Claude Testot-Ferry - Life - Military Career

Military Career

In 1789, he signed on as a volunteer in the 10e régiment de chasseur à cheval. In 1791 Mesdames Victoire and Adélaïdes de France, daughters of Louis XV (and thus aunts of Louis XVI), passed Arnay-le-Duc on their way to Italy and the town's inhabitants turned out to protest against their emigration and imprisoned and insulted them in a very confined space for eleven days. Claude Testot-Ferry, then a sous-officier in the 10e Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval and dressed his uniform, climbed on a wall and greeted them in an ostensibly respectful and courteous manner. This courageous act was admired by the crowd; the "prisoners" were won over by this young man and offered him an audience to propose he accompany them on their trip.

It was with the 10e régiment de chasseur à cheval that he distinguished himself at the Battle of Valmy in 1792 and participated in the Italian campaign of 1795. In 1797, he became a Sous-lieutenant, under the orders of general Masséna and until 1800 served in the Armée du Rhin.

In 1803, he left for Russia as a young lieutenant with his friend Colonel Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais on a diplomatic mission. On Colbert-Chabanais's recommendation, he became a captain and aide de camp of general Marmont, whose career he followed as far as Spain and then again from the Restoration. Testot-Ferry and Marmont became great friends and were buried in the same cemetery, the cimetière Saint-Vorles in Châtillon-sur-Seine. In 1805, Testot-Ferry distinguished himself at the battle of Reifling(Austria), where he captured a whole Austrian battalion (450 soldiers and 19 officers). In 1807, he fought at the battle of Castel Nuovo (Albania)

On 3 March 1808, having strongly impressed Napoleon on their first meeting, Napoleon personally named Claude Testot-Ferry chef d'escadron, and he set out to join the 13e Cuirassiers for the Peninsular War. In that campaign he recovered general Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais's body shortly after his death, and distinguished himself at the siege of Saragossa.

In 1811 Napoleon summoned him to join the regiment of dragoons in the Imperial Guard, known as the "Empress's Dragoons", at the rank of major. In 1813, he was put in command of the 3rd squadron of the Old Guard at the battle of Leipzig, then the 2nd squadron at the battle of Hanau. At Hanau he received 22 sabre and lance cuts before safely reaching the rear to have his wounds treated. On this campaign he was promoted to colonel, then Colonel-Major in 1813, and took command of the 1er Régiment des Eclaireurs de la Garde Impériale, with whom he served throughout the campaign in France in 1814. (The dolman worn by him as a colonel-major in the 1er régiment des éclaireurs is now held at the musée de l'Armée in the château de l'Empéri at Salon de Provence, as part of the famous Raoul & Jean Brunon collection).

His deeds at Craonne are accounted his bravest. In effect, the regiment he was commanding was charged with clearing the plateaus of the Russian batteries located on the heights. Unfortunately, the cavalry found itself entirely routed by the Russian infantry but Testot-Ferry, saving the situation, reorganised his troops and led another charge within sight of Marshal Ney and Napoleon. This charge succeeded in clearing away the Russian batteries and Testot-Ferry was made a baron by Napoleon on the field of battle. However, he was taken prisoner two weeks later at the battle of Arcis-sur-Aube but succeeded in escaping and rejoined his regiment at Sens. During the Hundred Days, Colonel Testot-Ferry was made first aide de camp of Marshal Marmont and in March 1815 escorted king Louis XVIII as far as the frontier on his way to exile in Ghent. Following Marmont's tracks, in 1817 he participated in the organisation of the Garde Royale and the king made him Colonel in the Corps Royal d'État-Major.

In 1826, under Charles X, he retired at the rank of Maréchal de Camp (equivalent of Général de Brigade). Aged around 70, he was one of only two officers of the army of the First Empire ever to be photographed, in a daguerréotype, since the end of his life coincided with Daguerre's invention of this format in 1835.