ERNEST

LOUIS

See also:

• OCTAVE (from Lat. octavus, eighth, octo, eight)

OCTAVE COURTOT DE

See also:

• ERNEST LOUIS OCTAVE COURTOT DE CISSEY (1810-1882)

CISSEY (1810-1882)  , French general, was born at Paris on the 23rd of September 181o, and after passing through St Cyr, entered the army in 1832, becoming captain in 1839 . He saw active service in Algeria, and became chef d'escadron in 1849 and lieutenant-colonel in 185o . He took part as a colonel in the Crimean War, and after the battle of Inkerman received the rank of general of brigade . In 1863 he was promoted general of division . When the Franco-German War broke out in 187o, de Cissey was given a divisional command in the Army of the Rhine, and he was included in the surrender of Bazaine's army at Metz . He was released from captivity only at the end of the war, and on his return was at once appointed by the Versailles government to a command in the army engaged in the suppression of the Commune, a task in the execution of which he displayed great rigour . From July 1871 de Cissey sat as a deputy, and he had already become minister of war . He occupied this post several times during the critical period of the reorganization of the French army . In 188o, whilst holding the command of the XI. corps at Nantes, he was accused of having relations with a certain Baroness Kaula, who was said to be a spy in the pay of Germany, and he was in consequence relieved from duty . An inquiry subsequently held resulted in de Cissey's favour (r881) . He died on the 15th of June 1882 at Paris .