| Lazare Hoche was a brilliant general of the Revolution and had he not
died early may have rivaled Napoleon himself in exploits. He was commander
of the Army of the Moselle from 1793-4; arrested for suspicion of treason
he was released after the fall of Robespierre. He went on to defeat the
royalist landing at Quiberon and subdue (at least temporarily) the Vendée.
Commander of the ill-fated expedition to Ireland he was forced to give up
because of bad weather and was given command of the Army of the Sambre and
Meuse, winning the battle of Neuweid (July 2, 1796). Briefly the Minister
of War he resigned in protest over the corruption he found and returned
to the army, dying, probably of consumption on September 19, 1797. Napoleon
would remark that he was one of the greatest generals France ever produced
and might have had a glittering career had he lived. |
