{{distinguish|text=the composer [[Paul Ladmirault]]}} [[File:General Ladmirault.jpg|thumb|right|250px|General de Ladmirault]] '''Paul de Ladmirault''' (17 February 1808, in [[Montmorillon]] – 1 February 1898, in [[Sillars]]) was a French general active in the [[French conquest of Algeria]] and during the wars of the [[Second French Empire]].
== Life == Ladmirault was born on 17 February 1808 at [[Montmorillon]]<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TfIPAAAAYAAJ&q=Paul+de+Ladmirault&pg=PA431|title=Biographie complète des sénateurs|last=Clère|first=Jules|date=1876|publisher=Garnier|language=fr}}</ref> to an old family belonging to the [[Poitou]] minor aristocracy. His father had [[Émigré|fled France]] during the [[French Revolution]]. Ladmirault entered the prestigious [[École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr|Saint-Cyr Military School]] in 1826 (in the same class as the future [[Marshal of France]] [[François Certain Canrobert]]). Upon his graduation in 1829, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 62nd Line Infantry Regiment. In 1831 he was promoted to lieutenant in the 67th Regiment before being sent to Algeria, where he spent the next 22 years.
He was promoted to the post of ''adjudant-major'' in 1834, then to captain in the [[Zouaves]] in 1837, and finally major in 1840. In the same year he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion of Light Infantry and placed in charge of the region of [[Cherchell]]. He was made lieutenant colonel in 1842, full colonel in the Zouaves in 1844 and ''[[général de brigade]]'' in June 1848, being placed in command of [[Médéa Province]]. In 1852 he was recalled to France, and promoted ''[[général de division]]'' on 14 January 1853. He participated in the [[Italian war (1859)|Italian war of 1859]], commanding the 2nd division of I Corps under Marshal [[Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers]], and taking part in the [[Battle of Solferino]], during which he was wounded twice. [[File:Paul de Ladmirault statue in Montmorillon.jpg|thumb|Paul de Ladmirault's statue in his home town of Montmorillon]] In 1863 he was made commander of the 2nd division of the [[French Imperial Guard]], in 1865 he was appointed deputy governor of [[French Algeria]] and the named [[French Senate|Senator]] in 1866. After a period as commander of the military camp at [[Châlons-sur-Marne|Châlons]], he assumed command of II Corps at [[Lille]] in 1867. During the [[Franco-Prussian War]] he was placed in command of the IV Corps of the ''Army of the Rhine'', taking part in the battles of [[Battle of Mars-la-Tour|Mars-la-Tour]] and [[Battle of Gravelotte|Saint-Privat]]; during the latter he repulsed the German attack at [[Amanvillers]]. After the capitulation of the [[François Achille Bazaine|Bazaine]]'s army however, he became a Prussian prisoner of war.
He was freed in order to take part in the assault against the [[Paris Commune]], during which he led the assault against the Gate of Saint-Ouen and [[Montmartre]]. After the suppression of the Commune, he was named [[military governor of Paris]], a post he held until 1878. He also succeeded Marshal [[Patrice de Mac-Mahon, Duke of Magenta|Mac-Mahon]] as commander of the Army of Versailles when the latter became [[President of France]]. He ran unsuccessfully in the 1879 Presidential election, and died on 1 February 1898 at [[Sillars]].
== Decorations == * [[Legion of Honour]] : # Knight in 1840 # Officer in 1845 # Commander in 1847 # Grand Officer in 1859 # Grand Cross in 1867
* [[Médaille militaire]] in 1871 * [[Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
== Sources == *J. de la Faye : ''le général de Ladmirault (1808-1898)'' (Paris vers 1900) *Maguy Gallet-Villechange : ''Le général Paul de Ladmirault, un enfant du Poitou sous les aigles impériales'' (Anovi, 2008).
== External links == * [http://www.military-photos.com/ladmirault.htm Photos and short biographical note] * {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Ladmirault, Louis René Paul de|short=x}}
{{Military governors of Paris}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ladmirault, Paul De}} [[Category:1808 births]] [[Category:1898 deaths]] [[Category:People from Montmorillon]] [[Category:Generals of France]] [[Category:Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour]] [[Category:Military governors of Paris]] [[Category:École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr alumni]] [[Category:French military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War]] [[Category:Senators of Vienne (department)]]