Who is General Maximilien Picard from Sharpe's Christmas and what is their importance?

French officer, General Maximilien Picard, is in charge of leading the brigade to Irati to meet Gudin's retreating garrison. Picard is well known as a man who does not lose in battles, and he hopes that the British are present at Irati when he arrives, so his young troops can taste a victory that will make them even hungrier for warfare. He orders an attack on the English at Irati because he wants his troops to learn a lesson...... things, however, do not go as planned and his men are defeated.