Canrobert
FRANÇOIS CERTAIN (kän-rō-bār'), Marshal of France, born at St. Céré in Lot, June 27, 1809, studied in the military academy of St. Cyr, and in 1828 entered the army. He had seen close upon 20 years' brilliant service in Algeria, and had actively supported the future emperor at the coup d'état of 1851, when in January, 1853, he received the rank of a general of division. As such he commanded the first division of the French army under Marshal St. Arnaud, sent to the Crimea in 1854; and at the battle of the Alma was wounded in the breast and hand by the splinter of a shell. On St. Arnaud's death, nine days later, Canrobert assumed the chief command of the French army. In the war in Italy against the Austrians (1859) Canrobert had the command of the third division of the French army, and fought at the battles of Magenta and Solferino. In the Franco-German war of 1870 he was shut up in Metz with Bazaine, and became a prisoner in Germany. He was an ardent Imperialist till the death of the Prince Imperial (1879). In 1876 he became a member of the Senate. He died Jan. 28, 1895.