The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-08-27
The New Commander OF PnrIs-Hc IN
Virtual Dictator of the Cnpital---A
Sketch of his Career.

or chief of staff of the French army, is
now in position, MS Governor of Paris,
that will enable him to play great part
in the revolution that will follow in the
event of the downfall of the Napoleonic
dynasty. Que of the recent dispatches
states that the people already regard him
as the virtual dictator, and that he is
talked of as prospective consul of the
Republic. Still more definite than this
is the information that in his proclama-
ton to the people of Paris, both the EN-
peror and Empress were ignored. for
which ex-Minister of the Interior Pinard
wished to call him to account in tho
Chambers, and was with difficulty re-
strained from doing SO. It is also ru-
mored that Trochu, when recently urged
to take the Ministry of War, refused to
do SO, except ut the bidding of the Corps
Legisatif, which was rather significant
for an officer of ''the personal govern
ment," but is not altogether inexplicable
if it be true that he is an Orleanist in his
proclivities. If he is really disanected
towards the Emperor, he probably sees
plainly enough that changes are at hand
which, if he takes proper advantage of
the rapidly advancing waves of revolu.
ton, will bear him on to fortune. AS
there are indications that Gen. Trochu
is one of the coming men, if not the
coming man in France, sketch Of his
career will not bo uninteresting.
Louis Jules Trochu was born in 1916,
and he is now in tho full vigor of his
faculties. He entered the military school
of ST. Cyr in 1885, and like most of the
young French officers at that time, he
engaged in the war for the conquest of
Algeria, and had attained the rank of
captain in 1943, when he took part in
the battle of Sidi Yusef, in which he had
his uniform pierced in four places by
rifle balls. He distinguished himself ut
the battle of Isly by the bravery he dis
played, and was on that occasion select
ed by the successful and able command
er, Marshal Bugeand, as his aid-dc-camp.
He became colonel in 1858; was placed
on the staff of Marshal st. Arnaud, and
served during the Crimean war. His
brilliant conduct at the assault on Sc
bastopol secured him O decoration.
Kingslake represents him as the mas
Ter mind OF the French army during the
Crimean war, and calls attention to the
fact that in all the conferences with Lord
Raglan, Trochu, rather than st. Arnaud
or Canrobert, was the spokesman. In
1859, he was made general of division,
and served with distinction in the italian
Prussia at Sndowa, he was charged with
the preparation of plnn for the re-
organization of the French army, and
in 1867, he produced an essay upon Or
ganization, entitled, "L'Armee Fran
caise,'' which ran through ter editions.
he was one of the first to foresee the in
evitable contest between Franco and
Prussia, and in q recent pamphlet he
gave the results of an intense study of
the Rhenish frontier as fighting field.
BY many of the French military men
Gen. Trochu is esteemed to be the most
brilliant strategist in their army, and it
las been claimed that he is the equal, if
not the superior, of the Prussian veteran
Won Moltcke.
In personal appearance, he is described
as being of middle size, elegant in figure,
but strong and sinewy. He has pleas
ing countenance, full of intelligence, and
his address is quick, almost warm. He
has broad, thoughtful forehead, slight
ly bald; small eyes, but 80 brilliant and
able feature. His hand is nervous,
though small, and while his whole aspect
is that of soldier, there is such absence
of pretension that one is not obliged to
address him always as NJ. le General.
His army predictions have not harden
ed his heart, though they may have given
him stronger views of duty. His brother
having died and left nino children un-
provided for, Trochu took charge of
them all, and for their sakes, he has re-
NAMED single man. He is not man
of extended popularity, but his merits
are known to the judicious few, and by
them set at an exceedingly high value.
He is neither Republican nor q Roy
alist. The people of Paris look upon
him in tho present crisis of the nation
and the Government rs they looked upon
Cavaignnc in June, 1913, when provi-
sional government far weaker and more
incapable than the Government of Ma
poleon trcmbled and hesitatod before an
enemy moro terrible than many Crown
Princes and King Williams. In the
event Of new disasters to the French
army, Trochu may pass from the militia
ry government of Paris to the head of
the nation. Meanwhile, his command
of Paris assures to Dazaine tho most per-
sistent reinforcement of his armies.