Claude-Jacques Lecourbe (1759 - 1815) is a French general, born with Besancon the February 22nd 1759 from a father officer.

After having followed studies to the college of Poligny and Lons-the-Salt maker, it left his incomplete studies to engage in the Régiment of Aquitaine, where it was useful during eight years like fusilier.

Corporal congédié the day before the French revolution, entered within his family at the beginning of the Revolution, it was called with the commander of the national guard of Ruffey-on-Pail in the the Jura in 1789.

He became chief of the 7th battalion of the volunteers of the Jura, was distinguished with the armies from the Haut-Rhin and from North, the rank of chief of brigade (colonel) in obtained 1791, and with the battles of Fleurus supported with three battalions, during seven hours, the attack of a strong enemy column of 50.000 men. Named Brigadier general (1794), it attacks the Russian troops of the general Alexandre Vassilievitch Souvarov with the Pont of the Devil, in the throats of the Saint-Gothard, and facilitates the victory of André Masséna with Zurich (25 and September 26th 1799). Divisional (1798), Lecourbe continued to be announced eminently during the following campaigns, and deployed especially in the Campagne of Switzerland, in 1799, the talents which place it at the row of the most skilful generals of the time.

Friend of the general Jean-Victor Moreau, Lacombe declared himself highly for him, at the time of the lawsuit Cadoudal. Being thus attracted the disgrace of Napoleon, it spent several years in the exile and was given in activity only to the Restoration. Its friendship with Moreau is worth to him to be relieved by Napoleon Bonaparte and exiled in the Jura the September 10th 1805.

The king Louis XVIII appointed it successively large officer, count. April 15th, 1814, a few days after the abdication of Napoleon i, the count d' Artois points out it and on January 3rd 1815 it becomes again general inspector of infantry in the 6th military division of Besancon.

However, at the time of the return of the isle of Elba, during the Hundred Days, he offers his services to Napoleon who gives him the command of the 8th Body based in the Jura and names it Count d' Empire the April 3rd 1815. He supported several engagements against the army corps of the Archiduc Ferdinand and was maintained in the fortified camp that he had established under the ramparts of Belfort. At the time of the third seat of Belfort, it succeeds in blocking during several weeks the armies united with much lower troops of number while being opposed to the Austrian armies in the combat of Foussemagne (June 30th), Bourogne (July 2nd) and Chèvremont (July 8th).

Louis XVIII pronounced his réadmission with the retirement the September 4th. Overpowered by tirednesses which it had to support during its last countryside, Lecourbe reaches painful disease for a long time, died, the October 22nd 1815 with Belfort, where it had established its general headquarter, during the Hundred Days.

Its tomb is with Ruffey-on-Pail, close to Lons-the-Salt maker. Its name is registered on the east coast of Triumphal arch of the Star.

Its name was given to the Rue Lecourbe, in the 15th district of Paris.

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