BOUCHOTTE (Jean-Baptiste). - Lot 54

BOUCHOTTE (Jean-Baptiste). Born in Metz. 1754-1840. Military and political figure. Minister of War under the First Republic. Autograph manuscript. S.l.n.d. 2 pp. in-folio in his small handwriting. Preliminary working notes: ...The Gal en chef of the combined army of the North and Ardennes will bring together all the forces at his disposal to strike a decisive blow and, in this campaign, drive the enemy entirely out of the territory of the Republic. (...) To this end, he will spend the next few days in the Ardennes.(...) To this end, he will cross the Sambre, surround the enemy, envelop him, confine him to the portion of territory he has invaded, cut off his communications with his own country and separate him from his stores, which he will burn if he cannot seize them. (...) The French army will build the number of bridges necessary over the Sambre to ensure its retreat, should it be indispensable, as well as the arrival of its supplies. It may also seize Charles-sur-Sambre [Charleroi], if this position is necessary to secure the river between this town and Maubeuge, and it will also carefully guard the position of Beaumont. It will engage in a general affair as soon as the opportunity arises to fight with advantage, and to completely rout the enemy army. General [Jourdan] will do his utmost to deceive the enemy about his plans, persuading him that his forces are even greater than they really are... in the end, he envisages a "coup de main sur Namur"... Appointed Minister of War in April 1793, Bouchotte created eleven armies, raising 700,000 men who were armed within four months. ON AUGUST 14 AND 16, 1793, HE ORDERED THE MASS MOBILIZATION OF THE FRENCH PEOPLE. On September 5, 1793, he ordered the formation of the ARMÉE RÉVOLUTIONNAIRE, and on October 5, 1793, the establishment of the Republican calendar.Jean-Baptiste Jourdan took part in the Belgian campaign under Dumouriez. Then, with the northern army, he fought at the battles of Jemmapes (November 6, 1792) and Neerwinden (March 18, 1793), distinguishing himself in particular in the vicinity of Namur, during the army's retreat. On May 27, 1793, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, and to that of major general on July 30. He commanded at the Battle of Hondschoote, where he was wounded as he led his troops in taking out enemy entrenchments. On September 26, he replaced HOUCHARD as commander of the army. He soon became commander of the Ardennes army, then of the Armée du Nord, and defeated Frédéric-Josias de Saxe-Cobourg at Wattignies (October 15-16, 1793), fiercely contested in a 48-hour battle, and forced the Prince of Cobourg to lift the blockade of Maubeuge.