EXCELMANS, REMI-JOSEPH-IS1DORE, BARON, Marshal, was a native of Bar-le-Duc, where he was born November 13, 1775. He entered the army very young, and first drew attention to his services, in 1799, whilst under General Oudiuot, during the campaign which terminated in the conquest of Naples. In 1800 he became aide-de camp to General Brouseier ; but exchanged that for the same post under Murat. At the combat of Wertingeu, on the Danube, October 8, 1805, be had three horses killed under him ; and being commissioned to Lay the numerous flags taken from the enemy at the feet of Napoleon I., he received from the hands of the emperor the decoration of officer of the Legion of Honour.
In 1806 he was made colonel of the first regiment of Chasseura, and was mainly instrumental in the capture of Posen, in Poland. He was afterwards engaged at the doubtful battle of Eylau, and for his conduct in that action (1807) he was appointed to command a brigade, and placed on the staff of Prince Murat, whom he afterwards accom panied to Spain. It was General Excelmans who was commissioned to head the escort by which King Charles was attended to Bayonne, after he had been induced to abdicate iu favour of his son. A few weeks after this special service, Excelmans was arrested with other officers, and sent to England, where he remained a prisoner until 1811. On his release he again joined his former general, who had ascended the throne of Naples. Sent to Russia in 1812, in Junot's corps, as second in command, he was several times wounded, and was created a general of division, September 8, 1812. Savary, in his `Memoirs,' ascribes entirely to Excelmans the merit of saving the remnant of this corps, which returned home after that arduous campaign.
In 1813 his division was placed under the orders of Marshal 3racdonald ; he took an active part in the operations in Saxony and Silesia, and was rewarded with the cordon of great officer of the Legion of Honour. In 1814 he commanded the cavalry of the Impe
rial Guard, and was present in most of the battles fought by Napoleon to defend the French territory. After the return from Elba, General Excelmans was called to the Chamber of Peers, June 2, 1815 ; and deapatched to join the army of the north. He was not present at Waterloo, but he had the merit of bringing back his division to the walls of Paris, in time to defend the capital, and to check the advance of the Prussians, whom he defeated at Versailles in the last action of the war. Excelmana was included in the decree of July 24, 1815, and banished from France with many other generals, who had served the emperor during the hundred days. It was not until 1819 that he was permitted to return to France, during the ministry of Marshal Gouvion Saint-Cyr; in 1831 Louis Philippe restored to him his title and rank in the Chamber of Peers.
Louis Napoleon raised him to the dignity of Marshal of France in the early part of 1849, and nominated him Chancellor of the Legion of Honour in August of the same year. On the 2nd of December 1851, Marshal Excelmsns powerfully assisted in securing to the government of Napoleon the faithful adherence of the army. On the 21st of July 1852, the marshal was on his way to the house of the Princesso Mathilde, in company with one of his sons, when ho was suddenly jerked from his horse, and fell ou the road, not far from the bridge of Sevres. He never spoke afterwards, and expired at two o'clock the next morning.
(Rabbe; Savary, Memoirs; Biogr. des Contemp. ; Dictionnaire de Conversation.)