Background
Étienne Jacques Joseph Alexandre MacDonald was born on November 17, 1765, in Sedan, Ardennes.
(The recollections of one of Napoleons most dependable com...)
The recollections of one of Napoleons most dependable commanders Among all Napoleon's marshals Macdonald is one of the most intriguing, for he bears a name more likely to found among those highland regiments of Wellington's infantry who were among his master's most formidable enemies. Jacques Macdonald was born in Sedan in the Ardennes region of France, the son of a Jacobite Scottish exile, and was a close relative of Flora MacDonald who played such a memorable role in the flight of Prince Charles Stewart to the continent after the failure of the rebellion of 1745. Born in 1765, Jacques Macdonald was of an age to ensure he would take part in the momentous events that swept through France in the late 18th century bringing revolution, regicide, the Republic, Consulate and Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte. Perhaps predictably Macdonald experienced campaigns and battles throughout the Napoleonic age in most of the European theatres of the conflict and he graphically describes those events and his part in them in this book. He was a faithful and dependable commander who lacked true military genius but whose qualities made him trustworthy, and it was for these qualities that Napoleon was consistently entrusted him with independent commands. Whilst Macdonald's career cannot fail to be of interest to all students of the Napoleonic Wars what makes this book special is its readability and Macdonald's ability to describe vividly the events he witnessed in an entertaining and informative manner. The value of his book as an historical document is further enhanced by the insights he provides into his own character-that of an obviously decent, honourable and likeable individual. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
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(MACDONALD Issued London: c. 1830. Fine and uncommon origi...)
MACDONALD Issued London: c. 1830. Fine and uncommon original antique early-19th century engraved portrait. Signature facsimile printed below image. Printed on quality period heavy paper which shows light signs of age, but still retains its inherent structural flexibility and soundness. This particular type of engraved printing process was very laborious, involving long-apprenticed highly trained hand artisans. It also involved challenging hand-operated machinery, inking of plates, sheets of paper individually hung to dry, and other endless tasks and labor. Because of these and various other factors, this printed leaf is an interesting original artifact from an era long past. CONDITION: In near VG or better condition, remaining mostly clean, sheet lightly age-toned as typical, may exhibit trivial minor scattered foxing / age spotting, but, a nice rich impression and rather well-preserved given the age. Still pleasant to hold and inspect this sheet in person. Could readily be displayed or collected without issue or apology. Please inspect photos closely, any small or minor age flaws to the printed surface area should be visible within picture provided. note: We grade very conservatively and always seek to disclose any noteworthy flaws. We are doing our best to show & describe this item so you are happy when it arrives. In all, remains a fascinating antique printed image any collector, dealer, curator or institution would be pleased to own / display. Sheet measures c. 5 1/8" W x 8 3/8" H. Engraved area measures c. 4" W x 3 1/2" H. E13839 We encourage you to print this description to keep with the image.
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Étienne Jacques Joseph Alexandre MacDonald was born on November 17, 1765, in Sedan, Ardennes.
Jacques MacDonald was educated at a military boarding school in Paris.
Jacques MacDonald began his French military career in 1784 by joining the "Dillon Regiment", which was primarily composed of Scottish and Irish Jacobite exiles. The regiment remained loyal to Louis XVI at the outbreak of the revolution in 1789, which led not only to its disbandment in 1791, but the execution of its Colonel, Arthur Dillon, by guillotine in 1794. MacDonald on the other hand was personally loyal to the revolution, marrying a Mademoiselle Jacob, whose father was an enthusiastic supporter of the changes that were taking place in French society. Directly after his marriage he was appointed aide-de-camp to General Dumouriez.
He distinguished himself at the Battle of Jemappes, and he was also present alongside Dumouriez at the Battle of Valmy. The victory of the French volunteer army at Valmy was a significant turning point in the Revolutionary Wars and it compelled France to formally abolish the monarchy shortly afterwards. By 1793 MacDonald had risen to the rank of Colonel and then refused to desert the Revolutionary Army when Dumouriez defected to the enemy. As a reward for this loyalty he was given the command of a Brigade.
By 1797 he had become a General of a Division and joined the French Army in Italy. He occupied Rome, became the governor of the city, defeated the Austrian Army of General Mack before reorganising the Kingdom of Naples into the Parthenopaean Republic. In 1801 he became the French ambassador to Denmark but did not enjoy the politics of diplomacy and he later asked to be recalled.
After returning to France, it was clear the French Republic was in crisis. Its armies were being outfought by a coalition of empires determined to destroy revolutionary ideas. Internally, France had become politically unstable and a coup d’etat was planned to overthrow the government. It was decided that a general should be part of the coup to ensure the support of the army. The conspirators first choice, General Joubert, was killed in Italy before he could be asked. General Moreau was then asked, but he refused to be a figurehead of the coup. The decision then came to MacDonald himself, and like Moreau before him, he also refused. The next choice for the conspirators was Napoleon Bonaparte, who accepted the offer and took power backed by the army and MacDonald.
Following these events, MacDonald took command of the French Army of Switzerland, an important position that linked the French armies fighting in Germany with those in Northern Italy. He fell out of favour with Napoleon after associating with his rival, General Moreau. This led to Napoleon overlooking MacDonald in his first allocation of Marshals of France around 1805.
The Napoleonic Wars continued from 1805 but MacDonald still remained without a position in the French Army. It wasn’t until 1809 that Napoleon finally allocated command of a Corp to MacDonald, also giving him the responsibility of being a military adviser to Napoleon’s adopted son, Prince Eugene de Beauharnais, the Viceroy of Italy.
He led the army from Italy till its junction with Napoleon, and at Wagram commanded the celebrated column of attack which broke the Austrian centre and won the victory. Napoleon made him marshal of France on the field of battle, and presently created him duke of Taranto. In 1810 he served in Spain, and in 1812 he commanded the left Wing of the grand army for the invasion of Russia. In 1813, after sharing in the battles of Ltitzen and Bautzen, he was ordered to invade Silesia, where Blücher defeated him with great loss at the Katzbach. After the terrible battle of Leipzig he was ordered with Prince Poniatowski to cover the evacuation of Leipzig; after the blowing up of the bridge, he managed to swim the Elster, while Poniatowksi was drowned. During the defensive campaign of 1814 Macdonald again distinguished himself; he was one of the marshals sent by Napoleon to take his abdication in favour of his son to Paris. When all were deserting their old master, Macdonald remained faithful to him. He was directed by Napoleon to give in his adherence to the new regime, and was presented by him with the sabre of Murad Bey for his fidelity. At the Restoration he was made a peer of France and knight grand cross of the order of St Louis; he remained faithful to the new order of things during the Hundred Days. In 1815 he became chancellor of the Legion of Honour (a post he held till 1831), in 1816 major-general of the royal bodyguard, and he took a great part in the discussions in the House of Peers, voting consistently as a moderate Liberal. From 1830 his life was spent in retirement at his country place Courcellesle-Roi (Seine et Oise), where he died on September 7, 1840.
Étienne Jacques Joseph Alexandre MacDonald was one of France’s foremost military commanders and he was present at many of the most important military and political moments of the Revolutionary, Napoleonic and Restoration periods of French history.
On April 30, 2010, a plaque was unveiled to the memory of Marshal of France Jacques MacDonald on the Outer Hebridean island of South Uist, the familial home of MacDonald.
Jacques MacDonald's most important awards are Legion of Honour (February 2, 1805), Legion of Honour (June 14, 1806), Order of the Holy Spirit (1820), Order of St. Louis (1820).
(The recollections of one of Napoleons most dependable com...)
(MACDONALD Issued London: c. 1830. Fine and uncommon origi...)
In 1791, Jacques MacDonald married Marie-Constance Soral de Montloisir and had 2 daughters. In 1802, he married Felicite-Francoise de Montholon and had a daughter. In 1821, he married Ernestine-Therese de Bourgoing and had a son.
Neil MacEachen came from a Jacobite family from Howbeg in South Uist, in the west of Scotland.
