Biographies of French General Officers

The following might be helpful:

-The Emperor's Friend: Marshal Jean Lannes by Margaret Scott Chrisawn.

"An examination of the life of Marshal Jean Lannes, this study looks at the career of the only soldier of any rank who consistently said exactly what he thought to Napoleon at every stage of their amazing careers. The marshal not only survived these frank encounters, he was well rewarded for his abilities, which were remarkable even among the stellar senior officers who served the Emperor. While Lannes was best known for his military skill, especially as an advance-guard commander, his unconventional three-year diplomatic career was equally noteworthy, since his diplomatic tactics resulted in particular benefits for France. His career spanned much of what many historians and readers believe to be one of the most fascinating and controversial eras in French history."

"The marshal's personality and his tendency to lead by example rather than by orders won him the respect and the affection of his troops. He also charmed a diverse number of his contemporaries, from autocratic rulers to literary icons. Although his relationship with Napoleon was stormy at times, he earned and kept the Emperor's friendship and esteem. Chrisawn avoids the tendency of previous biographers to either canonize or condemn the marshal, providing instead a balanced treatment of her subject which includes both his strengths and his shortcomings. Marshal Jean Lannes emerges as a complete person within the context of his own intriguing world."

Amazon.com : the emperor's friend

-The Iron Marshal: A Biography of Louis N Davout by John Gallaher.

"Born into a distinguished Burgundian family in 1770, Louis Nicolas d'Avout began his military career with the French Royal Army but fully embraced the principles of the French Revolution, joining the Republican army as the commander of a battalion of volunteers. He quickly rose to the rank of general of brigade, but was removed from the active list of officers because of his noble birth. Nevertheless, he continued to serve in the Revolutionary army and took part in Bonaparte's Egyptian campaign. His abilities were recognized by Napoleon and Davout was promoted to general of division and was made a Marshal of the Empire in 1804.

He fought at many of the great battles of the Napoleonic Wars, including Austerlitz, Eylau, Wagram and Borodino.

However, he is most famously remembered for the Battle of Auerstedt in 1806 where his single corps encountered and defeated the main Prussian army which was more than twice as numerous. As a consequence, he was granted the title of Duke of Auerstaedt. He was more commonly known as 'The Iron Marshal' because of his reputation as a stern disciplinarian.

Regarded as Napoleon's ablest marshal, he was placed in command of Hamburg in 1813, which was besieged by the Allies, and only surrendered by Davout after Napoleon had abdicated in 1814.

During the Waterloo campaign, Napoleon made Davout Minister of War.

This unique study also touches upon the personal life of a man who, despite commanding unlimited respect, had few social skills. We learn of his successful marriage to the beautiful and well-connected Aimeé and the couple's struggle with the demands of Parisian social life."

Amazon.com: The Iron Marshal: A Biography of Louis N. Davout (The Napoleonic Library): 9781526738325: Gallaher, John G: Libros

-By Command of the Emperor: A Life of Marshal Berthier by SJ Watson.

A sympathetic biography of Napoleon's indispensable chief of staff which deftly points out the professional relationship between Napoleon and Berthier and correctly points out that Berthier was not the commander of the Army of Germany in 1809 and that the staff 'muddle' that took place at the beginning of the campaign was Napoleon's fault and not Berthier's.

"This biography of Marshal Berthier, who was Napoleon's chief of staff in all his campaigns from 1796 to 1814, is a definitive study of the longest and most eventful military partnership in history. It is also the absorbing story of a man utterly devoted to his Emperor and dedicated to his profession, who never exploited his power nor abused his fortune, and whose constancy remained unshaken by military catastrophe or personal ingratitude."

Amazon.com: By Command of the Emperor: A Life of Marshal Berthier: Watson, Sydney John: Books

-Napoleon's Enfant Terrible: General Dominique Vandamme by John Gallaher.

"A dedicated career soldier and excellent division and corps commander, Dominique Vandamme was a thorn in the side of practically every officer he served. Outspoken to a fault, he even criticized Napoleon, whom he never forgave for not appointing him marshal. His military prowess so impressed the emperor, however, that he returned Vandamme to command time and again.

In this first book-length study of Vandamme in English, John G. Gallaher traces the career of one of Napoleon's most successful midrank officers. He describes Vandamme's rise from a provincial youth with neither fortune nor influence to an officer of the highest rank in the French army. Gallaher thus offers a rare look at a Napoleonic general who served for twenty-five years during the wars of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Empire.

This was a time when a general could lose his head if he lost a battle. Despite Vandamme's contentious nature, Gallaher shows, Napoleon needed his skills as a commander, and Vandamme needed Napoleon to further his career. Gallaher draws on a wealth of archival sources in France—notably the Vandamme Papers in Lille—to draw a full portrait of the general. He also reveals new information on such military events as the Silesian campaign of 1807 and the disaster at Kulm in 1813.

Gallaher presents Vandamme in the context of the Napoleonic command system, revealing how he related to both subordinates and superiors. Napoleon's Enfant Terrible depicts an officer who was his own worst enemy but who was instrumental in winning an empire."

Amazon.com: Napoleon's Enfant Terrible: General Dominique Vandamme (Volume 15) (Campaigns and Commanders Series): 9780806138756: Gallaher, John G.: Books