Jozef Chlopicki (Pax Francia)

Józef Grzegorz Chłopicki (March 14, 1771 – September 30, 1854) was a Polish general who was involved in fighting in Europe at the time of Napoleon and later.

He was born in Kapustynie in Volhynia and was educated at the school of the Basilians at Szarogrod, from which in 1785 he ran away in order to enlist as a volunteer in the Polish army. Chlopicki entered the army in 1785 and fought under Kościuszko in the Uprising of 1794. Warsaw was surrendered to the Russians on November 8, 1794, after which Chlopicki went to France and joined the Army of the Cisalpine Republic under General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski. In France he is known as Grégoire Joseph Clopicki de Necznia.^[1]

He was present at all the engagements fought during 1792-1794, especially distinguishing himself at the Battle of Racławice, when he was General Franciszek Rymkiewicz's adjutant. On the formation of the Italian legion he joined the second battalion as major, and was publicly complimented by General Nicolas Oudinot for his extraordinary valour at the storming of Peschiera. He also distinguished himself at the battles of Modena, Busano, Casablanca and Ponto.

In 1807 he commanded the first Vistulan regiment, and rendered good service at the battles of Eylau and Friedland. In Spain he obtained the Legion of Honour and the rank of a French Imperial Baron for his heroism at the battle of Epila and the storming of Zaragoza, and in 1809 was promoted to be general of brigade.

He was involved in battles from 1806 to 1812, including his involvement in the Spanish Campaign from 1808 to 1811. In 1812, he joined Napoleon in the War of the Sixth Coalition seeing action in Poland , Austria and Russia being wounded at Smolensk during the 1814 French Invasion of Russia and leading Polish Troops in the absence of Poniatoswki

After the Napoleonic Wars , Chłopicki partook in the Polish-Livonian War as Co-Head of the Polish Army sent to intervene against the Livonian Regency and also replaced Poniatoswki as Prime Minister of Poland from 1831 to 1834 while fighting on the frontlines during the Ruthenian War against Russia. In 1835 he retired from both Politics and the Military as a celebrated hero of the Ruthneian War having led his people as both a Politician and Military Commander during a crucial period of Modern Polish History.