Jean-Baptiste Salme

Jean-Baptiste Salme (18 November 1766 – 27 May 1811) led French troops in several actions during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. In 1784 he joined a dragoon regiment in the French Royal Army in 1784. He emerged as the commanding officer of the 3rd Infantry Demi Brigade in the Army of the Rhine in 1793. He led his unit at Haguenau and Second Wissembourg. In 1794 he transferred to northeast France and was promoted to general officer, subsequently fighting at Tourcoing, Tournay and Hooglede. After besieging and capturing the fortress of Grave he was on occupation duty in Holland.

Salme's association with the traitor Jean-Charles Pichegru caused him to be unemployed for a time. He was employed in Italy in 1798 and led the army advance guard at the Trebbia in 1799 where he was wounded and captured. He went on the Saint-Domingue expedition to Haiti in 1802 but was sent home early for obscure reasons and his career went into eclipse. In 1809 he led a second-line outfit in the Walcheren Campaign. The following year he was given a brigade and served in Catalonia. He was killed in action during the Siege of Tarragona in 1811. His surname is one of the names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe, on Column 38.