author
comte Jean Rapp
1772–1821
A fearless cavalry officer who rose from the French Revolution to Napoleon’s inner circle, he was known for blunt honesty, personal bravery, and a habit of coming back from battle wounded but unbowed.
1 Audiobook
Memoirs of General Count Rapp, first aide-de-camp to Napoleon
by comte Jean Rapp
About the author
Born in Colmar on April 27, 1771, Jean Rapp became one of the most recognizable soldier figures of the Napoleonic era. He first served under General Louis Desaix and later became one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s trusted aides-de-camp, earning a reputation for courage, loyalty, and directness.
Rapp fought in many of the great campaigns of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was repeatedly wounded, took part in major battles including Austerlitz and Borodino, and later served twice as governor of the Free City of Danzig. His career made him both a battlefield leader and a close witness to the workings of Napoleon’s empire.
He died on November 8, 1821, at Rheinweiler. Remembered as a hard-fighting general with a strong personality, Rapp also left memoirs that give readers a vivid firsthand glimpse of Napoleon’s world.