Jean-Antoine ROSSIGNOL (1759-1802) revolutionary... Lot 134

Jean-Antoine ROSSIGNOL (1759-1802) revolutionary leader and "victor of the Bastille", who became a general, was sent to the Vendée; compromised in Babeuf's conspiracy, he was deported following the attack of the Machine infernale. L.S., Saumur July 31, 1793, to a People's Representative; 2 1/2 pages fol. After his appointment as commander-in-chief of the army of the Coasts of La Rochelle. "You know my intentions, they are pure: you have just granted me a rank that I will try to fulfill with the courage that Nature gave me, [...] but I rely on the lights and the tireless activity of general Ronsin for whom I asked [...] the patent of divisional Gal". He deplores the lack of principles of certain generals but especially the disorganization of the army since the rout of Vihiers: "It is almost impossible to make any movement on the enemy, if we do not receive for reinforcement at least 15 thousand men of organized and disciplined troops. The enemies have very large forces, especially in artillery"... He will do everything to save his country, and hopes "to die in the fight and not on the scaffold"... He leaves immediately with Ronsin "to collect the debris of the Army and to draw up the exact state of the forces on which we can count and those which we need to attack". They will go in priority to Chinon, Tours, Niort and Les Sables, "and since the Sans-culottes finally replace the Intrigans and the Traitors, it would be advantageous [...] to send on the spot a patent of divisional General to Santerre to whom I intend the command of the army of Niort"... In the meantime, Santerre and Duhoux will command the army on the Loire from Tours to Angers. He writes to the Minister of War to "urge him to send me the patents of Sans-culottes that it would be good to employ in this army which has been only too long commanded by Malveillants"...Former collection Patrice Hennessy (1958, n°226).