Masséna

Masséna, ANDRÉ, Duke of Rivoli, Prince of Essling, and the greatest of all Napoleon's marshals, was born at Nice, it is said of Jewish origin, 6th May 1758. He began life as a cabin-boy, and served fourteen years in the Sardinian army, but left it because his plebeian birth precluded him from promotion. Early in the French Revolution he joined a battalion of volunteers, and rose rapidly in rank, becoming in December 1793 a general of division. He distinguished himself greatly in the campaigns in Upper Italy, especially at Saorgio (1794), Loano (1795), and Rivoli (1797), and earned from his chief his famous surname of enfant chéri de la victoire. After Jourdan's defeat at Stockach (25th March 1799) the chief command of the army in Switzerland devolved upon him in circumstances of great difficulty, but he kept his ground against the Archduke Charles, and finally by his crushing victory over Suvaroff's Russians at Zurich (25th September 1799) freed France from the danger of invasion. In 1804 Napoleon made him a marshal of the empire, and next gave him the command of the army of Italy. He kept the Archduke Charles in check, crushed him at Caldiero, and overran Naples. In 1807, after the battle of Eylau, he commanded the right wing of the French army, and at the end of the campaign was created Duke of Rivoli. During the peace he lost his left eye by accident at a hunting-party. In the campaign of 1809 against Austria he commanded on the right bank of the Danube, and covered himself with glory at Landshut, Eckmühl, and Ebersberg-on-Traun. On the second day of the battle at Aspern or Essling (22d May), with the most conspicuous bravery he covered the army in its crossing the Danube, and alone saved it from destruction, earning for himself the title of Prince of Essling. In 1810 he was sent to Spain to drive the English into the sea, and he compelled Wellington to fall back upon his impregnable lines at Torres Vedras. Finding it impossible to obtain any advantage, and harassed by lack of supplies, he made a masterly retreat, to find himself recalled with ignominy by his imperious master. His failure he himself ascribed to the disobedience of his subordinates, Ney and Junot. He offered his services, however, again, when Napoleon was preparing for the Russian campaign, but was entrusted only with the command in Provence, and in this position he remained till the Restoration, when he gave in his adhesion to the Bourbons, and was made a peer. On Napoleon's return from Elba he invited Masséna to follow him, but received no response. He refused to sit on Ney's court-martial, and denounced the competence of the court. He died 4th April 1817, and was buried in Père-la-Chaise with the one word Masséna on his tombstone. In tactics Masséna resembled his master in quickness and fertility in resource. He was brave and indefatigable in the field, but as extortionate as a Roman prætor. His Mémoires were edited by General Kock (7 vols. 1849-50), and there is a Life by Toselli (1869).