Jean Joseph Magdeleine Pijon
Jean Joseph Magdeleine Pijon or Jean Pigeon was a French general who was killed in combat during the French Revolutionary Wars. He led an attack column at Loano in late 1795. He commanded a brigade in Napoleon Bonaparte's French Army of Italy during several famous campaigns. In 1796 he fought at Lonato where he was briefly captured, Rovereto where he was in the forefront of the action, Bassano, Cerea where he led the advance guard, and early in the Arcole campaign where he was wounded. In Italy during 1799, he fought at Verona and met his death at Magnano. His surname is one of the 660 names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe.
Pijon was in André Masséna's division during most of the 1796 campaign.
Pijon was in Claude Victor's division at Magnano.
Pijon's name is inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe (near bottom left).
The Battle of Loano saw the French Army of Italy led by General of Division (GD) Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer attack the Allied armies of Habsburg Austria and the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont led by Feldzeugmeister (FZM) Olivier, Count of Wallis during the War of the First Coalition. The assault took the Austrians by surprise since it occurred so late in the year. Additionally, the previous Austrian commander resigned the day before the attack. While the French left flank troops pinned down the Sardinian forces opposing them, the French center broke through the Allied center, forcing the Austrians to retreat. Meanwhile, the French right flank forces steadily pressed back the Austrians on the coast. The French gained a more favorable position, but Schérer did not exploit his victory. André Masséna distinguished himself during this battle and is credited with the French victory.
Battle of Loano, by Hippolyte Bellangé
Barthélemy Schérer
Michelangelo Colli
Mathias Rukavina