Desaix de Veygoux

Desaix de Veygoux, LOUIS CHARLES ANTOINE, a famous French general, was born of a good old family at St Hilaire-d'Ayat, in Auvergne, August 17, 1768. Entering the army at fifteen, in 1796 he covered himself with glory by his heroic conduct in Moreau's famous retreat through the Black Forest. Behind the ruinous fortress of Kehl, Desaix resisted the Austrian army for more than two months, only capitulating in January 1797, when his ammunition was spent. His greatest achievement was the conquest of Upper Egypt, which he accomplished in 1799, after an eight months' campaign. His own soldiers used to compare him to Bayard, while the inhabitants named him 'the Just Sultan.' Desaix returned from Egypt just in time to take part in the battle of Marengo, in which he was killed by a musket-bullet, June 14, 1800.