Soult
NICOLAS JEAN DE DIEU (sölt), Duke of Dalmatia and Marshal of France; born of humble parentage in Saint Amans la Bastide, Tarn, France, March 29, 1769. In 1785 he entered an infantry regiment as a common soldier.
Raised from the ranks, he became successively lieutenant and captain in his regiment. At that time he served on the upper Rhine and greatly distinguished himself at Kaiserslautern, Weissenburg, Fleurus, and other places, and after successive promotions was named General of Division by Masséna, to whose army he was attached. In the unsuccessful campaign in Italy he was wounded and taken prisoner, but obtained his liberty after the victory of Marengo in 1800. In 1803 he had the command of one of the three camps of the army intended against England, that at St. Omer. He was one of the marshals created immediately after the formation of the empire in 1804; and in the Austrian War, in 1805, distinguished himself at Ulm and Austerlitz. He acquired new fame in the Prussian campaign; and in 1807, after the battle of Friedland, took Königsberg. From 1808-1812 he fought in Spain, but, overmatched by Wellington, was unable to gain many laurels. In 1813 he was recalled in consequence of Napoleon's disasters, to take the command of the 4th Corps of the Grand Army, and commanded the infantry of the guard at Lützen. On the news of Wellington's victory at Vittoria he was sent back to reorganize the French force in Spain, and did his utmost to oppose Wellington's triumphant career till Napoleon's abdication. Soult gave in his adhesion to Louis XVIII., who appointed him commander of the 13th Military Division; and in 1814 made him Minister of War. On Napo leon's return he joined his standard, and held the post of major-general of the army in the campaign of Waterloo. After the second restoration he took up hi SOUND residence at Düsseldorf, but was per- mitted to return to France in 1819; and in 1827 was raised to the peerage. After the July revolution of 1830, and on two office, and in 1846, on retiring from puboffice, and in 1846, on retiring from public life, was created Grand-Marshal of France. He died in St. Amans, Nov. 26, 1851.