Joubert, Barthélemy-Catherine

(1769-1799)

   military figure

   Born in Pont-de-Vaux, Bresse, Barthélemy-Catherine Joubert was, during the revolution of 1789,a volunteer for the Ain department, was promoted to brigadier general (1795), then to the rank of division commander (1796). He played a brilliant role with napoléon i in the Italian campaign. General in chief of the armies of Holland, Mainz, then Italy (October 1798), he occupied Piedmont but was dismissed from his command shortly afterward because of his opposition to the civilian commissioners sent by the directory. Resuming his post (summer 1799), he was killed at the beginning of the Battle of Novi (August 15, 1799) where his troops were defeated by the Russian army under the command of General Alexander Suvorov. The abbé sieyès, who had considered using General Joubert to foment a coup d'état against the Directory, had to choose instead napoléon i.