Segur, SOPHIE ROSTOPCHINE, COMTESSE DE, b. 1797; d. 1874. Her father was General Rostopchine who ordered the city of Moscow to be set on fire after the battle of Borodino (1812) and thus compelled Napoleon to begin his disastrous retreat from Russia. She married Eugene Comte de Segur, grandson of Louis Philippe de Segur, and nephew of Philippe Paul de Segur, one of the most brilliant officers in the imperial army and author of “Histoire de Napoleon et de la grande armee pendant l’annee 1812” which had more than fifteen editions and was translated into most of the European languages. Mme. de Segur was a woman of culture and uncommon literary talent. She contributed a number of stories to the “Bibliotheque Rose”, a collection of short novels for young people; among them are: “Pauvre Blaise” (Paris, 1862); “Le General Dourakine” (Paris, 1864); “Un bon petit diable” (Paris, 1865); “Les vacances”, (Paris, 1865); “Le mauvais genie” (Paris, 1867)
PIERRE MARIQUE