Marie-Angélique Duchemin, first woman decorated with the Legion of Honor

Discover the incredible story of Marie-Angélique Duchemin, a soldier woman who marked the history of France by becoming the first to receive the Legion of Honor.

Marie-Angélique Duchemin, born in 1772, entered history as the first woman to receive the Legion of Honor. His exceptional career as a soldier woman, nicknamed the "Sergeant Liberté", testifies to his courage and his determination during the French Revolution.

A childhood marked by the military environment

Little Marie-Angélique Josèphe Duchemin was born on January 20, 1772 in Dinan, from the Union of Guillaume and Marie Deshais.

Elderly a siblings of 5 children, Marie-Angélique grew up surrounded by soldiers. His father, Guillaume, was enlisted in 1757 in the Limosin regiment. He will be engaged during the majority of his life and will take comrades from the regiment as sponsors. Later, his brothers Charles and Charles Thomas will also serve the military ranks. Marie-Angélique reports these words from the dean of the regiment: 

« Angélique, c’est dommage que tu ne sois pas un garçon, tu ferais un bon soldat ». 

Birth certificate - Source: AD22

And she will do a good soldier.

But before engaging in a military life, our Breton married corporal André Brulon, also of the Limosin regiment, on July 9, 1789 in Ajaccio.Marie-Angélique is 17 years old. Her husband, son of a tanner merchant is 27 years old and is from the Marne.

29 months after this marriage, on December 30, 1791, Brulon died at Ajaccio hospital. He leaves Marie-Angelique with two children. 

Wedding act - Source: AD Corse

His commitment to the army and the nickname "Sergeant Liberté"

Suite à la mort de son mari en 1791 et de son père en 1792, Marie-Angélique, aussi surnommée la « Veuve Brulon », endosse l’uniforme.

It was her 18 -year -old brother who teaches her the practice of arms while she studies her theory book in parallel. Authorized by General Casabianca to integrate the 42nd infantry regiment, it is assigned to the unit store as a Fourrier. She also inherited the grade of corporal of her husband. 

Elle prendra le nom de guerre « Liberté » durant sa carrière au combat de 1793 à 1794 en Corse. Période durant laquelle les registres mentionnent, en parlant d’elle, une « défense héroïque » pour avoir retenu les assauts de rebelles corses alliés aux soldats anglais. Mais c’est surtout la date du 24 mai 1794 qui permet au Sergent Liberté de montrer son héroïsme. Suite à la défense du fort de Gesco, ses hommes en parlent en ces termes : 

"We are the undersigned, corporal and soldiers of the detachment of 42e régiment, en garnison à Calvi, certifions et attestons que, le 5 prairial an II, la citoyenne Marie Angélique Josèphe Duchemin, veuve Brûlon, caporal fourrier, faisant fonction de sergent, nous commandait à l'affaire du fort de Gesco ; qu'elle s'est battue avec nous avec le courage d'une héroïne ; que les rebelles corses et les Anglais ayant chargé d'assaut, nous fûmes obligés de nous battre à l'arme blanche ; qu'elle a reçu un coup de sabre au bras droit et, un moment après, un coup de stylet au bras gauche, que nous voyant manquer de munitions, à minuit, elle partit, quoique blessée, pour Calvi, à une demi-lieue, où, par le zèle et le courage d'une vraie républicaine, elle fit lever et charger de munitions environ soixante femmes, qu'elle nous amena elle-même escortée de quatre hommes, ce qui nous mit à même de repousser l'ennemi et de conserver le fort, et qu'enfin nous n'avons qu'à nous louer de son commandement.»

Recognition and the Legion of Honor

In July 1794, Marie-Angélique, 25, was seriously injured in the left leg by a burst of bus. Unfit for combat, she will stay three years in the administration of clothing, equipment and camp camps of Italia before entering the hotel of Invalides in 1797. She was the first woman to be admitted to it as disability. It is also that she will be assigned as a non-commissioned officer at the clothing store, a title that makes her the first graded woman of the French army.

Marie-Angélique will spend the rest of her days at the Hôtel des Invalides. But as early as 1804, the server marshal solicited the Legion of Honor for her. This request will remain without favorable response. She will have to wait until August 15, 1851 that Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte distinguished her from the Legion of Honor (File available in the Léonore database). Marie-Angélique Brulon is 79 years old, she is the first woman to receive this title.