Army of the Alps

The Armée with the Alps is one of the armed with the French revolution. This denomination will reappear regularly until the Second world war to indicate forces being vis-a-vis the Italy. Thus after its suppression on September 13rd, 1797, there will again exist an army of the Alps from July 27th to August 29th, 1799, formation which will be then dissolved in the Armée with Italy.

Creation and evolution

created by decree of the Convention of October 1st, 1792, dividing the Armed with the South into army with the Alps and Armed with the Pyrenees
by decree with the Executive council of November 1st, 1793, it is separate in Armée with Savoy and Armée with Italy
following the decrees of the November 27th and 29th 1793 carrying meeting of the Savoy to the French Republic under the name of the department of Mont Blanc, the army of Savoy takes again the denomination of army of the Alps
divided into camp in front of Lyon and armed with the Alps from August 8th to October 29th, 1793
removed by decree of August 21st, 1797 (21 fructidor year V), put at execution on September 13rd. Its district passes to the Armée with Italy

Generals

Armed with the Alps

from October 8th to November 6th, 1792: general of Montesquiou-Fézensac

Army of Savoy

from November 7th to 13rd 1792: general of Montesquiou-Fézensac
from November 13rd to December 4th, by interim: general of Ornac

Armed with the Alps

from December 5th to 24th 1792, by interim: general of Ornac
from December 25th, 1792 to May 5th, 1793: general Kellermann
from May 6th to June 1st, 1793, by interim: general of Ornac
from June 2nd to October 18th, 1793: general Kellermann, with the higher command of the Armed with Italy. Kellermann, to which them Représentants has order not to immediately communicate the decree which relieves it, continuous to order on the border until October 18th. It then is stopped and led to Paris.

from June 2nd to November 2nd: the general of Ornac order as a second the army of the Alps
Camp in front of Lyon:

from August 8th to 18th, Kellermann is with the Siège of Lyon
from August 19th to 21st, it visits the border and the general Dumuy order in front of Lyon
from August 22nd to 31st, Kellermann orders in front of Lyon
on September 1st, it will put at the head troops which defend the border, leaving division besieging with the orders of the general Coustard Saint-Lo

from September 25th to October 28th, 1793: general Doppet, which orders in front of Lyon
from October 29th to November 17th, temporarily: general Dours
from November 18th to December 22nd, 1793: general Carteaux
from December 23rd, 1793 to January 20th, 1794, temporarily: general Pellapra
January 21st at July 6th, 1794: general A. Dumas, (father of Alexandre Dumas)
from July 7th to November 30th, 1794, temporarily: general Petitguillaume
from December 1st, 1794 to October 7th, 1795: general Mill, starting from April 5th subordinately with the general Kellermann
from April 5th, 1795 to September 13rd, 1797: general Kellermann, commander-in-chief of the armies of the Alps and Italy until September 28th, 1795. He visits the army of the Alps in all his details from April 5th to 15th 1795, then share for the general headquarter of the army of Italy with Nice.

Principal feats of arms

Internal bonds

List of the armies of the Revolution
List of the generals of the Revolution and the First Empire
History of Savoy of 1792 to 1815

Sources

C. Clerget: Tables of the French Armies during the wars of the Revolution (Bookstore soldier 1905);

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