Jean-Baptiste Muiron

Jean-Baptiste Muiron (10 January 1774 – 15 November 1796) was a French Army officer. He rose to fame by allegedly sacrificing himself to save the life of General Bonaparte at the Battle of the Bridge of Arcole. A frigate captured in Venice, the Muiron, was renamed in his honour.

Napoleon at Arcole

Career

He was born in Paris to the family of a fermier général du roi. In 1793, he served as an artillery captain at the Siege of Toulon, where he met and befriended Bonaparte. He was later promoted to colonel and served as Bonaparte's aide-de-camp during the Campaign of Italy.

Muiron was killed at the Battle of the Bridge of Arcole, allegedly covering Bonaparte with his body to protect him.^[1] Bonaparte wrote highly of him in his subsequent letters.

Legacy

After Venice was captured by Bonaparte in retaliation for the massacre of crew of the lugger Libérateur d'Italie, the peace treaty comprised secret articles stipulating that three ships of the line and two frigates would be surrendered to the French. These ships were incorporated in the French Navy as Laharpe, Stengel, Béraud, Carrère and Muiron.^[2]

Late in his life, Napoléon is reported to have considered to use "Colonel Muiron" as a pseudonym.^[3]