Canrobert

Canrobert, FRANÇOIS CERTAIN, Marshal of France, born at St Céré in Lot, 27th June 1809, studied in the military academy of St Cyr, and in 1828 entered the army. He had seen close upon twenty years' brilliant service in Algeria, and had actively supported the future emperor at the coup d'état of 1851, when in January 1853 he received the rank of a general of division. As such he commanded the first division of the French army under Marshal St Arnaud, sent to the Crimea in 1854; and at the battle of the Alma was wounded in the breast and hand by the splinter of a shell. On St Arnaud's death nine days later, Canrobert assumed the chief command of the French army. According to Kinglake, he deliberately retarded the progress of operations, let slip many opportunities, and hampered the English—his object therein being to forward Napoleon's plan of himself coming out to head a final and victorious campaign. In the war in Italy against the Austrians (1859) Canrobert had the command of the third division of the French army, and at the battles of Magenta and Solferino his corps d'armée was engaged. In the Franco-German war of 1870 he was shut up in Metz with Bazaine, and became a prisoner in Germany. He was an ardent Imperialist till the death of the Prince Imperial (1879). In 1876 he became a member of the senate. He died 28th January 1895.