Brownish Jules

Beginning of career

At his exit of the Polytechnic school (X1857 promotion), Jules Brunet chooses to be useful in the Artillerie. He for this reason takes part in the Mexican forwarding of Napoleon III, receiving on this occasion the Légion of honor.

Appointed captain in 1867, with less than 30 years, it belongs to the first military mission of France in Japan. It arrives at Yokohama at the beginning of the year 1867, as an artillery instructor.

Mission of support for Shogun

The purpose of this military mission, sent by France at the request of the shogun Yoshinobu Tokugawa, was to modernize the troops of the shogun. It includes/understands seven regiments of Infanterie, a battalion of cavalry and four battalions of artillery, is 10 000 men. British and Americans support, on their side, the army of the emperor Meiji.

Overcome by the imperial forces during the War of Boshin in 1868, the shogun Tokugawa restores the capacity with the Meiji emperor. France becomes officially neutral and the French military mission is forced to leave Japan by an imperial decree.

Jules Brunet refuses to give up those which it formed and chooses to remain to organize the resistance of the army of the Bakugun, the last Samurai S faithful to the shogun. He deserted the French Army to remain in Japan and sends a letter to Napoleon III where he explains why it “is decided to die or to serve the French cause in this country”. He leaves for Hokkaido and organizes his defense with the remainders of the armies of the ex-shogun. He has always the hope to assemble a counter-attack and to demolish the imperial army.

The troops are placed under command free-Japanese, with the orders of the commander Otori Keisuke supported by Jules Brunet, and are divided into four Brigade S ordered by French officers (Fortant, Marlin, Cazeneuve, Bouffier), supported by eight half-brigades under Japanese command.

The troops essuient reverse on reverse. Jules Brunet folds up himself with Hakodate, with the admiral of the fleet Takeaki Enomoto a French and handle. He founds there transitory the République independent of Ezo whose Enomoto is elected president. This autonomous republic lasts only six months and is briefly recognized, de facto, by the foreign powers.

This epopee comes to a end the June 30th 1869 where the imperial infantry made up of 8.000 men unloads with Hakodate. The 800 soldiers submerged by the bombardments go. Jules Brunet is constrained to flee before rendering with the last surviving French on a French boat anchored to broad of Hakodate. The imperial government claims its arrest. It ends up returning to France and is condemned there by the martial Cour, with the end of the year 1869.

The rehabilitation

It is quickly rehabilitated to take part in the Franco-German Guerre of 1870. It is made prisoner with Metz in 1870 by the Prussian . It takes part in the combat of the Commune of Paris, on the side of the Versaillais . In 1898, he becomes major general under the command of the Minister for the war, the Général Jules Chanoine, which was its hierarchically superior at the time of the French military mission in Japan.

External bonds

Nipponzine

Random links: