General Honoré Vial

Vial's brother, Jacques-Laurent-Louis-Auguste Vial, was a distinguished cavalry officer.

Honoré Vial's military career began when he joined the navy in 1788. Four years later he was a lieutenant in the infantry in Corsica, helping to defend Bastia and later serving as an aide-de-camp to General Rochon. In June of 1792 he became aide-de-camp to General Delmas in the Army of the North, and in this position took part in the sieges of Crèvecouer and Bois-le-Duc. For a brief time, he served in the cavalry of the Army of the North, as a captain.

Promoted to chef de brigade in December of 1794, he was transferred to the Army of the Alps in June of 1795, and later joined the general staff of the Army of Italy. General Bonaparte promoted him to General of Brigade in August of 1796, and he was sent on a mission to Turin. At the Battle of Arcola, Vial fought in Masséna's division, and a few days afterwards was transferred to Joubert's division. After commanding the light infantry of Joubert's division at Rivoli, he went on to occupy Roveredo and Trente and win a battle at Segonzano. In March, he was placed under Baraguey d'Hillier's command, and served at Tramin, then later seized the bridge at Neumarkt. Vial continued to command brigades of light infantry for the rest of his tenure in Italy, but in January of 1798 he was transferred to the Army of England.

The next month he was commander of Rome, and a month after that was designated for the newly renamed Army of the Orient. Placed under General Menou, he fought at Alexandria, and then took command of Menou's division for the Battle of the Pyramids. Shortly after the battle, he was ordered to occupy Damiette, and commanded the provinces of Damiette and Mansourah for the remainder of the year. In January of 1799, Vial joined Bon's division and served in the Siege of Acre during March. The next month, he occupired Sour and fought at Mount Tabor, then returned to Acre to take part in the siege once again.

Finally returning to France in December of 1800, he was put on non-activity in September of 1801, then sent as an envoy to Naples in May of the following year. Promoted to general de division in August of 1803, a few months later he was replacing General Ney as France's ambassador to Switzerland, a position he was to hold for the next five years. Rewards would still be offered to him though, as he became a Commander of the Legion of Honor in June of 1804 and a Baron of the Empire in August of 1810.

In 1809 General Vial was named Governor of Venice by Emperor Napoleon's orders. In this position, he helped serve against the insurgents of the Tyrol. He fulfilled administrative posts for the next few years until given command of the 6th Infantry Division in April of 1813. A few months later he was leading this division into battle as part of Marshal Victor's II Corps, serving at Dresden. At the Battle of Leipzig, he fought valiantly until he was killed in action.

Sources:

Chandler, David G. Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1979.

Six, Georges. Dictionnaire Biographique des Generaux & Amiraux Francais de la Revolution et de l'Empire (1792-1814). Paris: Gaston Saffroy, 2003.