Andre Massena

MASSENA, ANDRE, duke of Rivoli, prince of Essling (1756-1817), the greatest of Napoleon's marshals, son of a small wine merchant, it is said of Jewish origin, was born at Nice on May 6, 1756. He began life as a cabin boy, but in 1775 enlisted in the Royal-Italien regiment. He quickly rose to be under-officer adjutant; but he left the army in 1789, retired to his native city, and married. He left Italy, and joined the 3rd battalion of the volunteers of the Var in 1791, and by February 1792 was a lieutenant-colonel. He served in the army which occupied Nice, and in the advance to the Apennines which followed, his know ledge of the country and of the people was so useful that in De cember 1793 he was already a general of division. He won the battle of Saorgio in August 1794, and after many successes, on Nov. 23, 1795, he had the greatest share in the victory of Loano, won by Scherer over the Austrians and Sardinians. In Bonaparte's great campaign of 1796-97 Massena was his most trusted general of division and won the crowning victory of Rivoli. During this campaign Bonaparte gave him the title of enfant cheri de la vic toire, which he was to justify till he met the English in 181o. In 1798 he commanded the army of Rome for a short time, but was displaced by the intrigues of Berthier. Massena's next important service was in command of the army in Switzerland, which united the army in Germany under Moreau, and that in Italy under Joubert. The archduke Charles and SuvOrov, who had each been successful in Germany and in Italy, now turned upon him. He held his ground well against the archduke, and then suddenly, leaving Soult to face the Austrians, he transported his army to Ziirich, where, on Sept. 26, 1799, he entirely defeated Korsakov. This campaign and battle placed his reputation on a level with that of his compatriot Bonaparte, and he might have made the revolution of Brumaire, but he was sincerely attached to the republic, and had no ambition. Bonaparte, now First Consul, sent him to command the debris of the army of Italy, and he defended Genoa from February to June to the very last extremity, giving time for Bonaparte to strike his great blow at Marengo. He now went to Paris, where he sat in the Corps Legislatif in 1803, and actually defended Moreau without drawing upon himself the ill will of Napoleon, who well knew his honesty.

Marshal of

1804 he was made one of the first marshals of France of the new regime, and in 1805 was decorated with the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour. In that year Napoleon chose Massena to keep in check the archduke Charles in Italy, while he advanced through Germany with the grand army. Massena kept the archduke occupied till he received news

of the surrender of Ulm, and then on Oct. 3o, defeated him in the battle of Caldiero. After the peace of Pressburg, Massena was or dered to take possession of the kingdom of Naples, and to place Joseph Bonaparte on the throne. He then distinguished himself in Poland. In 1808 he was made duke of Rivoli. In the campaign in 1809 at the battle of Aspern-Essling his magnificent leadership made what might have been an appalling disaster into a mere re verse of which the enemy could make no use. At Wagram Mas sena, too ill to ride, directed from his carriage the movements of the right wing. He was created prince of Essling, and given the castle of Thouars.

Campaign in

was then ordered to Spain to "drive the English into the sea." (For campaigns of 1810 and 181i, the advance to and the retreat from Torres Vedras see PEN INSULAR WAR.) Massena himself, with some justice, ascribed his failure to the frequent disobedience of his subordinates Ney, Rey vier and Junot. Though unsuccessful Massena kept his army for five weary months close up to Wellington's impregnable position before retiring. His retreat through a devastated country was terrible, but his force of character kept his men together, and Ney showed his best side in brilliant rear-guard actions, until dismissed for a new act of insubordination. Soon Massena was again ready to try his fortune, and he nearly defeated Wellington at Fuentes d'Olioro, though much hampered by Bessieres. His recall soon followed this and he returned home to find his prestige gone. The old marshal felt he had a right to complain of Ney and of Napoleon himself, and, it is said, opened communications with Fouche and the remnant of the republican party. Napoleon gave his greatest marshal no more employment in the field, but made him a territorial commandant at Marseilles. Louis XVIII. confirmed him in this command. When Napoleon returned from Elba, Massena, probably by the advice of Fouche, kept Marseilles quiet to await events, the greatest service he could do the royal ists, but afterwards imputed to him as a fault. After the sec ond restoration Massena was summoned to sit on the court martial which tried Marshal Ney, but refused. He died on April 4, 1817, and was buried in Pere-la-Chaise, with only the word "Massena" upon his tombstone.

See Thiebault's Eloge funebre, and Koch's Memoires de Massina (4 vols., 1849), a valuable work, carefully compiled. In more modern times E. Gachot has produced several important works dealing with Massena's campaigns.