Empire General De Préval

Claude Preval was received lieutenant in 1789 and in 1794 he was the company commander of artillery of the 42nd demi-brigade.
General Gouvion Saint-Cyr gave him many confidential missions.
Battalion commander in the Army of Italy in 1799, he gave in battle of 6 Germinal, so distinguished services that the Management Board conferred on him the rank of adjutant general.
Chief of Staff of General Suchet, he was the most useful help in this illustrious leader in his retreat in Nice and in his campaign in Var. Suchet asked for him the rank of brigadier general. It was at this time that he laid the first foundations of his reputation as a military writer, by writing to the First Consul various memories about the war.
At the Battle of Austerlitz, his regiment behaved with bravery which earned praise from Murat and General Nansouty; Emperor rewarded his brilliant conduct by appointing him commander of the Legion of Honour.
During the Hundred Days, his name was initially written on a list of exile, but the Emperor, who knew his amazing activity, entrusted him with the senior management of the reorganization of the cavalry, a position he held until September ...
In 1830, Marshal Soult gave him the direction of the cavalry, and in 1831 the direction of the infantry.
Special works of the General Préval gained him a European reputation. He is the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, Knight of St. Louis and the order of the Iron Crown, Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Joseph of Würzburg.