt. You may count on him, he will know how to die at his post." Dorsenne was later wounded in the head at this battle, and while he was able to return to service, he never fully recovered. In 1812 he had an operation to treat this wound, but died from complications of the surgery.

Sources: Blaze (Military Life), Coignet (Note-Books), Elting (Swords Around a Throne), Six (Dictionnaire Biographique)