François Nicolas Fririon

François Nicolas Fririon
Born 7 February 1766 (1766-02-07)
Died 25 September 1840 (1840-09-26) (aged 74)
Allegiance France France
Service/branch Infantry, Staff
Rank General of Division
Battles/wars Battle of Verona (1799)
Battle of Magnano (1799)
Battle of Hohenlinden (1800)
Battle of Caldiero (1805)
Siege of Stralsund (1807)
Battle of Aspern-Essling (1809)
Battle of Wagram (1809)
Siege of Almeida (1810)
Battle of Bussaco (1810)
Battle of Fuentes de Onoro (1811)
Awards Légion d'Honneur, CC 1804
Other work Baron of the Empire, 1810

François Nicolas Mathus Fririon (7 February 1766 – 25 September 1840) joined the French army and rose through the ranks during the French Revolutionary Wars to become a general officer by 1800. After commanding a brigade with distinction during the War of the Fifth Coalition at Aspern-Essling and Wagram he was promoted and made chief of staff to Marshal André Masséna. He served in this role during Masséna's 1810–1811 invasion of Portugal. His surname is one of the Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe.

Early career

Friron was born on 7 February 1766 in Vandieres in what later became Meurthe department in eastern France. He joined the French Royal Army in 1782 as a volunteer. After the start of the French Revolutionary Wars he was promoted to chef de bataillon (major) in 1794 and adjutant general in 1796. He fought in Switzerland and later in Italy under Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer.[1] He served as chief of staff to Jacques Maurice Hatry at the Battle of Verona on 26 March 1799 and the Battle of Magnano on 5 April.[2] After fighting on the Rhine in 1799, Jean Victor Marie Moreau nominated him for promotion.[1] His promotion to general of brigade came through on 17 July 1800.[3] Subsequently he fought at the Battle of Hohenlinden.[1]

During the peace, he commanded the troops in the Bas-Rhin department. He later fought under Marshal André Masséna in Italy.[1] He served at the Siege of Stralsund which lasted from 15 January to 20 August 1807, when the Swedish garrison abandoned the city. On 25 August he and French naval Captain Montcabrié attacked the fortified island of Dänholm between Stralsund and Rügen. The 1,200-man French force included one battalion of the 30th Light Infantry Regiment, two artillery pieces and crews, and detachments of sappers, miners, and marines of the Imperial Guard. The operation was a success, costing the French only 15 dead and 26 wounded. The 900-man Swedish garrison lost 50 killed, 75 wounded, and 517 captured. Six field pieces and eight heavy cannons also fell into French hands.[4] The following year found him serving under Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte in Denmark. He was present during the mutiny of two Spanish regiments on 31 July 1808, during which his aide was killed. This event preceded the evacuation of the La Romana Division.[5]

In the 1809 war, he led a brigade in Jean Boudet's IV Corps division. The brigade consisted only of two battalions of the 3rd Light Infantry Regiment and began the campaign with 1,545 men.[6] At the Battle of Aspern-Essling, Boudet's division heroically defended Essling for the better part of two days against repeated Austrian attacks. Finally, at 3:00 PM on 22 May the troops were chased out of the village except for the granary where Boudet and some grenadiers held out.[7] During the struggle, Marshal Jean Lannes wrote out a special commendation for Fririon, thanking him and his brigade for valiant fighting.[1] Essling was later retaken by the Imperial Guard, but Lannes was mortally wounded in the fighting.[7] Fririon led his brigade at the Battle of Wagram on 5 and 6 July 1809. The two battalions of the 3rd Light numbered 1,270 men.[8]

With Masséna in Portugal

He was promoted to general of division on 21 July 1809.[3] He soon became chief of staff to Marshal André Masséna, replacing Nicolas Léonard Beker who had angered Emperor Napoleon.[9] He continued in his role as Masséna's chief of staff during the 1810–1811 invasion of Portugal.[10] At the Siege of Almeida Fririon carried an ultimatum to William Cox after the fort's main magazine exploded,[11] killing 600 defenders. Cox surrendered the next day, on 27 August.[12]

The Battle of Bussaco was fought on 27 September 1810.[13] The night before, Fririon recommended that Arthur Wellesley, Viscount Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese army be flanked out of position instead of assaulted directly. Masséna dismissed this idea, saying, "You are of the Army of the Rhine, you like to maneuver; this is the first time that Wellington appears disposed to offer battle. I will profit by the occasion."[14] The attack was a failure with the French suffering 4,479 killed, wounded or captured against only 1,252 Allied casualties.[13] While the French army was before the Lines of Torres Vedras, Fririon urged that the VIII Corps be withdrawn from its exposed position at the village of Sobral.[15]

Fririon died on 25 September 1840.[3] His son published his papers in 1841 as, Journal historique de la campagne de Portugal. The work was critical of Masséna's aide Jean-Jacques Germain Pelet-Clozeau who later wrote a history of the campaign. But unlike others who wrote that Pelet had undue influence over the marshal, Fririon minimized Pelet's role.[16] FRIRION is on the east side of the Arc de Triomphe, on Column 16.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mullié, Francois-Nicolas-Mathus Fririon, baron
  2. ↑ Acerbi (2007), Battle of Magnano
  3. 1 2 3 Broughton, Fririon (François Nicolas)
  4. ↑ Smith (1998), 253-254
  5. ↑ Oman (2010), I, 373
  6. ↑ Bowden & Tarbox (1980), 60
  7. 1 2 Bowden & Tarbox (1980), 79
  8. ↑ Bowden & Tarbox (1980), 147
  9. ↑ Arnold (1995), 133
  10. ↑ Horward (1973), 517
  11. ↑ Horward (1973), 122
  12. ↑ Smith (1998), 345
  13. 1 2 Smith (1998), 346
  14. ↑ Horward (1973), 175
  15. ↑ Horward (1973), 266-267
  16. ↑ Horward (1973), x & 294

Bibliography

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