Louis-Jules Trochu

Educated at Ecole de Saint Cyr; received a commission in the Staff Corps (1838); was promoted to lieutenant (1840), captain (1843); served in Algeria; promoted to major (1845), lieutenant colonel (1851), colonel (1853); served with distinction throughout the Crimean campaign; general of brigade (1854); was made a commander of the Légion d'honneur and general of division (1859); distinguished himself in command of a division in the Italian campaign (1859); employed at the ministry of war (1866) in the preparation of army reorganization schemes; published anonymously L'Armee française en 1867; appointed first commandant of the troops of Chalons camp (August 1870) in the Franco-Prussian war; appointed governor of Paris (17 Aug 1870 - 22 Jan 1871) and commander-in-chief of all the forces destined for the defense of the capital; worked energetically to put Paris in a state of defense against the Prussians; at the revolution of 4 Sep 1870 became President of the Government of National Defense; after unsuccessful attempts to build up effective defense, resigned the governorship of Paris (22 Jan 1871); elected to the National Assembly by eight departments (chose for Morbihan); elected (Oct 1871) president of the council general for Morbihan; retired from political life (July 1872), and from the army (16 Jan 1873). Biography source: [3]