Savary as commander of Aragon and Navarre. Upon taking charge of the siege of Saragossa, Verdier was wounded and then later lifted the siege. In November he was to join Soult's corps, but instead was directed to command the province of Bilbao. Replacing Reille as commander of a German division, Verdier then took up the siege of Girona in March 1809, and in December he accepted the city's surrender. The month before returning to France in April 1810, Verdier distinguished himself in the fighting around Arenys de Mar. For the next few years, Verdier commanded a division in a corps of observation, which later became Oudinot's II Corps for the Russian campaign. In Russia, he fought at Jaboukowo, Khastitzi, Polotsk, and Swolna, and then at the second battle of Polotsk he was badly wounded. Due to his awful wounds, he was sent back to France and avoided the horrors of the retreat. By May 1813 Verdier was fit enough for duty, and took command of the 4th Infantry Division of the Corps of Observation at the Adige. That September he took command of a corps under Prince Eugene consisting of Rouyer's and Gratien's divisions in the Army of Italy, and was then placed under Grenier. He was wounded by a shot in the combat of Ala in November, but it was not bad enough to put him out of action. In 1814 he took command of a corps consisting of the divisions commanded by Quesnel, Fressinet, and Palombini. In February he fought at the battle of the Mincio and at Borghetto, then in June he returned to France, only to be put on non-activity. However, he was rewarded with a Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor in January 1815. For the Hundred Days, Verdier commanded the 17th Infantry Division of Brune's IX Corps, and was made a Peer of France. He also commanded the 8th Military District (Marseilles). In the chaos after the Waterloo, he prevented Toulon from being plundered. Shortly after Napoleon's abdication, he retired. Honors Upon the first restoration of King Louis XVIII, Verdier was retired, but was awarded the Cross of Saint-Louis. On 17 January 1815, he was decorated with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. He had already been made Commander of the Iron Crown by Napoleon. The ordinance of 1 August 1817 obliged him to retire once again. Though he was briefly