General Alexandre Dumas, the 'Horatius Cocles of the Tyrol'. killing single-handedly three Austrian opponents...

Thomas-Alexandre Dumas (1762-1806) son of Marquis Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie (1714-86) and a black slave, Marie-Cessette Dumas; born on the French Caribbean island colony of Saint Domingue (now called Haiti); first mixed race general in the French army; had a brilliant career in the French Revolutionary wars; his success against the Austrian army in 1797 led to him being called 'Schwarze Teufel' ('Black Devil' or 'Diable Noir') by the Austrians and his single-handed exploit on the bridge over the river Eisack led to Napoleon dubbing him the 'Horatius Cocles of the Tyrol', after the hero who had saved ancient Rome; father of the writer and novelist, Alexandre Dumas (1802-70) who later was to fictionalise his father's life and exploits in the novel 'The Three Musketeers';