Adam Custine

French General
1740-1793

One of the unluckiest commanders of the Revolutionary Wars, Adam Custine began his career as a captain in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and then served as a colonel in America during its War of Independence from Britain.

A period as a politician ended in 1791 when Custine returned to military life.

Custine invaded Germany in 1792 and reached Frankfurt, but a counterattack from the Duke of Brunswick forced him to seek protection in Mainz.

He then took over the demoralised Army of the North after the death of General Dampierre and fought unsuccessfully at Valenciennes.

Defeated, he was unreasonably accused of treason - including one charge that he did not dine with revolutionary commissars attached to his army - by the Committee for Public Safety and guillotined.