He was the son of Sylvie de la Celle and her husband François Merle de la Brugière, émigré and soldier in the
armée of
Condé. François became a captain on the
Bourbon Restoration. In 1814 he was admitted to
La Flèche, then to
Saint-Cyr in 1824, and received one of the honorary sabres granted by
Charles X to the fifteen top graduates of Saint-Cyr. Made a sous-lieutenant in the 34th regiment of the line, he took part in the
conquest of Algeria and on his father's advice swore to obey the new constitution of 1830. He returned to Algeria in 1836 as aide-de-camp to general
Trézel, with whom he participated in the
1836 Constantine expedition. For his conduct on that campaign and for saving general Trézel after the latter was wounded by a musket-ball, he was decorated with the
Légion d’honneur. Punishing the popular revolt of 15 September 1841 at
Clermont-Ferrand, many people demanded his promotion but this was refused by
Louis-Philippe of France due to his belonging to an
Ultra-royalist family. A candidate for the deputation of 1848, he was not elected, though he rose to colonel in 1851. In the
Italian campaign he was
chef d’état-major of the Motte-Rouge division of the 2nd Army Corps under the orders of
Mac-Mahon. He was wounded in the fighting at
Turbigo, then at the
battle of Magenta. Made a general on 28 February 1868, he received the command of the 3rd division of 2nd Corps in 1870. On 2 August 1870 he and
Bataille were charged with a reconnaissance which led to the
battle of Sarrebruck. He fought at the
battle of Spicheren on 6 August then retreated to
Metz, which surrendered on 28 October, leaving Laveaucoupet a prisoner. When he returned to France he was recalled by the
National Assembly of 1871. He fought in the last battles and in the raising of the Montmartre butte on 28 May 1871 during the
Commune of Paris in 1871. He was called as a witness at the trial of
Bazaine. == Distinctions==