DESAIX DE VEYGOUX, (If -sal' or dc-ztt' Lot is t'll.mt.Es (176s-1600) French general of the First Neptiblie. bore August 17, lilts. at Saint Hilaire tr..\ylit. Ile studied at Military school of Etliat, and in 17s:1 111:111e sub-lientenant in a Breton regi went. Ile was in sympathy frith t reV01111. loll 11111101 he depl'eeatt'd their Violence. :11111 in was appointed aide to Prince Victor de then commanding the _\riny of :he Ultine. In 170:104 he was made a gen cal 01 brigade al II then Of di% ision. 1.0111111a tulvd the right wing of the Army of the Sambre and Alense under .lourdalt in 170, and in the following year was again in the Army of the and 1111411 C0111111:111ding the left Ming 111 famous retreat through the Black For• ('I. To Desaix was intrusted the fortress of 1:eltl, the only stronghold upon the right hank of the i;Iiine which the l'rench retained after this retreat. The fort Wa, 111 lint 111..11111d its imperfect defenses Desaix lichl out against an .Atist•ian army for tWO 1111111(11S, only rendering in January. 1707, when his ammuni tion was exhausted. 111 the spring he was sent to ]talc, NV here 13011811a recognizing his strong qualities, took pains to attach him to hiniselt.
Desaix accompanied the Egyptian expedition and there won his brightest laurels in the conquest of Upper Egypt from the Alanielukes under .Nlurad Bey, after an eight months' campaign. By his equitable administration .)f t he country after the conquest lie won from the Arab. the title of 'the Sultan.' Neturning to Prance at the command of Bonaparte in 1700 he joined the hit ter in Italy and was given the command of two divisions of reserve:. This force. in June. Ison, \vas 1., Genoa un detached service, hut in response to the sound of the distant lighting at :Marengo (dune ill. Desaix, by a sudden in spiration, returned, arriving just as Bonaparte was about to yield the field to Alelas. 1)esaix saved the day by a vigorous attack with his divi sions, but he M shot and instantly killed while ailing the charge. lie was an intrepid soldier, at skillful commander, and the idol of hi: troops.
1IY was in the Al"II asters of Saint Bernard. A static has been laised in his honor in Paris. Consult Becker, I:tioh.s s Sal le !I. sai.r moot,