CA0382 Napoleonic sword sabre belonging to General Pierre-César Dery Aide-de Camp to Marshal Murat

An outstanding fine quality Napoleonic French Empire period officer's sabre belonging to General Pierre-César Dery, Aide-de-Camp to Marshal Murat. Born in 1768 in Saint-Pierre on the island of Martinique Dery joined the navy at the age of twelve. He fought in the American War of Independence before arriving in France and enlisting in the Chasseurs à Cheval in Champagne in 1788. In 1792 he was assigned to the Army of the North where he was wounded twice in combat. Promoted to lieutenant in 1794 he was again wounded at the Battle of Fleurus. At the Battle of Marengo in 1800 he was both wounded and captured. In 1801 Dery was promoted to Captain in the 12th Chasseurs a Cheval. By 1805 Dery had been appointed Aide-de-Camp to Marshal Murat and in 1806 he was promoted again to Chef d'Escardons and continued campaigning alongside Murat. By the end of the year he was a Colonel of the 5th Hussars in Lasalles division. He led the charge at Walthersdorf in 1807 where he was wounded yet again. He was made an Officer of the Legion d'Honnour and and named a Knight of the Order of Military Merit of Wurtemberg after the Battle of Heilsberg in the same year. In 1808 he was stationed in Germany before being sent to Naples in 1809 to serve as Murats General de Brigade. In 1810 he was named Baron of the Empire and in 1811 General de Brigade in France. Dery joined the ill fated Russian campaign of 1812. During the retreat he died charging a group of Cossacks at Winkowo. Elegant, fire gilt hilt with a beautiful checkered fluted ebony grip. Lion head pommel with leaf decorated knucklebow and quillon and a central cartouche of a classical warrior. Stand of arms design to the langet. The reverse simple with the initials PCD in the cental cartouche, Pierre-Cesar Dery and his Coat of Arms to the langet. Superb decorated blued blade by Schimmelbusch. Beautifully decorated scabbard with three relief cartouches the top one referencing the capture of the two flags of the Austrian army on October 29th 1805 at Nuremburg by the regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval under the command of Marshal Murat. Original rings and superbly designed drag. Overall a remarkable sabre for a remarkable individual. French, circa 1806.