Charles Jean-Louis Victor Guesnon Deschamps

Born on 6 February 1763 at Briquebec (Manche), died in 1831.

Charles Deschamps volunteers in the 11th Chasseurs-a-Cheval Regiment on 22 June 1787, he becomes Sergeant on 1st May 1788, Quartermaster-Corporal on 5 January 1792, he is appointed Sergeant in the Army of the North on 7 August 1793, and elected Second-Lieutenant on 11 August. He becomes Assistant to the Adjutant-General Klein in the Army of the Ardennes on20 January 1794 and aide-de-camp to General Moreau on 23 October 1795. Lieutenant on 3 April 1796 he is taken prisoner on 20 September 1796 and is traded on 21 March 1797 and joins the Army of Sambre-and-Meuse. Appointed supernumerary Captain in the 11th Chasseurs-a-Cheval Regiment on 5 October 1797, he is transferred in the Army of England on 21 November with the title of Assistant to the Adjutant-General Paulet, and then attached to the Staff of General Duhesme in the Army of Italy and distinguishes himself at Fossano which earns him the rank of Major on the battlefield. Appointed aide-de-camp to General Loison in the Reserve Army on 12 December 1800, and confirmed in the rank of Major on 19 September 1801, he is transferred the staff of General Victor in Holland on 4 November 1802 and then to General Marmont in the army of Batavia on 1st February 1804. He is awarded Knight’s cross of the Legion of Honour on 14 June 1804. It fights with distinction in the 3rd Corps of the Grand Army during the campaigns of Austria, Prussia and Poland in 1805, 1806 and 1807 and becomes Lieutenant-Colonel in the 1st Chasseurs-a-Cheval Regiment on 20 February 1807. In 1809, he fights at Wagram, and is then transferred with his rank in the 27th Chasseurs-a-Cheval Regiment, organized at that time with the Belgian Light Horses Regiment. He is elevated to the rank of Knight of the Empire on 11 July 1810.

Appointed Colonel of the 4th Light Horses Lancers Regiment on 14 October 1811, he leads it in the 3rd Reserve Corps of the Grand Army and in the 1st Cavalry Corps during the campaigns in Russia, Saxony and France. He is awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Legion of Honour after the Battle of Lützen.

After the abdication, Louis XVIII awards him the Knight’s cross of the Royal and Military Order of Saint-Louis on 9 June 1814 and he remains in command of his regiment. It takes command of the Cuirassiers Regiment of Orleans (5th cuirassiers) on 27 September 1815 and is promoted to the Brigadier on 22 January 1823. He is allowed to take retirement on 31 August 1831.