Charles Nicolas Fabvier - Career Under Napoleon

Career Under Napoleon

He was born at Pont-à-Mousson in Meurthe and was a student at the École Polytechnique before joining the 1st Artillery Regiment in Napoleon’s army in Germany in 1804. He participated in the 1805 Ulm Campaign, and was wounded in the battle of Dürenstein. In 1807, he was part of the French military mission to the Ottoman Sultan Selim III, tasked with shoring up the defences of Constantinople. Fabvier then managed to join the diplomatic mission of General Charles Mathieu Gardanne, Napoleon's envoy to Persia, who tried to combat British and Russian influence in the region. Fabvier was tasked with creating an artillery school and arsenal at Esfahān, and was awarded the newly constituted Order of the Lion and the Sun for his efforts.

In 1809, he returned to Europe via Russia, and served for a while as a volunteer in the Polish army of the Duchy of Warsaw. Arriving at Vienna, he was named captain in the French Imperial Guard. He served as aide-de-camp of Marshal Auguste de Marmont in Spain, and was sent by him to Russia to inform Napoleon on the Battle of Salamanca. He arrived at Napoleon's headquarters on 6 September 1812, the eve of the Battle of Borodino. Fabvier was gravely wounded in this battle, leading the charge during the final assault on the Russian fortifications. Napoleon rewarded him by naming him artillery major in the VI Corps under Marshal Ney. He distinguished himself further during the operations of the War of the Sixth Coalition in Germany, and was raised to colonel of the General Staff and made baron de l'Empire. He participated in the retreat into France, and on 31 March 1814, on behalf of Marshals Marmont and Mortier, he signed the surrender of Paris to the Coalition armies.

During the Hundred Days, he joined the frontier defence forces as a volunteer.