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Chouan Army of Rennes and Fougères

The Chouan Army of Rennes and Fougères (Armée des Chouans de Rennes et Fougères or armée royale de Rennes et de Fougères) was a royalist counter-revolutionary army that operated in the 1790s in revolutionary France. The army was founded in 1794 as part of the Catholic and Royal Army of Brittany, but split from it under its leader Lieutenant General Joseph de Puisaye in 1795. The army was made up of people active in the Chouannerie revolts.

Chouan Army of Rennes and Fougères
Flag of the army
Active1795
Disbanded1800
AllegianceLouis XVII, then Louis XVIII
TypeChouan
Size10,000
Part ofCatholic and Royal Army
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Stamp of the royalist army of Brittany
Typical uniform of the Armée des Chouans de Rennes et Fougères

Background and history

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The French monarchy was abolished and replaced by the French First Republic in September 1792. In 1793, Joseph de Puisaye turned against the republic when the Jacobins proscribed the reformist Girondin movement, with which he was aligned. After republican forces ambushed his military unit and sacked his estate, he fled to the forest of Le Pertre in Brittany and attempted to organise the Chouan factions into an anti-Jacobin army.[1]

In October 1794, Puisaye was named Lieutenant General of the army of Brittany by the Count Charles of Artois but did not have the support of all divisions. He formed the Rennes and Fougères in 1795, and passed on its command to Aimé Picquet du Boisguy, head of the Chouans in the area[which?] from 1793 onwards.[ambiguous] It merged the Royalist divisions[of what?] from Ille-et-Vilaine and some from Côtes d'Armor. His[whose?] influence also extended to some areas of Mayenne in Maine, and Manche in Normandy.[citation needed]

French royalists were always historically divided, and British government gave support to Puisaye's plan to unite all royalist insurgents under his leadership and restore the monarchy. However, divisions remained, leading to defeat at Quiberon in the invasion of France (1795).[1] After 1796 its influence declined and, from 1799, it was limited to Ille-et-Vilaine alone.

Divisions (1794-1796)

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In 1796, these divisions were under the direction of Joseph de Puisaye and assisted by Boisguy, but whose real command did not have time to be effective.[clarification needed] The Fougères division numbered 3,000 men, that of Vitré 1,500, the 8 others were about 7,000 men strong in total.

References

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  1. ^ a b "PUISAYE, JOSEPH-GENEVIÈVE DE, Comte de PUISAYE, Marquis de BRÉCOURT, Marquis de MÉNILLES". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved 4 August 2024.

See also

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