René-Bernard Chapuy

René-Bernard Chapuy (known as Chapuis) was a French soldier and general who served in the Caribbean, American War of Independence and Wars of the French Revolution.

Born in Nancy on 18 June 1746, he was enlisted as a soldier of the Régiment Recrus des Colonies on 4 October 1765, promoted sergeant in November 1766 and Fourrier in December 1770. He was embarked for the Windward Islands on 28 December 1772. On 4 February 1773 his unit was incorporated into the Régiment de la Guadeloupe, in which he became Sous-Lieutenant of grenadiers on 1 May 1775. Chapuis served in the American War of Independence from 1778 to 1782, becoming lieutenant on 4 February 1779. He obtained a pension of 400 Livres on 1 July 1783 and was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Senegal Repentigny, in which role he served until 1 February 1786 when he returned to France.

Elected captain of a free company on 1 August 1792, Chapuis marched at its head to join the Armée du Nord and was elevated to lieutenant colonel commanding the 3rd Battalion of Chasseurs Francs du Nord on 15 September. Seeing service in the Flanders Campaign during 1792-1793, he was made provisional Adjudant General Chef de Brigade (Colonel) by Dampierre on 18 April 1793. On 12 September he was elevated to General de Brigade (major general) and three days later named commandant of the Fortress of Cambrai in place of Nicolas Declaye.

Under the command of Pichegru in the spring campaign of 1794 his command was greatly augmented with reinforcements to relieve the siege of Landrecies. Part of this force was driven back to Cambrai in confusion by 400 cavalry under Rudolf Ritter von Otto at Villers en Cauchies 24 April. Two days later on 26 April Chapuis led his entire command of 30,000 against the forces of the Duke of York, but suffered a catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Beaumont (or Troisvilles) when he was surprised by a massive outflanking cavalry attack and his entire command routed. Chapuis was wounded with two sabre cuts and captured at the beginning of the action, his orders from Pichegru also falling into the hands of York.

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