Background
Jean-Baptiste Cavaignac was born at Gourdon (Lot). He was born on February 23, 1762.
Jean-Baptiste Cavaignac was born at Gourdon (Lot). He was born on February 23, 1762.
Jean-Baptiste Cavaignac was sent by his department as deputy to the Convention, where he associated himself with the party of the Mountain and voted for the death of Louis XVI.
He was constantly employed on missions in the provinces, and distinguished himself by his rigorous repression of opponents of the revolution in the departments of Landes, Basses-Pyrenees and Gers.
He had represented the Convention in the armies of Brest and of the Eastern Pyrenees in 1793, and in 1795 he was sent to the armies of the Moselle and the Rhine.
His second son was General Eugene Cavaignac (q. v. ).
He was bitterly disappointed at the triumph of the monarchical principle after the revolution of July 1830, in which he had taken part.
He took part in the Parisian risings of October 1830, 1832 and 1834.
On the third occasion he was imprisoned, but escaped to England in 1835.
When he returned to France in 1841 he worked on the staff of La R&forme, and carried on an energetic republican propaganda.