Massena's Story

Like napoleon, messena was part of that elete group of young soldiers who had risen from obscurity to the rank of general during the early years of the first coalition. But he was a bit different from the rest, slightly older, at a wapping 35, and came from an impoverished background. He was sent away from home to work as a cabin boy on a merchant ship at the tender age of 13. Within two years, he made sergeant. His colonel told the officers of the regiment that sergeant massena outshone all of them on manoeuvres. In 17 89, he finally resigned to seek his fortune elsewhere. So he found work in a business where those skills were useful