VICTOR, veVt5e, ULAtint: PERRIN, Duke of Belluno (1764-1841). A French marshal. He was born December 7, 1764, at La Marche, in the Vosges. Be enlisted in the army in 1781. gained the attention of Napoleon by his conduct at the siege of Toulon (1793), and was promoted at the close of that year to the rank of brigadier-general. He became general of division in 1797. In the Italian campaigns of 1796-97 and 1799-1800 Vie tor commanded the vanguard. He did brilliant service at Marengo. In 180(1 he fought against Prussia, was captured in 1807, was exchanged for Blucher, and at Friedland won the baton of a marshal of France, and the title of Duke of Belluno. He was Governor of Berlin after Tilsit. In 1808 he commanded a corps in Spain, and gained several victories. but was defeated by Wel lington at Talavera (July 270-2Sth). In 1812 he commanded the Ninth Corps in the Russian campaign, and shared in the defense of the passage of the Beresina. In 1813 he
fought at Dresden and Leipzig. In 1814 lie was severely wounded at the battle of Craonne. lie then went over to the Bourbons, from whom lie received a peerage, was president of the mili tary CODDDitiSli011 appointed to try those officers who deserted to Napoleon after the Emperor's re turn from Elba, and was very severe in his treat ment of his former companions in arms. He was Minister of War in 1821-23, and second in com mand in the Spanish Peninsula in 1823, but was recalled on suspicion of complicity in fraudulent contracts. Be was commissioned Ambassador to Austria, but the Austrian Government declined to receive him. Thereafter he took no part in public affairs. lie died in Paris, March 1, 1841. There is a brief life, Bou116e, Mop-op/lie CCM, teinpOrUinC, VOL ii. (Paris, 1862).