14 Facts About Abel Douay

Charles Abel Douay was a general in the French army during the reign of the Emperor Napoleon III.

Abel Douay commanded troops in numerous French campaigns in Europe and overseas.

Abel Douay was killed in battle at the age of sixty-one, near Wissembourg during the Franco-Prussian War.

Charles Abel Douay was born in the city of Draguignan on 2 March 1809.

Abel Douay became a well-known and well-respected military officer, described roundly as an "able" and "intrepid" soldier.

Abel Douay served in Algeria, in the Crimean War and in Italy in 1859.

Abel Douay was the elder brother of General Felix Charles Douay, who was a distinguished career officer.

On 3 August 1870, the 61-year-old Abel Douay led the forward division of Mac-Mahon's army group, a force of approximately 8,600, into the frontier town of Wissembourg in Alsace, the border region between the two combatant nations.

Faulty intelligence had characterized the Prussians' border positions as weak and unready, and Abel Douay's superiors felt confident that he could repulse any enemy probes while making use of the town's badly needed food and resources.

At 8:30am the next day, batteries of undetected Prussian artillery began pummelling the French position, and though Abel Douay attempted a rapid defensive posture, the advantage of surprise had been devastatingly complete.

The death of Abel Douay was a deeply demoralizing blow to the French army and gave a profound shock to the nation at large.

General Felix Abel Douay was stationed along the same front as his older brother and fought at Sedan until the final surrender.

Abel Douay too served as a field commander, leader of the French 7th Corps.

General Abel Douay is buried in a stately tomb just outside Wissembourg together with many of his fallen soldiers.