Lorencez, Charles Ferdinand Latrille, Comte de (1814-1892) French general
Charles, Comte de Lorencez was born on 23 May, 1814, in Paris. He enrolled in the Ecole Spéciale militaire in December 1830, became Sous-Lieutenant in the 11e Légers in 1832, was promoted to Lieutenant in 1838, and finally Captaine in 1840. He was involved in the Algerian Campaign as Capitaine of the infantry battalion 3e Chasseurs à Pied from June 1841 to January 1850, whereupon he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the 7e de Ligne. He was wounded once and mentioned three times in dispatches. On his return to France he was made colonel of the 49e de Ligne in December 1852.
Having been promoted to Général de Brigade on the 11 June 1855, during the Crimean War, he commanded the first brigade of the 5e Division of the 2e Corps. He was wounded on 18 June at Malakoff. From 1855 to 1861, he was allocated to the Armée de Paris, at Pau, Châlons, Vesoul and Metz. On the 20 January, 1862, he commanded the Mexican expeditionary corps, and he was promoted to Général de Division on 20 March. He commanded the 2e Division on 1 July and returned to France on 15 December.
From 1864-1870, Charles, Comte de Lorencez was inspecteur général. At the outbreak of war against Prussia, he commanded the 3e division of the 4e corps. He arrived after the Battle of Rezonville on 16 August, and was among the last to resist at Saint-Privat on 18 August. He was taken prisoner from the 29 October to 6 August 1871. After retiring on 16 July, 1879, he died at Laao on 23 April, 1894. Along with being made Grand Officier de la Légion d'Honneur on 12 March, 1866, he received two foreign decorations. He married Euphémie Caroline Nicolasse Lloret on 27 November, 1856.
Source: Dictionnaire du Second Empire, Paris: Fayard, 1995, p. 745, ed. PH and AM
Oct. 2011