Jourdan

Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, Marshal of France (1762-1833)

The son of a surgeon of Limoges in central France, Jourdan enlisted in the army when he was just 16 years old. With his regiment he saw service in America during its own Revolution. Eventually a rather talented general, Jourdan could reasonably claim to have saved the French Revolution by virtue of his victories at Wattignies in 1793 and Fleurus in 1794.

Jourdan was a somewhat unambitious man by nature, one not prone to utter self-promotion as was Moreau's inner circle. After 6 years of service he went back to Limoges, married a dressmaker and became a linen merchant. In 1790 his neighbours elected him captain in the local national guards. A year later he became Lieutenant Colonel of Volunteers.

In 1793 he was in command of the the Army of the North in place of General Jean Houchard, who had been arrested and soon executed for having won a battle but not pursuing as energetically as the 'Representatives of the People' thought he should. Houchard's predecessor, General Adam de Custine, had been `chopped' for reasons logical only to frightened politicians, so Jourdan knew that he himself stood in the shadow of the guillotine. Squat, fat, and cheerful, Jourdan did not look the hero. But he was brave, energetic, and self-confident, something of an organizer and also obstinate. Beaten one day, he was always ready to try again.

Jourdan was a sincere patriot, somewhat of the Jacobin persuasion, close in spirit to France's political rulers of the moment. His battles tended to be messy, help-yourself affairs, but he had superior numbers and usually managed to make them count. Yet he soon developed enough political enemies, for example, by insisting that soldiers have shoes for winter campaigning. For having rocked one too many boats, he was relieved in early 1794.




	He reopened his Limoges shop and put his general's uniform on display. He was recalled for further service during 1794-96 and 1799. Initially successful, he then met defeat at the hands of the Archduke Charles. His self-confidence suffered. Between campaigns, however, he sat in the Council of the Five Hundred and had a large part in designing the sensible 1798 conscription law. Jourdan did not oppose Napoleon's 1799 coup. Thereafter, aside from the command of Besancon fortress during the Hundred Days, he had no active duties, but Napoleon made him military advisor to Joseph in Naples and then in Spain. It was a frustrating assignment, Joseph being disinterested in matters military and a coward to boot. Jourdan gave good advice on occasion, but nobody listened. With the Restoration of Louis XVIII, Jourdan became a Count in 1818. When the Bourbons finally fell for the third and last time with the advent of the reign of Louis-Philippe of the House of Orleans, Jourdan was appointed to a post as police chief in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Eventually he was made Governor of the Invalides, where Napoleon's remains rest today. Jourdan died in Paris in 1833.