From this time, until 1797, he was incessantly employed in Belgium or Germany, and was present at almost every considerable action against the allied forces. His promotion was now rapid: in 1793 he obtained the rank of general. At the head of the army of the Sambre and Meuse, he obtained several advantages; he took possession of many fortresses, and defeated some corps of the Austrians: but near Ratisbon he was so roughly handled by the Archduke Charles, that he retreated in great disorder towards the Rhine.
The two following years, Jourdan having been recalled by the Directory, sat in the council of Five Hundred: but in 1799 he was again despatched to measure his strength with the Austrian prince. He did so in Swabia, was beaten a second time, retreated, and was replaced by Massena.
In the revolution of the 18th Brumaire, Jourdan lent no assistance to Buonaparte: he was in consequence excluded from the Legislative Body, and even banished from the court. Still, as he was not without some portion of military reputation, he was at length received into something like favour. In 1800 he commanded in Piedmont; in 1802 he was called to the Council of State; the year succeeding saw him at the head of the army of Italy; and on the memorable 19th of May, 1804, he was created a marshal: but on the breaking out of the Austrian war (1805) he was once again superseded by Massena, -- a disgrace of which he complained, but without effect. In 1806 he governed Naples under Joseph Buonaparte; and in 1808 he accompanied that personage into Spain as his major-general.
Jourdan has the reputation of having sustained more defeats than any other French general. His nickname of the anvil, is significant enough of his ill success. He soon found that his talents were unable to meet the difficulties of his situation. He complained of Joseph, and Joseph complained of him: until, discouraged and disgusted, he demanded and obtained his recall at the close of 1809.
When the Russian campaign was decided, the marshal was not a little chagrined at being compelled to return to Spain -- where he conducted the inglorious retreat from Madrid, and was at length overwhelmed in the ruin of Vittoria. This last defeat threw all his former ones into the shade. In his flight from the field he threw down his truncheon, which was found and ludicrously displayed by some of our soldiers. Jourdan did not think himself safe until he reached Paris. There he quietly watched the declining fortunes of his master, after whose abdication he received a command from Louis.
When Buonaparte returned from Elba, Jourdan retired into the country. He was for some time undecided as to the course be should pursue; -- but at length consented to take his seat in the Chamber of Peers. As he was so notorious for his disasters in war, his services were not required at Waterloo, but he was entrusted with the government of Besançon. He was one of the first to recognise the authority of Louis after the second abdication. In 1817 he was placed over the seventh military division, and the year following was admitted among the new peers.
"Jourdan is a poor general," said Napoleon at St. Helena. He might have added, "he is a stupid man." But his heart is better than his head: he governed Piedmont so mildly in 1800, that sixteen years afterwards, the king of Sardinia sent him his portrait, splendidly enriched with diamonds.