DR. DONALD D. HORWARD RECEIVES THE LEGION OF HONOR

DR. DONALD D. HORWARD RECEIVES THE LEGION OF HONOR

On Wednesday, 23 October, Professor Donald D. Horward, Director of Florida State University's Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution, the Ben Weider Eminent Scholar in Napoleonic History at Florida State University, and Lt. General Ronald Adams (ret.) who commanded Coalition forces in Bosnia, were awarded the Legion of Honor in a ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, Ny. Dr. Horward was recognized for his contribution to the study of French history and culture over the past thirty years, and more specifically, to the field of Napoleon and the French Revolution. As a visiting lecturer at the Academy since 1979, and Visiting Professor of Military of History in 1986-87, Dr. Horward has lectured to thousands of cadets and trained fifteen young officers since 1989 in Napoleonic history to teach in the History Department at the Military Academy. This is in addition to some 16,000 university students at FSU he has introduced to Napoleon and the eighty-one masters and doctoral students who have graduated under his direction.

Jean-Philippe Douin

pinning the Legion of Honor

on Professor Donald Horward

In the ceremony at West Point, General Jean-Philippe Douin, Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honor, represented the French Republic and the French President, Jacques Chirac, in making the awards. Before the ceremony, Lt. General William J. Lennox, Superintendent of the Military Academy, and his wife hosted a reception and cruise aboard the Academy yacht on the Hudson River. This was followed by a ceremony on the parade ground before several hundred guests, officers and a regiment of cadets. In a moving ceremony, General Douin renewed the Legion of Honor awarded to the U.S. Military Academy in 1949. After the presentation of the colors, the Military Academy Band played the anthems of both nations and General Douin read the historic citation reaffirming the Academy's Legion of Honor in this, the 200^th anniversary of its establishment.

U.S. Military Academy, West Point.

23 October 2002 just after the Decoration Ceremony

(left to right) : Dr. Donald Horward;

Mr. Guy Wildenstein, President of the American Society of the French Legion of Honor;

General and Mme Jean-Philippe Douin, Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honor;

and Lt. General and Mrs. William J. Lennox, Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy.

Those attending this ceremony proceeded to the regimental banquet hall to commemorate the bicentennial of the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy and the Legion of Honor, and to attend the Decoration Ceremony. After Major Paul Reese read the citations recognizing the achievements of Dr. Horward and Lt. General Adams, General Douin, in a poignant and historic ceremony, awarded the cross of the Legion of Honor to both men.

Mr. Guy Wildenstein, President of the American Society of the French Legion of Honor, and a large delegation of the Society members, all recipients of the Legion of Honor, traveled from all over the country to attend the activities to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Legion of Honor. A number of Dr. Horward's former students traveled from as far as California to attend the ceremony, and Florida State University was represented by a delegation from Florida that included Dr. Don Foss, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Ms. Paula Fortunas, Vice-president of the FSU Foundation, as well as six doctoral students of the Institute. Of special note was the participation of M. Victor André Masséna, Prince d'Essling, Duc de Rivoli, a lifelong friend of Dr. Horward and a direct descendent of Napoleon's great Marshal, André Masséna.

The next day, 24 October, a heavily attended History Department Seminar was held on the Napoleonic period; Victor Maséna and Dr. Horward introduced valuable insights into the lively discussion. That evening, before Dr. Horward's Napoleon lecture, they had an opportunity to present and describes the importance of the Légion d'Honneur to the 800 cadets in the audience.

Later, Prof. Horward commented, "The Legion of Honor is the medal of Napoleon, the Presidents of France, and battlefield heroes; but it is also the medal of Mme Marie Curie, Louis Pasteur, Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Goethe." He continued, "For me, it is the most important medal in the world, and a direct link to Napoleon himself; for me it is the impossible dream that came true."

Dr. Donald D. Horward

Professor of History, Ben Weider Eminent Scholar Chair in Napoleonic History, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Director of the Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution at Florida State University. In the Napoleonic field, he has authored or contributed to thirty books, written over fifty articles, and presented scholarly papers and addresses at over 200 conferences and institutions of higher learning throughout Europe and North America.

He was named Chevalier (1984), Officier (1992), and the Commandeur (2001) de l'Ordres des Palmes Académique; received the U.S. Army Outstanding Service Award (1987); elected to the Portuguese Academy of History (1991); decorated as a Grand Officer of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique (Prince Henry the Navigator) in 1992; awarded the Legion of Merit, International Napoleonic Society (1997); named The John Elting Scholar, Napoleonic Alliance (2002); and Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur (2002).