In the Prussian campaign of IS06 and 1S07 he performed many brilliant achievements; at the siege of Danzig ho rendered, together with Oudinot, material assistance to Marshal Lefebvre, who com manded the besieging army, and he narrowly escaped death at the battle of Jena. [Leemavnee) In June 1S07, a few mouths subse quent to the battle of Eylau, an unsuccessful attempt was wade by Lannes upon the intrenchod camp of Melberg, and it occasioued serious dispute between him and the Grand Duke of Berg (Murat), which gave rise to an incident showing the freedom with which Le was accustomed to address Napoleon, whom, ou this occasion, be openly accused of manifesting an uuduo partiality to his brother-in law. The scene of bitter altercation between the emperor and his lieutenant ie described with dramatic) effect by the Duchess of Abrantes ('liden.,' ix. 369-72). In 1SOS Lsnnes accompanied Napoleon in the Peninsular campaign, and bad the commend of the third corps of the army. In crossing the mountains near Mon Dragon he mot with an accident which might have proved fatal but for the skill of that eminent surgeon Baron barmy. In the battle of Tudela (November 23rd, 180S), at which Lannee was present, the Spaniards under Castahoe were completely defeated, and seven standards, thirty pieces of cannon, and upwards of throe thousand prisoners fell into the hands of the FelSnch. Lemma was afterwards appointed to the chief command of the army besiegims Saragossa, and it was there especially that the influence of his military talents was felt and appre ciated. For fifty days without iutermi-siun the French army had fruitlessly fought and laboured; he found the soldiers suffering from privations of every kind and deeply dispirited. On the 21st of February isoa, the city was entered by a general walk, and from twelve to fifteen thousand of its courageous defenders, who were reduced to the lowest state of weakness by the sufferings and priva tions they land endured, laid down their arms. After the fall of Saragossa, Lemma returned to France, with the intention of speuding some time upon his estate in the neighbourhood of Paris, but after a few weeks the second war with Austria broke out, and he was again called to abase the fortune of his master ou the field of battle.
In this campaign he had the command of the second corps of Napoleon's army, composed of fifty thousand men. At the battle of Eckmiihl, April 22nd, 1809, his services proved of the greatest value. it was the intention of the French emperor to cut off the communi cations of the Austriane with the leer and the Inn, and, by throwing them back upon Bohemia, to prevent them from defending Vienna. For this purpose be commenced the attack by advancing the right wing of his army under Lames, together with part of Devote 's corps, to attack the Austrian left. This movement, which Launes most skilfully conducted, was perfectly successful, and the enemy was driven back in confusion. ills bravery also displayed itself in subsequent parts of this important battle, and he contributed greatly to the final issue, which was favourable to the French. The day after this engagement, in the assault on Ratisbon, Lames, who con ducted the operations, perceiving a large house which was situated against the ramparts of the town, caused several guns to play against it, and a breach was formed by which access might be gained to the summit. A heavy fire however was kept up from the ramparts, which rendered the crossing of the glade extremely hazardous to tho besiegers, and for some time no soldier could be found sufficiently bold to face the danger. Tho marshal at length, impatient at tho
delay, seized a scaling-ladder, and hastened forward through the thickest part of the shower of the enemy's ball& lie was instautly followed by his men, whom the gallant spectacle of their leader's courage had animated, and, by this daring and decisive measure, the breach was quickly passed, and the town was gained.
The last but not least noble exploits of this distinguished general were the defence of the village of Falling, in the sanguinary battle which has been named from it, and the grand attack ou the Austrian centre, which, though unsuccessful in its results, was conducted by Lemma with great skill and courage. When the French Lad beou compelled to retire to the island of Lobau, their wearied bande were attacked by fresh troops, which the Archduke Charles brought up in constant succession in order to dislodge them from their position. Launes, with the intention of resisting this nttack, posted those of his soldiers on whom he could place most reliance in the rear of the columns, and supporting them with the troops which the emperor had sent to his assistance, seconded by Mass4na, he checked the advancing numbers of the Austrians. The French had reserved their fire till the enemy had approached within a few yards of them, and then commenced a most deadly struggle. At that critical moment Lannes had dismounted from his horse, that he might be less exposed to the sweeping fire of the Austriau artillery, when he was struck by a cannon-ball, which carried away the whole of his right leg and the foot and ankle of the loft. Napoleon was directing the position of some batteries, when he beheld the almost lifeless body of his heroic marshal borne off from the battle. Even in the critical circumstances in which his army was then placed, and though the fate of his empire was depending on the issue, Napoleon turned aside to address a few words to the general whom of all his officers he most trusted. On no other occasion it is said was Napoleon seen to evince such deep emotion. For nine days Lannes lingered in the most agonising sufferings, during which be was constantly visited by the emperor, and on the 31st of May 1809, be expired.
Lannes, unlike many of Napoleon's generals, had acquired a con stantly iucrea.sing military reputation. In the first part of his career courage predominated over judgment; but experience was daily pro ducing in his mind a more just equilibrium between those two qualities eo essential to a commander. "I found him a dwarf," said the emperor to Las Cases, "and I lost him a giant?' And in another conversation with this faithful companion of his exile, he remarked of this marshal that " he had great experience in war, having been in fifty-four battles and three hundred combats. He was cool in the midst of fire ; possessed of a clear penetrating eye, ready to take advantage of any opportunity which might present itself. Violent and hasty in his temper, even in my presence, he was however ardently attached to me." Lannea had married Mademoiselle Louise de Gh6hdnueo, a young woman of great beauty and prepossessing manners. When she became a widow, Napoleon evinced by the most Assiduous attention to her the high respect ho bore for the memory of her distinguished husband. She was afterwards appointed a lady of honour to the Empress Maria Louisa.