Arthur Chuquet, L. Cerf, Paris, 1886
This scholarly thesis by Arthur Chuquet provides a detailed study of the Argonne campaign of 1792, one of the critical phases of the opening year of the French Revolutionary Wars. It focuses on the Allied invasion of France by Prussian and Austrian forces and the French defensive operations in the rugged Argonne region.
The work reconstructs the strategic situation following the Coalition advance into northeastern France, after the capture of border fortresses such as Longwy and Verdun. It examines the French efforts to block the invasion routes through the Argonne passes, where terrain, supply difficulties, and command decisions played a decisive role in shaping the campaign.
A major emphasis is placed on the maneuvering of both armies as the Prussian-led forces under the Duke of Brunswick attempted to force their way through the forested and fortified corridors toward the interior of France. The thesis analyzes French defensive deployments, the coordination between different French armies, and the eventual Coalition decision to abandon the direct advance.
The study culminates in the events leading up to the Battle of Valmy (20 September 1792), showing how the Argonne operations directly contributed to the stalling of the invasion and the stabilization of Revolutionary France in its first major existential crisis.
