Auguste-Jean-Gabriel de Caulaincourt

Following his older brother's footsteps, Auguste-Jean-Gabriel de Caulaincourt joined the army and, like his brother, became aide-de-camp to general d'Aubert Dubayet, in 1795. He was employed in the Armée du Rhin and subsequently served under general Masséna in the Switzerland campaign. Just after the battle of Zürich Masséna promoted him to the rank of chef d'escadron (squadron commander).[1]

In 1804 Caulaincourt was appointed aide-de-camp to Louis Bonaparte, with the rank of chef de brigade (colonel) of a dragoon brigade. The next year he fought at the battle of Austerlitz and in 1806 he resumed his duties as aide-de-camp to Louis Bonaparte, who had become King of Holland. Louis also named him Grand Ecuyer ("Master of the Horse"), major-general, and Holland's plenipotentiary in the Kingdom of Naples. In 1808 Caulaincourt rejoined the French Army and was made général de brigade (brigadier general) and a baron of the Empire, just before being sent to fight in Spain. There he took Cuenca (3 July 1808) and fought in several other skirmishes, which brought him the rank of général de division (general of division) and the command of all dragoon regiments in Spain.

Caulaincourt was badly wounded in early 1810 and spent time recovering in France, where he was called back to service in 1812 as part of the second Grande Armée that Napoleon I assembled with the purpose of invading Russia.[2] Caulaincourt was killed at the Battle of Borodino on September 7, 1812 by a cannonball while leading the French assault of the great redoubt.

Napoleon thought very highly of Caulaincourt. During the Russian Campaign, Caulaincourt was given command of the Imperial general headquarters. Following his death at the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon told his brother, the Grand Ecuyer, Armand de Caulaincourt, the Duke of Vicenza, that his loss was a terrible blow and that he was being groomed for high command. Napoleon said: "[Caulaincourt] was a splendid man... He was my best cavalry officer. He had a quick eye, and he was brave. By the end of the campaign he would have replaced Murat [as commander of the Imperial cavalry corps]." Following his death, as a mark of esteem and for a lack of officers, as many died in battle, Napoleon promoted all the officers of Caulaincourt's staff.[2]