General Lazare Hoche, now appointed as Commander of the Army of the Ocean Coasts, effectively all forces in the West of France have continued to follow up his success in repulsing the landings on the Quiberon peninsula. On 7 Frimaire (28th November) he captured Charettes camp forcing the rebel leader to retire into the Belleville woods. The only dissappointment is that a meeting he arranged with Vendean leaders Sapinaud, Bevner, and Stofflet has failed to come up with a rapprochement. The Comte D'Artois left his intended landing point at the I'Ile d'Yeu, and seeing that there was little support for the rebellion, or prospect of success, the English Fleet has left French waters.
La Directoire
The Directory has lost no time in appointing a new team of ministers to the Government. Charles Delacroix has taken over Foreign Affairs Faipoult the Finance ministry, and Merlin de Douai the Justice Ministry. The latter is to take over control of the Police, a huge task. Dunng the unrest of recent months it has become increasingly difficult to control the ever burgeoning bureaucracy. English spies are finding it simple to bribe Officials, and in spite of occasional successes French plans, and details of our economy are common knowledge in London.
Another problem facing the Police ministry are the activities of Criminal gangs in Normandy. They struck again at Nonancourt, 15 Fnmaire, attacking an Inn. So nonchalent have they become that they not only robbed the occupants savings, but sat down to a meal, taking their fill of wine. In full view of the Landlord the women were raped and murdered, before they left into the night and disappeared without trace.
Madame Royale
Establishing a new Foreign policy is a high priority, but peace is as elusive as ever. French armies are not overly successful at present, and their finance is creating increasing problems. The Directory does not wish to return to France's pre-revolution borders, and yet without this it seems that Russia, Austria, and England will continue to put further Coalitions together against us. One initiative to improve relations with Austria saw the release of Madame Royale, daughter of Loius XVI. She had been a pnsoner in the Temple, but has been exchanged near Huningen for French prisoners held by Austria including Drouet, Camus, Lamarque, and Beurnonville, Generals and Convention members betrayed by Dumounez in 1793. Whether this will see long term benefits we don't know, but Madame Royale wil1 reside at the Austrian Court in Vienna.
L'Armee d'ltalie, du Rhin et Moselle
The financial problems facing the Directory are epitomised in the Army. Waste and misuse of funds by suppliers has seen French front line forces reduced to a deplorable condition. Starving and poorly clothed, many in rags, desertion is nfe, with many demi-bngades reduced to a few hundred men, and squadrons with no more than a score of mounts. In the north this together with poor coordination between Jourdan and Pichegru has forced the Armies of the Rhine and Moselle and the Sambre and Meuse to withdraw from the advantageous positions gained at Dusseldorf back across the Rhine. One ray of light has come from the Armee d'Italie.
Loano
Although reluctant to comply, General Scherer was ordered to attack the 45,000 strong Austro-Sardinian army dug in along the crest of the Ligurian Appenines. Scherer gave command of two Divisions to General Massena with the advance to start at dawn on I Frimaire (22nd November).
Massena issued every man with a biscuit ration, half a litre of brandy, and sixty rounds of ammunition, and made his advance under cover of darkness to achieve surprise. The approach was difficult with a steep mountainous climb in icy conditions. Laharpe's Division on the left achieved its objectives after a stiff fight, but on the left Charlet's Division got into difficulty against a strong postion in the snow. The French troops recoiled with Charlet falling mortally wounded. Massena went forward to personally rally the Division and lead them once more into the attack.
With Augereau and Serrurier leading forward further Divisions on his flanks, success was achieved taking 4,000 prisoners and 92 guns.
The key to Piedmont is now in French hands, and we have a new hero to accclaim in Paris. General Scherer's despatch to the Directory included " General Massena, charged with a difficult and complicated operation has carried it out with a skill and precision which have earned him public recognition."
Vive la republique
--De Breue
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Copyright 1996 by First Empire.