François Canrobert

Born June 27, 1809, in St. Céré; died Jan. 28, 1895, in Paris. Marshal of France (1856).

Between 1835 and 1849, Canrobert participated in colonial wars in North Africa. In 1850 he became an adjutant to Louis Napoleon Bonaparte and took part in his coup d’etat of Dec. 2, 1851. During the Crimean War of 1853–56, Canrobert first commanded a division and then (from Sept. 14 [26], 1854, to May4 [16], 1855) all French troops in the Crimea, after which he resumed divisional command. From 1859 he commanded a corps. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, Canrobert’scorps was thrown back to the fortress of Metz after the battle at Saint-Privat; there the entire corps was captured when the army of A. Bazaine capitulated. From 1871 to 1876, Canrobert was the leader of the Bonapartists in the French National Assembly; later he was a senator.