Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau was born at Morlaix in Brittany on the 14th of February 1763. His father was a successful lawyer who insisted that his son study law instead of joining the army. Moreau attended the University of Rennes where he showed no inclination for legal studies. He lived with students as their hero and leader during the turbulent years leading up to the French Revolution. The local Parlemont of Brittany served as a site of confrontation against tax proposals from the ancien régime. As tempers grew in 1789, Moreau commanded students in daily affrays against supporters of the Bourbons. He formed them into a sort of army without taking his degree.
In 1791, Moreau was elected a lieutenant colonel of the volunteers of Ille-et-Vilaine. He served under Charles François Dumouriez during the early campaigns of the revolutionary wars. The good order of his battalion secured his promotion as général de brigade in 1793. Lazare Carnot promoted him to be général de division early in 1794. This gave him command of the right wing of the army under Charles Pichegru in Flanders. The 1794 Battle of Tourcoing established Moreau's military fame. In 1795 he received command of the Army of the Rhine and Moselle. He crossed the Rhine and advanced into Germany before retreating before Archduke Charles of Austria. His retreat brought back more than 5000 prisoners and greatly enhanced his reputation.
Moreau crossed the Rhine again in 1797 after prolonged difficulties caused by want of funds and materiel. His operations were checked by the conclusion of the preliminaries of Peace of Leoben between Bonaparte and the Austrians. He found traitorous correspondence between his old comrade Charles Pichegru and the émigré Prince de Condé. Too late to clear himself, he sent the correspondence to Paris and issued a proclamation denouncing Pichegru as a traitor. Napoleon later gave him command of the Army of the Rhine with which he forced back the Austrians from the Rhine to the Isar. On the 3rd of December 1800, he won the celebrated Battle of Hohenlinden against the Austrian forces. This victory cemented his military reputation and allowed him to settle down to enjoy the fortune acquired during campaigns.
His wife Eugénie Hulot collected around her all who were discontented with the aggrandisement of Napoleon. This Club Moreau annoyed Napoleon and encouraged the Royalists. Napoleon seized the conspirators and brought great pressure on the judges to condemn Moreau. The First Consul treated him with pretense of leniency by commuting imprisonment to banishment. In 1804, Moreau passed through Spain and embarked for America. He arrived in New York City in August 1805 with his wife. They received enthusiasm in the United States but refused all offers of service initially. He traveled through the country before settling in Pennsylvania in 1806. He bought a villa formerly belonging to Robert Morris near the Delaware River in Morrisville across from Trenton.
Moreau lived in Pennsylvania until 1813 dividing time between fishing hunting and social intercourse. His abode became refuge for political exiles while representatives of foreign powers tried to induce him to raise sword against Napoleon. At outbreak of War of 1812 President James Madison offered command of U.S. troops. Moreau was willing to accept but decided to return to Europe after hearing news of destruction of Grande Armée in Russia in November 1812. Probably at instigation of his wife he returned to Europe and began negotiating with Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte now Crown prince Charles John of Sweden. Charles John and Tsar Alexander I led an army against Napoleon alongside Prussians and Austrians. Moreau gave advice to Swedish and Russian leaders about how best to defeat France.
Moreau was mortally wounded in the Battle of Dresden on the 27th of August 1813 while talking to Tsar Alexander. He died on the 2nd of September in Louny. Earlier on the 17th of August 1813, the tsar had demanded post of supreme commander of allied armies for himself. This request had been resisted with great difficulty by Austrian Foreign Minister Klemens von Metternich since post already taken by Karl Philipp Prince of Schwarzenberg. After Moreau was shot down at his side, the tsar observed to Metternich that God had uttered judgment. Moreau was buried in Catholic Church of St. Catherine in St. Petersburg. His wife received pension from tsar while Louis XVIII gave him rank of Marshal of France. Bonapartists spoke of his defection comparing him to Dumouriez and Pichegru.
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Common questions
When was Jean Victor Marie Moreau born and where?
Jean Victor Marie Moreau was born at Morlaix in Brittany on the 14th of February 1763. His father was a successful lawyer who insisted that his son study law instead of joining the army.
What major battle established Jean Victor Marie Moreau's military fame?
The 1794 Battle of Tourcoing established Jean Victor Marie Moreau's military fame. He later won the celebrated Battle of Hohenlinden against the Austrian forces on the 3rd of December 1800 which cemented his reputation.
Why did Napoleon exile Jean Victor Marie Moreau to America?
Napoleon exiled Jean Victor Marie Moreau because his wife Eugénie Hulot collected discontented individuals and encouraged Royalists in a Club that annoyed Napoleon. The First Consul treated him with pretense of leniency by commuting imprisonment to banishment after seizing the conspirators.
Where did Jean Victor Marie Moreau live during his time in the United States?
Jean Victor Marie Moreau settled in Pennsylvania in 1806 and bought a villa formerly belonging to Robert Morris near the Delaware River in Morrisville across from Trenton. He lived there until 1813 dividing time between fishing hunting and social intercourse.
How did Jean Victor Marie Moreau die and when?
Jean Victor Marie Moreau was mortally wounded in the Battle of Dresden on the 27th of August 1813 while talking to Tsar Alexander. He died on the 2nd of September in Louny after giving advice to Swedish and Russian leaders about how best to defeat France.