14 novembre 1783
28 juillet 1852
Baron Gourgaud, Gaspard (1783-1852)
Gourgaud, Gaspard (1783-1852 ; général)
Général Gourgaud, Gaspard (1783-1852)
Gourgaud, Gaspard (1783-1852)
Gaspard Gourgaud (1783-1852) est né le 14 novembre 1783 à Versailles. Son père, Étienne-Marie est musicien ordinaire (violoniste) de la chapelle du roi et sa mère, Hélène Gérard, berceuse du duc de Berry. Il est aussi le petit-fils du célèbre acteur Dugazon (pseudonyme de Pierre-Antoine Gourgaud) et le neveu de Mme Vestris (née Françoise Rose Gourgaud). Doué pour les mathématiques, il entre à l’École polytechnique le 23 septembre 1799 puis rejoint l’école d’artillerie de Châlons le 22 septembre 1801. Affecté comme lieutenant en second au 7e régiment d’artillerie à pied (1802), il devient adjoint au professeur de fortification de l’école d’artillerie de Metz en 1803.
Remarqué par le général Foucher de Careil qui le prend comme aide de camp (août 1804), il le suit au camp de Boulogne et prend part désormais aux campagnes de la Grande Armée (Ulm, Austerlitz, Eckmühl, Essling, Wagram). Nommé capitaine en 1808, il est détaché en 1810 à la manufacture d'armes de Versailles pour mettre au point un nouveau fusil et perfectionner la fabrication des lances. Il rejoint l’Espagne où il se distingue au siège de Sarragosse.
Envoyé en mission à Dantzig en vue de préparer secrètement la campagne de Russie, il est nommé, le 3 juillet 1811, officier d’ordonnance de l’Empereur, il ne le quittera plus et le suivra à Sainte-Hélène. Envoyé en mission en Aunis et Saintonge, il visite les ports et places, en particulier l'île d'Aix. En récompense de ses services, il est fait chevalier de l'Empire avec un majorat de 2 000 livres de rente. Il accompagne ensuite l'Empereur au congrès de Dresde. Il participe activement à la campagne de Russie et parvient à sauver l'Empereur, en découvrant que le Kremlin était rempli de poudre alors que Moscou est en flammes. En remerciement, il est fait baron d'Empire le 3 octobre 1812.
Il se distingue lors de la retraite de Russie en traversant la Bérézina à cheval malgé les glaces pour en reconnaître les rives. Cet exploit lui vaut le grade de chef d'escadrons et le titre de premier officier d'ordonnance, un emploi spécialement créé pour lui. Plusieurs missions importantes lui sont confiées dans la campagne d'Allemagne (1813). Sa conduite à la bataille de Dresde lui vaut la croix d'officier de la Légion d'honneur ; il se signale encore à la bataille de Leipzig, à la bataille de Hanau.
Lors de la campagne de France, il sauve une seconde fois la vie de Napoléon, en tuant, le 29 janvier 1814, d'un coup de pistolet, un Cosaque qui était sur le point de le transpercer de sa lance. L'Empereur le nomme colonel et commandeur de la Légion d'honneur. Il ne se sépare de l'Empereur qu'au moment où ce dernier quitte Fontainebleau le 20 avril 1814.
Sous la Première Restauration, il est admis dans les gardes du corps de Louis XVIII mais rejoint Napoléon Ier lors de son retour de l’île d’Elbe. Nommé général de brigade et aide de camp de l’Empereur, il le suit dans sa dernière campagne puis dans son exil. De l'île d'Aix, il est chargé de porter au prince-régent d'Angleterre la fameuse lettre où Napoléon sollicite l'asile de l'Angleterre. Puis c'est le voyage et l'exil à Sainte-Hélène, avec l'empereur où il recueille une partie des dictées des mémoires de Napoléon.
Il quitte Sainte-Hélène en 1818 pour l’Angleterre, où il publieLa Campagne de 1815, ce qui lui vaut d'être expulsé d'Angleterre. Il commence alors une vie errante à travers les cours d’Europe pour plaider la cause de Napoléon. Autorisé à rentrer en France en 1821, mais placé en inactivité car il a été rayé des cadres de l'armée, il se consacre à la rédaction de divers ouvrages : il fait paraître en 1818 uneCampagne de dix-huit cent quinze ou Relation des opérations militaires qui ont eu lieu en France et enBelgique, pendant lesCent Jours; en 1823, avec Montholon, lesMémoires de Napoléon à Sainte-Hélène, en 18 volumes ; en 1825,Histoire de Napoléon et de la Grande Armée pendant l'année 1812 et examen critique, dans lequel il réfute l'Histoire de Napoléon et de la Grande Armée en 1812publiée en 1824 par le comte Philippe-Paul de Ségur (s'ensuit un duel dans lequel M. de Ségur est blessé) ; et en 1827, uneRéfutation des calomnies de la vie de Napoléon, par Walter Scott. SonJournal inédit de Sainte-Hélènene serapublié qu’en 1889.
Réintégré en 1830 dans son grade de 1816, Gourgaud est successivement commandant de l’artillerie de Paris et de Vincennes, aide de camp du roi (1832), lieutenant général (1835), inspecteur général de l’artillerie (1836), commandant en chef de l’artillerie sur la frontière du Nord (1839). En 1840, il accompagne le prince de Joinville pour ramener en France les cendres de l’Empereur qu’il avait réclamées dès 1821. Président du conseil de l’artillerie en 1845, il est mis à la retraite en 1848. Élu député des Deux-Sèvres en 1849, il perd toutes ses fonctions après le coup d’État du 2 décembre 1851. Il meurt le 28 juillet 1852.
En 1822, le général Gourgaud a épousé Marthe Roederer (1783-1823), la fille du comte Roederer, qui meurt en 1823 après la naissance d’un fils, Louis Marie Napoléon Hélène Gourgaud (1823-1879).
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