Born Caen, 13 April, 1769, died of cholera, La Barre (near Montmorency, Seine-et-Oise), 9 September, 1832 Cannonier de 2e classe in the Corps de Cannoniers, Brest, 27 July, 1787 Sergeant-major in the 4e Bataillon du Calvados, 14 September, 1792 Served in the Armée du Nord and then the Armée du Rhin, 1793, notably as Kléber's sous-lieutenant provisoire adjoint, Mainz, 1 May 1793 Distinguished himself at the combat of Saint-Michel, 3 April, 1794 Adjudant général chef de brigade, 12 September, 1795 Taken prisoner at Frankenthal, 12 November, 1795 (released in an exchange, 1 April, 1796, to return to his service) Took part in the crossing of the Rhine at Strasbourg, 23-24 June, 1796 Fought at Appenwihr, 27 June, 1796 Named provisional Général de brigade, 3 July, 1796 Fought at Rastadt (5 July) and Ettlingen (9 July) Confirmed Général de brigade, 2 August, 1796 Served under Desaix at Neresheim (11 August) and Biberach (2 October) Wounded in a fall from a horse at Emmendingen (19 October) Fought with the Division Ambert in the defence of Kehl, November 1796 Stormed Sundheim, 22 November, for which he won a sabre d'honneur Stripped of his rank after requisitioning money from the funds of the receiver in Neustadt, 22 February, 1798 Recalled 26 March, 1798 Head of a brigade in the Division Souham, March, 1799 Wounded in the leg at Stockach, 25 March, 1799 Summoned before a council of war, 28 April, 1799, but exculpated by the Directory, 18 July, 1799 Taken back into the army to join the 2e division of the Armée du Rhin, 9 November, 1799 Served under Lecourbe at the combat of 16 November Chef of the 1re Brigade, division Souham, 25 April 1800 Appointed provisionally Général de division by the general en chef of the Armée du Rhin, 16 May, 1800 Joined the reserve in place of Richepance, 4 June, 1800 Served at Hochstädt, 18 June, 1800, entered Munich 28 June Confirmed Général de division, 7 August, 1800 Chief of the 3e division du centre under Moreau, 12 November, 1800 Fought at Hohenlinden, 3 December, 1800, and at Salzburg, 14 December, 1800 Inspecteur général d'infanterie, 8e division militaire, 24 July, 1804 Capitaine général des établissements français in India, 18 June, 1802 After a brief period in Pondicherry (he set sail 6 March, 1803, arrived 11 July, 1803), he came back to Ile de France (Mauritius) off the East coast of Africa, 16 August, 1803 Wounded in the defence of the island, November 1810, capitulated to the British, 2 December, 1810 Returned to France and appointed commander in chief (in place of Macdonald) of the Armée de Catalonia under Suchet, 3 October, 1811 Victor at Altafulla, Saint-Feliu and Vich, 2 November, 1811 Comte de l'Empire, 25 February, 1813 Served at the liberation of Tarragona, 15 August, 1813 Recalled to France, 2 November, 1813
Honest, perhaps a little naive (during a heated discussion between Decaen and Bonaparte on the subject of Moreau Bonaparte remarked "Vous êtes bon, vous, et vous croyez que tout le monde vous ressemble") and not one of the First Consul's favourites, Decaen was nevertheless perceived as useful in terms of the First Consul's oriental ambitions. During his time on Mauritius, Decaen eased the situation of slaves, organised national education, introduced an adapted version of the Code Civil which became known as the Code Decaen.
Further reading
Decaen, C.-M.-I., Mémoires et Journaux du Général Decaen (introduction, notes and maps by Ernest Picard), Paris : Plon, 1910-1911, 2 vols (T. 1, 1793-1799, T. 2, 1800-1803) Prentout, H., L'Ile de France sous Decaen (1803-1810), Paris: Hachette, 1901
