Armée du Rhin (1791)

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The Armée du Rhin ( German  Rhine Army ) was an association of the French Revolutionary era , which was set up to protect the country from danger from abroad. Established on December 14, 1791, it existed with interruptions until May 5, 1801.

Development of the Armée du Rhin (part 1)
Development of the Armée du Rhin (part 2)

Lineup and changes

  • It was established by order of King Louis XVI. dated December 14, 1791. By a decree of the National Convention of October 1, 1792, parts were spun off as the "Armée des Vosges".
  • With the order of the “Conseil exécutif” of March 15, 1793, the “Armée des Vosges” was reintegrated.
  • The right wing formed from the 9th frimaire on III (November 29, 1794) with the left wing of the Armée de la Moselle, the "Armée devant Mayence" (army in front of Mainz).
  • By decree of 13th ventôse an III (March 3, 1795) the "Armée du Rhin" and the "Armée de la Moselle" merged to form the "Armée de Rhin-et-Moselle". This decree reached the army on March 18, the next day Général Michaud took over the rank of "Général commandant l'armée de Rhin-et-Moselle" (Supreme Commander of the Rhine and Moselle Army), which had been Général Kléber on an interim basis had led, but none of them had changed the organization of the armies. The unification of the two armies was only carried out organisationally by the Général Pichegru from April 20, 1795 after their meeting in front of Luxembourg . Only from that day on did the “Armée de Rhin-et-Moselle” actually exist.
  • With the instruction of the Directory of the 8th vendémiaire to VI (September 29th 1797), with the implementing regulation from October 7th to 20th, 1797 the Armée de Sambre-et-Meuse and the "Armée de Rhin-et-Moselle" became the " Armée d'Allemagne “united.
  • With instructions from 19 frimaire to VI (December 9, 1797), the "Armée d'Allemagne" was divided into the Armée de Mayence and the "Armée du Rhin".
  • With instructions from 10 pluviôse to VI (January 29, 1798) and execution from February 3, 1798, the "Armée du Rhin" was dissolved. The troops were relocated to the Département du Mont-Terrible and formed from March 8, 1798 the Armée d'Helvétie
  • On July 18, 1799, part of the Armée de Danube were detached and an "Armée du Rhin" was formed from it.
  • By instruction from 3 frimaire to VIII (November 24, 1799) the remaining "Armée de Danube" were incorporated into the "Armée du Rhin".
  • With instructions from 15 floréal to IX (March 28, 1801), this army was finally disbanded on May 5, 1801.

Deployments 1792–1795

Battles of the Armée du Rhin.
date event winner Army commander
April 28, 1792 Battle of Porrentruy France Adam-Philippe de Custine
October 21, 1792 Siege of Mainz France Custine
September 30, 1792 Capture of Speyer France Custine
October 21, 1792 Capture of Frankfurt France Custine
November 10, 1792 Battle of Limburg France Custine, Jean-Nicolas Houchard as commander of the vanguard.
December 2, 1792 Battle near Frankfurt am Main Coalition forces Custine
April 14 to July 23, 1793 Siege of Mainz Coalition forces Alexandre de Beauharnais
October 13, 1793 First battle near Weissenburg Coalition forces Jean Pascal Carlenc
August 20 to December 23, 1793 Siege of Landau France Louis Lazare Hoche ( Armée de la Moselle )
Jean-Charles Pichegru (Armée du Rhin)
November 18 to December 22, 1793 Battle of Haguenau France Pichegru
December 18-22, 1793 Battle of Fröschwiller France Hoche
December 26-29, 1793 Second battle near Weissenburg France Hoche and Pichegru
May 23, 1794 Battle of Kaiserslautern Prussia-Saxony Claude Ignace François Michaud
May 23, 1794 Battle near Schifferstadt France Michaud
July 12-13, 1794 Battle at the Schänzel France Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr
September 17-20, 1794 Second battle near Kaiserslautern Prussia-Saxony François Ignace Schaal
December 25, 1794 Battle at the Mannheim bridge France Martial Vachot

Composition of the army at the beginning of the 1793 campaign

I. II.

Right wing

Général Munnier

1 er & 2 e battalions des volontaires d'Haute Saône
2 e battalion des volontaires de Nièvre
4 e battalion des volontaires de Vosges
4 e battalion des volontaires de Seine-et-Oise
3 e battalion des volontaires de Bas-Rhin
2nd e battalion des volontaires de Puy-de-Dôme
1 er & 3 e battalion des volontaires d'Ain
3 e battalion Grenadiers volontaires de l'Indre-et-Loire
2 e battalion of volontaires de Rhône-et-Loire
  • A total of 20 battalions

center

Général Custine , standing in front of Mainz .

2nd e battalion des volontaires d'Ain
4th e battalion des volontaires d'Haut-Rhin
9 e & 10 e battalions des volontaires d'Haute Saône
4 e battalion des volontaires de Calvados
10 e battalion des volontaires de Meurthe
2nd e battalion des volontaires de la République
1 he battalion de chasseurs volontaires républicains
3 e , 7 e & 8 e battalions des volontaires de Vosges
5 e & 6 e battalions des volontaires de Bas-Rhin
1 He battalion Fédérés Nationaux
2nd e battalion des volontaires de Seine-et-Oise

Left wing

Général Nevinger , standing in front of Bingen

4 e & 6 e battalions des volontaires de Jura
2nd e battalion des volontaires d'Haut-Rhin
1 He battalion of volontaires de Seine-et-Loire
1 er & 2 e battalion des volontaires de Vosges
1 He battalion of volontaires d'Haute-Rhin
1 He battalion of volontaires de Bas-Rhin
1 He battalion of volontaires de Correze
3 e battalion des volontaires de Nievre

cavalry

Reserves

6 e , 10 e & 13 e battalions des volontaires de Vosges
5 e battalion des volontaires de l'Eure
6 e battalion des volontaires de Calvados
12 e battalion des volontaires de Haute-Saône
Total: 8 battalions, 12 escadrons, 2 platoons

Commanders

until 19 September as commander, but subordinated to Maréchal Luckner
19 September to 1 October (when he was placed under the Armée des Vosges, he was subordinate to the left wing of Général Biron): Général Custine
on October 30th, Général Biron was subordinated to the Général Custine
  • from December 26, 1792 to March 14, 1793, per interim and subordinated to Général Custine: Général Deprez-Crassier
  • from March 15 to May 17, 1793: Général Custine (until April 9, also commander of the Armée de la Moselle )
  • from 18 to 29 May 1793, per interim and subordinated to Général Houchard : Général Diettmann
  • from May 30 to August 17, 1793, provisional and subordinated to Général Houchard: Général Beauharnais
  • from August 18 to September 29, 1793, on an interim basis until August 23 and then temporarily: Général Landremont
  • from September 30 to October 1, 1793, on an interim basis: Général Munnier
  • from October 2 to October 26, 1793, provisional: Général Carlenc
  • from October 27, 1793 to January 13, 1794: Général Pichegru ( subordinated to Général Hoche from December 24th .) Pichegru who, as soon as he had taken command of the Rhine Army, dismissed all officers who could only show patriotism instead of talent and the Discipline were detrimental as they behaved in an undisciplined manner. He restored subordination and obedience within his troops and only marched against the enemy after making sure that his orders were carried out on time.
  • from January 14 to October 15, 1794: Général Michaud
  • from October 16 to October 20, 1794: Général Moreaux
  • from October 21 to December 20, 1794: Général Michaud (subordinate to Général Moreaux)
  • from December 21, 1794 to April 15, 1795: Général Michaud
during Michaud's absence: Général Dorsner
from December 4, 1795 to February 13, 1795: subordinated to the “Armée de Mayence” of Général Kléber
from February 14th to April 29th 1795: subordinated to the “Armée de Mayence” of Général Schaal
  • from April 11 to 16, 1795, on an interim basis: Général Kléber
  • April 17-19, 1795: Général Pichegru (merging of the Armée de la Moselle and the Armée du Rhin)
  • from April 20, 1795 to March 4, 1796: Général Pichegru (commandant of the new Armée Rhin-et-Moselle)
  • from March 5 to April 20, 1796, by interim: Général Desaix
  • from April 21, 1796 to January 30, 1797: Général Moreau (at the same time commander-in-chief of the Armée de Sambre-et-Meuse )
  • from January 31 to March 9, 1797, per interim and subordinated to Général Moreau: Général Desaix
  • March 10-27, 1797: Général Moreau
  • from March 28 to April 19, 1797, per interim: Général Desaix
  • from April 20 to September 9, 1797: Général Moreau
  • from September 10 to October 6, 1797, provisional: Général Saint-Cyr (until September 18, subject to Général Hoche)
  • 7 October to 13 December 1797: Général Augereau , commandant of the new “Armée d'Allemagne”, to which the troops of the “Armée du Nord” were subordinate.
  • From December 14, 1797 to February 3, 1798: Général Augereau, commander of the new Armée du Rhin, resulting from the division of the new Armée d'Allemagne into the "Armée de Mayence" and the "Armée du Rhin", February 1798 was dissolved.
  • from July 15 to September 24, 1799, provisional: Général Muller
  • of September 25, October 23, 1799, provisional: Général Ney
  • from October 24th to December 5th, 1799: Général Lecourbe
  • from 6 to 27 December 1799, the left wing: Général Baraguey d'Hilliers
  • from December 12 to 27, 1799, the right wing: Général Lecourbe
  • from December 28, 1799 to May 4, 1801: Général Moreau

Composition of the army on August 5, 1794

  • Total: 7 divisions with 50,610 men
I. II.

Desaix division

  • Commander: Général Desaix
  • Strength: 9,690 men in three brigades

Rivaud Infantry Brigade

3 battalions of 6 e régiment d'infantry légère
3 battalions of 7 e régiment d'infantry légère

Bressac Infantry Brigade

  • Commander: Général Bressac
3 battalions of 140 e régiment d'infantry de ligne
3 battalions of the 159 e regiment d'infanterie de ligne

Forest Cavalry Brigade

7 e régiment de hussards
17 e régiment de dragons
8 e régiment de chasseurs à cheval
10 e régiment de chasseurs à cheval

Saint-Cyr division

Marchaix Infantry Brigade

  • Commander:: Général Marchaix
3 battalions of 11 e régiment d'infantry légère
3 battalions of the 54 e régiment d'infantry de ligne
3 battalions of the 95 e régiment d'infantry de ligne
3 battalions of 109 e régiment d'infantry de ligne

Laboissière Cavalry Brigade

  • Commander: Général Laboissière
3 you squadrons one he régiment de chasseurs à cheval
3 escadrons du 2 e régiment de chasseurs à cheval
3 escadrons du 7 e régiment de chasseurs à cheval
2 escadrons du 4 e régiment de dragons
2 squadrons du 8 e régiment de dragons
2 escadrons du 2 e regiment de cavalerie
2 escadrons of the 18 e regiment de cavalerie

Vachot Division

  • Commander: Général Vachot
  • Strength: 3860 men
3 battalions of 140 e régiment d'infantry de ligne
3 battalions of the 18th e régiment d'infanterie légère
2 escadrons of the 12 e régiment de cavalerie

Frientzholts division

  • Commander: Général Frientzholts
  • Strength: 4550 men
3 battalions of 42 e régiment d'infantry de ligne
3 battalions of the 65 e régiment d'infantry de ligne

Division Schaal

Desgranges Brigade

3 battalions of the 91 e regiment d'infanterie de ligne
3 battalions of 14 e régiment d'infantry légère
2 escadrons des 2 e régiment de hussards

Meynier division

  • Commander: Général Meynier
  • Strength: 10,550 men in three brigades

Siscé Infantry Brigade

3 battalions of 12 e régiment d'infantry légère
3 battalions of 14 e régiment d'infantry

Sibaud Infantry Brigade

3 battalions of the 74 e régiment d'infantry de ligne
3 battalions of the 4th e régiment d'infanterie légère
3 mixed battalions

Frimont Cavalry Brigade

1 Escadron des 2 e régiment de hussards
3 escadrons of the 4 e régiment de hussards
2 escadrons of the 16 e régiment de dragons
1 Escadron des 2 e régiment de chasseurs à cheval

Prudhon Division

  • Commander: Général Prudhon
  • Strength: 3560 men
3 battalions of the 5th e régiment d'infanterie légère
3 battalions of the 170 e regiment d'infanterie de ligne
1 Escadron des 2 e régiment de chasseurs à cheval

Web links

literature

  • Chef d'escadron d'état-major Charles Clerget, Tableaux des armées françaises pendant les guerres de la Révolution , sous la direction de la section historique de l'état-major de l'armée, librairie militaire R. Chapelot, Paris, 1905 .
  • Paul Gayant "Tableau des guerres de la Révolution"
  • Digby Smith "The Napoleonic Wars Data Book" Greenhill London 1998 ISBN 1-85367-276-9

Footnotes

  1. ↑ so the French reading
  2. ↑ Unless otherwise noted, the information is from Smith 1996 pp. 28 to 96
  3. ↑ Chuquet 1892 p. 43 and Vautrey 1878 p. 225-227
  4. ↑ A large number of unserved and inexperienced volunteer battalions were mobilized