Duc de Lauzon

Lauzon, Armand Louis de Gontaut-Biron, Duc de. 1747-1793.

Armand Louis de Gontaut-Biron, Duc de Lauzon, was the archetypical French aristocrat. Commissioned in the Regiment of French Guards before his 14th birthday, he distinguished himself in several campaigns before serving in the American Revolution. In 1778 he personally financed and organized his own "Foreign Legion", consisting of two companies of infantry, two squadrons of cavalry, and one artillery company.

Lauzon's Legion campaigned independently during much of it's tenure in America, and acted as a seperate flanking force during General Rochambeau's march to Yorktown. During the siege, Lauzon based his force in Gloucester County, bottling up the British force at Gloucester Point, across the York River from Yorktown. Lauzon's forces were selected to provide the "guard" around Surrender Field as the British grounded their arms.

After that war, Lauzon was promoted to lieutenant general, and served with the French Revolutionary Government. In 1793, Lauzon fell out of favor with the Revolutionary forces and was arrested and sentenced to death for "political crimes". Before his execution on December 31, 1793, he offered his jailer some white wine, stating "You must need courage in your profession."