Pierre-Augustin Hulin

Pierre-Augustin Hulin was a famous French soldier. He lived through many big changes in France. He was born on September 6, 1758. His father was a draper in Paris. A draper is someone who sells cloth. Hulin joined the army in 1771. He served in a regiment in Champagne. Later, he joined the French Guards. He worked his way up to sergeant. By 1787, he had retired from the guards. He ran a laundry for the Queen.

In 1789, a huge event happened in Paris. People were very angry with the Crown. Hulin helped lead people toward the Bastille. The Bastille was a famous prison. Hulin brought seventy men and five cannons. They moved from Les Invalides to the prison. Around 5 o'clock, the Bastille surrendered. Hulin and his deputy, Jacob Job Elie, tried to help. They protected the governor, Marquis de Launay, from the angry crowd. Sadly, the crowd caught the governor.

After the Bastille fell, Hulin became a hero. On July 15, 1789, he led a new group. This group was called the Volontaires de la Bastille. It later became the National Guard. Hulin was a very famous name in magazines. He was called a "herculean victor." Life was not always easy for him. During the Reign of Terror, he was put in jail. He stayed there for almost a year. He was finally released in 1794.

Later, Hulin fought in many wars. He served in the Army of Italy. He fought against the Austrians in Genoa. He also commanded troops in Milan. He eventually became a colonel. Hulin then served under Napoleon Bonaparte. In August 1803, he became a brigadier general. He helped lead a trial for the Duke of Enghien. The Duke was executed for treason. This caused many other countries to feel anger.

In 1807, Hulin became a major general. He was also the governor of Paris. He held this job for many years. In 1812, a man named Malet tried a coup. A coup is an attempt to take power. Malet shot Hulin in the face. But Hulin did not give up. His resistance helped stop Malet. Hulin lived to be an old man. He died in Paris on January 9, 1841.