Nicolas Jean Ernault de Rignac des Bruslys (7 August 1757 – 25 September 1809) was a French general and governor of Île Bonaparte.

On 8 October 1789, he was promoted to Adjudant-général-colonel, and took part in the siege of Namur, personally leading the capture of the fort of Vilatte.

On 28 Messidor an VI (16 July 1798), he was sent to the Army of England, which he quit to take back his previous position on 21 Nivôse an VII (10 January 1799).

On 25 Nivôse (15 January 1802), he was sent to Rochefort, embarked aboard the frigate Thêmis and sailed to Île de France (now Mauritius), under François-Louis Magallon.

Des Bruslys both did not share the conviction and was reluctant to weaken the defences of Saint-Denis, thinking that his forces did not allow him effectively to defend the entire coastline.

In the evening, he retreated to Saint-Denis in order to organise its defense against a potential invasion, leaving Captain Saint-Michel to negotiate with the British.

General Soleille then threatened him with the decree of 14 Pluviôse an II (2 February 1794), which made "cowardice on the battlefield" punishable by the death penalty, should he not order an assault.

From what I foresee of the effects of the hatred or ambition of a few individuals holding to a revolutionary sect, death on the gallows awaits me...

He then tried to blow his head off by detonating two sacks of gunpowder tied to his neck, but the powder failed to explode properly and left him severely burned.