Military

DE L'IMPRIMERIE NATIONALE, Brumaire, l'an III [November, 1794] First edition, 8vo, 32 pages, 19.2cm, disbound, resewn. French language. A concise and complete re-organization of the French Revolutionary army and national police force into a unified national defense force that combined units of military and civil defense according to the newly created republican political system and laws, this title is chiefly the work of Dubois-Crance. These regulations define the personnel and conditions under which they will be maintained and how the military, police, and military hospital personnel will be integrated into cohesive brigades. Also briefly outlined are the general and sinister personnel of the Police Interieure of the Military Committee. Perhaps most important was Dubois-Crance's creation of brigades under their individual colors: "... le Comite militaire, pour se conformer au voeu de la loi du 9 pluviose, arrete que les regimens ci-devant de la marine seront amalgames dans les volontaires nationaux formes en demi-brigade." Dubois-Crance was the president of the Legislative Assembly, where his prior military experience served him well. As a musketeer and later as an adjutant general and aide-de-camp to Gen. Felix de Wimpffen and of the Prince of Hesse., he brought extensive military experience to the National Convention and put his expertise at the service of the new republic. Elected to the National Convention, representing the Ardennes, he was also the commissioner to the Army of the Midi. He voted for the execution of Louis XVI, against the ratification of the people of the verdict against Louis and for the king's death penalty without the possibility of reprieve.From February 21 to March 7 of 1793, Dubois-Crancé was the president of the Assembly. During this time, his ideas brought cohesion to the Army of the Republic. On March 26, 1793 he became one of the twenty-five members of the newly created Committee for General Defense better known to history as the "Commission de salut public," predecessor to the infamous later "Comite de Salut Public. He voted against accusing Marat, and later voted for the overthrow of Robespierre He ended his public career when Napoleon became consul, having served lastly as Inspector General of the Army of the Rhine and as Minister of War. Gossuin gained recognition as a Deputy to the National Convention in 1792. Absent from the trial of Louis XVI, Gossuin was then with the Armee du Nord and sent reports on the disloyalty of Charles Francois Dumouriez. Like Dubois-Crancé he served in the Directorate, but unlike his colleague, Gossuin remained in government under Napoleon and served a year in prison for his loyalty to the First Consul and Emperor. Apart from a small faint water stain on the upper left-hand margin throughout, this remarkable and rare printing is in very good condition. more information

Offered by G. Gosen Rare Books & Old Paper (United States)