No. 3. HENRI DE LA TOUR D’AUVERGNE, MARSHAL TURENNE.
Brown dress. Armour.
BORN 1611, KILLED IN ACTION 1675.
THE second son of the Duke de Bouillon, by Elizabeth of Nassau, daughter of William the Silent and Charlotte de Montpensier. His father being one of the chief Calvinist leaders, brought up his two sons, the Prince de Sedan and the Vicomte de Turenne, in the most rigid tenets of that party. From early childhood young Turenne had set his heart on becoming a soldier, and many interesting anecdotes are recorded of his boyish enthusiasm. His military exploits, his daring gallantry and skill as a commander, have made his name world-renowned, and the battles that he won, the wonderful vicissitudes of his career, both political and military, belong to the pages of European history.
He was killed by a stray shot at the beginning of an engagement with the Imperialist troops near the village of Salzbach. His death was deeply deplored by his soldiery, of whom he was the idol, and caused general consternation in Paris. Madame de Sévigné in one of her letters gives a most graphic account of the effect produced by the news of his death at Court, which, for a time, suspended the usual routine of festivity.
