General Gérard-Christophe-Michel Duroc
Born: August 25, 1772
Died: May 23, 1813
Place of Birth: Pont-à-Mousson, Meurthe-et-Moselle
Cause of Death: Mortally wounded
| Battle | Unit | Rank |
| Jaffa | Chef de bataillon | |
| Acre | Colonel | |
| Marengo | Colonel | |
| Austerlitz | Général de division | 1st Grenadier Division |
| Aspern-Essling | Général de division | La Grande Armée - Staff |
| Wagram | Général de division | La Grande Armée - Staff |
| Lützen | Général de division | La Grande Armée - Staff |
| Bautzen | Général de division | La Grande Armée - Staff |
Duroc is considered to be one of the few true friends of Napoleon. Due to his noble birth, he at first emigrated, but then shortly thereafter returned to France to help with the campaigns. He met Napoleon Bonaparte and became his aide-de-camp, acommpanying him throughout the Italian campaigns and the Egyptian campaign.
In 1805 Duroc was made Grand Marshal of the Palace, placing him in command of the Imperial household and making him the Emperor's senior aide-de-camp. Upon his death, Caulaincourt temporarily took up the position until Bertrand was appointed to it.
At the Battle of Bautzen, Duroc had a presentiment of his death that morning, and arranged for his family to be taken care of. Later in the day a cannonball ricocheted off a tree, then hit and instantly killed General Kirgener, then ricocheted again and hit Duroc in the stomach, ripping open his abdomen and spilling his guts out. Carried to a house, he lay there dying as his friend Dr. Larrey was summoned, but the wound was too bad for Larrey to do anything. The Emperor visited Duroc and was visibly upset by his condition, with both of them knowing he stood no chance of survival. When General Drouot, also quite upset, asked the Emperor for orders, Napoleon was so upset that he refused to give orders. At Duroc's death, Napoleon wept, and then purchased the house in which Duroc had died and paid for a monument to be built to commerate his friend.
Sources: Chandler (Dictionary), Constant (Memoirs), Haythornthwaite (Who Was Who), Richardson (Larrey), Six (Dictionnaire Biographique)
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