FRANCESCHI, JEAN BAPTISTE, Baron (1766–1813), French general, was born at Bastia on the 5th of December 1766 and entered the French service in 1793. He took part in the operations in Corsica in the following year, and received a wound at the siege of San Fiorenzo. After this he left the island and was appointed a field officer in the French Army of Italy, with which he served from 1795 to 1799. He served as a general officer in the campaign of Marengo, in the Naples campaign of 1805–1806, and in the Peninsular War from 1807 to 1809. He was created a baron by Napoleon. He commanded a Neapolitan brigade in the Russian War of 1812, and after the retreat from Moscow took refuge, with the remnant of his command, in Danzig, where in the course of the siege of 1813 he died on the 19th of March.

https://www.frenchempire.net/biographies/franceschidelonne/

Two other generals of brigade in Napoleon’s wars bore the name of Franceschi, and the three have often been mistaken for each other. The first was born at Lyons, Jean Baptiste Marie Franceschi-Delonne (1767–1810), who served throughout the Revolutionary campaign on the Rhine, took part in the campaign of Zürich in 1799, and distinguished himself very greatly by his escape from, and subsequent return to, Genoa, when in 1800 Masséna was closely besieged in that city. He became a cavalry colonel in 1803, was promoted general of brigade on the field of Austerlitz, and served in southern Italy and in Spain on the staff of King Joseph Bonaparte. During the Peninsular War he won great distinction as a cavalry general, and in 1810 Napoleon made him a baron. At this time he was a prisoner in the hands of the Spaniards, into whose hands he had fallen while bearing important despatches during the campaign of Talavera. He was harshly treated by his captors, and died at Carthagena on the 23rd of October 1810. The second was François Franceschi-Losio (1770–1810), born at Milan, who entered the French Revolutionary army in 1795. He served through the Italian campaign of 1796–97, and subsequently, like Franceschi-Delonne, with Masséna at Zürich and at Genoa, and at the headquarters of King Joseph in Italy and Spain. He was killed in a duel by the Neapolitan colonel Filangieri in 1810.

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Franceschi,_Jean_Baptiste

Originally working as a sculptor, Jean Baptiste Franceschi-Delonne was elected a second lieutenant in the Company of Arts in Paris in September of 1792. Before long his company became part of the 9th Battalion of Volunteers of Paris. Sent to the Army of the Moselle, Franceschi-Delonne served with the artillery and he served at Kaiserslautern and Lambach in 1793. In 1794 he joined General Debelle's staff in the artillery of Hatry's Corps and later that year he joined the Army of the Sambre and Meuse. Two years later in 1796 Franceschi-Delonne distinguished himself at Uckerath and then again during the retreat on Dusseldorf. That October he was named an aide-de-camp to General Debelle and then a month later he transferred to the cavalry. Franceschi-Delonne took part in the expedition to Ireland in December of 1796 that failed to land any troops. After returning to France, in February of 1797 he was promoted to lieutenant in the 4th Hussars. Two months later Franceschi-Delonne served at the Battle of Neuwied where General Hoche promoted him to captain on the battlefield. In 1798 he served with the Army of Mainz.

In 1799 Franceschi-Delonne first served on General de Billy's staff in the Army of the Danube and then in June he became General Soult's aide-de-camp. That August he served in the attack of Uznach and then in September he served at the crossing of the Linth. The next month General Masséna promoted Franceschi-Delonne to chef d’escadrons. Next Franceschi-Delonne joined the Army of Italy where he served under Soult again. He left Genoa shortly before the Siege of Genoa began to give a report to First Consul Bonaparte . After delivering his report, Franceschi-Delonne returned to Genoa which was now under siege and blockaded. He attempted to get past the blockade in a rowboat with six oarsmen, and made it past much of the British fleet before they were spotted. To escape capture, Franceschi-Delonne dove into the sea and swam to safety.

In 1801 Franceschi-Delonne returned to the 4th Hussars and then in 1802 he was again named an aide-de-camp to General Soult. The following year he was promoted to colonel and then in 1804 he became a Commander of the Legion of Honor. Franceschi-Delonne took command of the 8th Hussars in 1805 and when the Grande Armée moved east to deal with the Third Coalition later that year his regiment became part of Margaron's brigade in Marshal Soult's IV Corps. Franceschi-Delonne took part in the campaign and served at the Battle of Austerlitz in December. On Christmas Eve of 1805 he was promoted to brigadier general.

Franceschi-Delonne was next sent to Italy where he took command of the 1st Brigade of Fiorella's division and participated in the blockade of Venice. He joined Verdier's division in the Army of Naples in January of 1806 and then in February he took command of the brigade of reserve cavalry in Reynier's corps. Franceschi-Delonne served in Calabria and then at Campo-Tenese and Santa-Eufémia. With Naples secure, he became an aide-de-camp to King Joseph Bonaparte in March of 1807 and then he was honored as a Knight of the Iron Crown in December of that year.

In 1808 Franceschi-Delonne married the daughter of General Dumas and he was authorized to follow King Joseph to Spain. That September he took command of a brigade of light cavalry in the corps of the center under Marshal Ney . The next month Franceschi-Delonne served at Lérin and in November he fell under Marshal Soult's command again and then he served at Burgos. Franceschi-Delonne defeated the Marquis of La Romana at Mansilla in December of 1808 and then a few days later he won at Fuencebadon. In March of 1809 he served at Chaves, Carvalho, and Oporto. Next Marshal Soult ordered Franceschi-Delonne to carry a summary of their operations to King Joseph in Madrid. Franceschi-Delonne left Zamoro and along the way he was taken prisoner in the area of ​​Toro by the bandit El-Capuchino. Due to his rank he was sent to the Duke of El-Parque at Ciudad-Rodrigo and then to Seville. Next Franceschi-Delonne was conducted to Alhambra at Granada before he was finally sent to the prisons of Cartagena. Treated harshly by his captors, Franceschi-Delonne died in prison in 1810.

Bibliography

• Six, Georges. Biographical Dictionary of French Generals & Admirals of the Revolution and the Empire (1792-1814) . 2 vols. Paris: Gaston Saffroy, 2003.

Related Pages:

• Franceschi-Delonne's commander Soult

• Franceschi-Delonne's father-in-law Dumas