The military career of this hero was one of singular activity. Foy was
born in 1775, and educated in the military school of La Fere, and made
sub-lieutenant of artillery in 1792. He was present at the battles of
Valmy and Jemappe, and in 1793 obtained a company--promotion was rapid
in those days. In all the subsequent campaigns he was actively employed
under Dumourier, Pichegru, Moreau, Massena, &c. In 1803, he was colonel
of the 5th regiment of horse artillery, and refused, from political
principles, the appointment of aide-de-camp on Napoleon's assumption of
the imperial throne; but was still employed, and shared in the victories
of the short but brilliant campaign of Germany in 1804. In 1806 he
commanded the artillery of the army stationed in Friuli, for the purpose
of occupying the Venetian territory incorporated by the treaty of
Presburg with the kingdom of Italy. In 1807 he was sent to
Constantinople to introduce European tactics in the Turkish service--but
this object was defeated by the death of Selim, and the opposition of
the Janissaries. On Foy's return, the expedition against Portugal was
preparing, and he received a command in the artillery under Junot,
during the occupation of Portugal, and filled the post of inspector of
forts and fortresses. He was severely wounded at the battle of Vimiera.
On the capitulation he returned to France, and with the same army
proceeded to Spain; and, subsequently, under the command of Soult, again
went into Portugal. When commanded to summon the Bishop of Oporto to
open its gates, he was seized and stript by the populace, and thrown
into prison, and escaped with difficulty. The same year he was made
general of brigade. In 1810, he made a skilful retreat at the head of
600 men, in the face of 6,000 Spaniards, across the Sierra de Caceres;
and at the head of his brigade was wounded in the battle of Busaco.
Early in 1811 he was selected by Massena to convey to the emperor the
critical state of the French army before the lines of Torres Vedras.