TROCHU, triYshu', LOUIS JULES (1815-961. A French general, born at Palais, in the Depart ment of Morbihan. After studying in the General Staff Academy. he fought, after 1846, with great distinction in Algeria, and in 1851 became head of a bureau in the Ministry of War. During the Crimean War he served as aid to Saint-Arnaud and Canrobert, was made a general of brigade, and at Sebastopol distinguished himself in the storming of the Malakoff bastion, September 8, 1855. As general of division during the Austro Italian war of 1859 he did excellent service at Solferino, assuming, after the conclusion of peace, an important post in the War Department. In 1867 he published, anonymously, L'arnide [run caise en 1867, in which he criticised severely the defects in the French army organization, thereby losing favor at Court. After the outbreak of the war with Germany, he became, August, 1870, Governor of Paris, and on the downfall of the Second Empire, after Sedan, was made head of the Government of National Defense, remaining at the same time in command of the military forces of the city. His half-hearted defense of
the capital subjected him to bitter criticism, and when further resistance to the besieging forces had become impossible, he laid down the office of Governor, January 22. 1871, a week before the capitulation of the city. He re mained at the head of the Government till the meeting of the National Assembly, of which he was a member. In 1873 he resigned from the army and retired to private life. He died at Tours October 7, 1896. In defense of his con duct during the siege of Paris, he published Von pica ct in defense de l'aris decant le jury de la- Seine (1872) ; Pour in write et pour in jus tice (1873) ; La politique et le siege de Paris (1874).