SANTEBRE, ANTOINE JOSEPH, a French revolutionist, who for some time exercised an influence quite disproportioned to his feeble abilities, was b. at Paris. Mar. 16, 1752. He followed the trade of a brewer in the faubourg Saint-Antoine, and his wealth, pro bity, and generosity toward his employes gave him an immense influence in the district. On the establishment of the national guard in 1789 he received the command of as bat talion, and took part in the storming of the bastille. During flee year 1792 the Jacobin agitators of the faubourgs often met in the brewery of Santerre, and it was there Lhat the emeute of June 20 was preconcerted, on which occasion Santerre, along with Saint Mange, marched at the head of the mob who invaded the asaemLlee nalionale, and turned out the Girondists. Ile also played a conspicuous part on Aug. 10, when Ile was invested with the dignity of the national guard. In October he was named field-marshal (narwhal de camp), and in April. 1793, be got the "authori ties" to let him off scot-free for a debt of some 50,000 livres, which he owed the exchepqer in the shape of taxes on the beer manufactured by him—the minister of finance arguing that, inasmuch as Santerre's beer was drunk for the most part by 'patriots" (not always careful to pay their score), it ought not to be subjected to "duty.
But greater things were yet in store for the privileged brewer. On July 30 he was appointed gen. of division in the French army, and wishing to do something to_jus tify this strictly military office, h V e marched nt the head of 20,000 men against the en dean royalists, hut was miserably beaten, and in consequence recalled. Shortly after, he was nrre:ie(' and imprisoned, and only obtained his liberty after the death Of Robes pierre. Ile then withdrew into private life; but his fortunes and his popularity alike declined. and in 1800 we find bun begging. money and employment from Bonaparte. The latter, who saw clearly enough that Santerre was intrinsically an incapable fool, declined to employ him, hut restored him to his military rank. Santerre died Feb. 6, 1809. Owing to the calumnies of royalist writers. Santerre commonly figures ad one of the ferocious musters of the revolution. There is positively no evidence, however, for such an opinion. Though he was hugely fond of "brave words," and menaced his opponents with all tthe bellicose grandiloquence of a French revolutionist, he was nearly as soft in the heart as in the head. Some witty contemporary made the fol lowing epitaph on him: it le g6.neral Santerre, Qui n eut de Mars que la Were.