Timeline of The First Empire

 

9-10 November 1799     Coup de Brumaire. Napoleon and Sieyes overthrow the Directory and form the                                                   three-person consulate. Sieyes and Ducos are appointed as the other two consuls


12 December 1799         Constitution of Year VIII. Napoleon is appointed First Consul


15-23 May 1800              Napoleon leads his army across the Alps in the Second Italian Campaign


14 June 1800                   Napoleon's army defeats the Austrian army at Marengo, for Russia by 1799 had                                                removed itself from the Second Coalition: End of the Second Italian Campaign


5 March 1801                  Colonel Claude-Antoine-Hippolyte Preval given command of the 3eme Cavalerie

 
1802                                  Regiment assigned to the garrison in Paris


25 March 1802               Treaty of Amiens signed with the British. This treaty was essentially a pact in                                                       which British and French forces agreed not to fight. With Austria defeated, a                                                       peace signed with the British, and Russia's withdrawal from the Second Coalition,                                             for the first time in 10 years, Europe was at peace.


2 August 1802                 Napoleon named Consul for Life through a plebiscite


12 October 1802             The 3eme Cavalerie becomes the 3eme Cuirassiers


December 1803               The 3eme receives cuirasses/casques


2 December 1804           Napoleon was crowned Emperor of the French


9 August 1805                 Third Coalition is formed. Austria joins British and Russian Alliance 


25 August 1805               The Grande Armee leaves Boulogne for Germany


2 December 1805            Battle of Austerlitz. The regiment makes numerous charges again enemy                                                            batteries. From a strength of 333 men, it has 44 killed and 27 wounded

 
26 December1805           Napoleon signs the Treaty of Pressburg with Austria

 
July 1806                          Formation of Fourth Coalition led by Prussia, Russia, and Britain

 
25 September 1806        Prussian army invades the Confederation of the Rhine


14 October 1806             Battles of Jena and Auerstadt


31 December 1806         Colonel Preval promoted to General de Brigade; Jean-Louis Richter becomes                                                     colonel


9 June 1807                     Battle of Guttstadt

 
10 June 1807                   Battle of Heilsberg


14 June 1807                   Battle of Friedland


7-9 July 1807                   Treaty of Tilsit between France, Russia, and Prussia


6 April 1809                      Fifth Coalition formed by Britain, Austria, and rebel Spain, after Austria declares a                                             “War of Liberation.” 3eme numbers 602 men in 4 squadrons.

 
5-6 July 1809                   Battle of Wagram

 
14 October 1809             Treaty of Schonbrunn between France and Austria


15 December 1809         Napoleon divorces Josephine because she does not give him a male heir

 
1 April 1810                      Napoleon marries Marie-Louise of Austria

 
20 March 1811                Birth of Napoleon II, referred to as the king of Rome


1811                                  Charles-Eugene-Lalaing D'Audenarde becomes Colonel


30 May 1812                    Sixth Coalition formed by Russia and Sweden with support from Britain and rebel                                             Spain


24-25 June 1812             The Grande Armee crosses the Niemen river, beginning the Russian campaign.                                                 The 3eme strength is 34 officers and 830 men.


7 September 1812          Battle of La Moskowa. The regiment took part in this battle where one hundred                                                   and twenty squadrons, during a fantastic charge, crushed the cavalry of the                                                       Russian Imperial Guard.

 
14 September 1812        Napoleon's Grand Armee enters Moscow

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19 October 1812             French begin retreat from Moscow


14 December 1812         French cross the Niemen River, leaving Russia


19 December 1812         Napoleon, after placing his army under the command of Murat in early                                                                 December, reaches Paris.

 
1813                                  Jean-Guillaume Lacroix becomes Colonel

26 February 1813            Treaty of Kalisch between Prussia and Russia in which Russia commits to assist                                             Prussia regain the territory lost in the Treaty of Tilsit (1806)

 
16 March 1813                Prussia declares war on France, leading to two battles of Prusso-Russian forces                                               against French forces, namely the Battle of Lutzen and Bautzen, both in May of                                                 1813


16-19 October 1813        Battle of Leipzig: Austrian, Prussian, Russian, Swedish, and Bohemian forces                                                     defeat Napoleon's Grande Armee in this town in Saxony


Oct-Nov 1813                   Collapse of the Confederation of the Rhine

 
November 1813               Metternich offers Napoleon the 'Frankfurt Proposals,' a provision which gave                                                     Napoleon the opportunity to surrender and remain 'Emperor of France.' Napoleon                                             soon refuses this deal
 

January-March 1814      Campaign of France. Allied army enters France


1 January 1814                As part of the 3eme Provisionary Cavalry Regiment, it defends the fords and                                                      passages of the Saar. It remained in the rear throughout the withdrawal of the                                                    army to France. Reformed in the Versailles region, it takes part in the guarding of                                              the Aube and Seine passages.


10 February 1814            Battle of Champaubert. In contact with the Russian vanguard, the regiment                                                         charged with impetuosity, put it to flight and took its leader prisoner.


9 March 1814                  Treaty of Chaumont-the four powers that defeated Napoleon (Britain, Austria,                                                     Prussia, Russia) all agreed to ally for 20 years, promising to fight together to stop                                               France if it ever got too powerful again

 
31 March 1814                French Marshals Marmont and Mortier surrender Paris to the Allies


2-3 April 1814                  The Senate and the Legislative Body proclaim the deposition of Napoleon


6 April 1814                      Napoleon abdicates in favor of his son, and, according to the Treaty of                                                                 Fontainebleau, agrees to go into exile on the island of Elba, where he will receive a                                             stipend of 2 million francs a year (which was never paid) and he could keep the                                                 title Emperor


11 April 1814                   Napoleon abdicates unconditionally


1 May 1814                      Treaty of Paris-Louis XVIII proclaimed king of France, and France reverts to her                                                   1792 borders


4 May 1814                      Napoleon begins his exile on Elba, his wife and son take refuge in Vienna


12 May 1814                    A royal ordinance was decreed on this date, under the Restoration, the regiment                                                 was renamed, “The Regiment of Cuirassiers du Dauphin.”


1 March 1815                  Napoleon lands in Southern France, near Cannes


20 March 1815                Napoleon arrives in Paris and takes control, Louis XVIII flees, marking the                                                           beginning of the Hundred Days campaign. The 3eme joins the Army of the North.                                             It is part of the III Reserve Cavalry Corps under General of Division Kellerman. It is                                             part of the 12th Cavalry Division under General of Division Roussel d'Hurbal and                                                 part of the Brigade of General of Brigade Frédéric Guillaume de Donop with the                                                   2eme Cuirassiers. It numbers 38 officers and 442 men.


16 June 1815                   The regiment takes part in the battle of Ligny (Fleurus).
 

18 June 1815                   Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by British and Prussians, led by                                                   Wellington. Colonel Lacroix is wounded and died of his wounds on 30th June. The                                             regiment has  
 

22 June1815                    Napoleon's second abdication
 

7 July 1815                       Allies enter Paris
 

25 November 1815         The regiment was dissolved but almost immediately reformed and took the name                                             of 3eme Cuirassiers d'Angoulème

 
16 October 1815             Napoleon is exiled to St. Helena


5 May 1821                      Napoleon dies on St. Helena