by Lieutenant-Colonel Édouard Desbrière and Captain Maurice Sautai
Berger-Levrault & Cie, Paris & Nancy, 1908
A comprehensive study of the French cavalry during the final phase of the National Convention, covering the period from June 19, 1794, to October 27, 1795. Written by Lieutenant-Colonel Édouard Desbrière and Captain Maurice Sautai for the Historical Section of the French Army General Staff, this volume forms the third installment in the acclaimed Organisation et tactique des trois armes series and remains one of the definitive works on Revolutionary-era cavalry. The book includes 20 maps and tactical sketches that illustrate the organization and operations of the mounted arm.
Drawing extensively upon official military archives, regulations, campaign reports, and contemporary correspondence, the authors examine the reorganization of cavalry regiments, recruitment, training, equipment, remounts, logistics, and command structure during the closing months of the Convention. The volume analyzes cavalry operations in the campaigns of 1794 and 1795, including reconnaissance, screening, pursuit, charges, and cooperation with infantry and artillery, while highlighting the growing professionalism of the Republican mounted forces.
Beyond its operational history, the book explores the administrative and tactical reforms that restored the effectiveness of the French cavalry after the upheavals of the Revolution. It demonstrates how the experience gained during this period prepared the mounted arm for the successful campaigns of the Directory and ultimately the celebrated cavalry of the Napoleonic era.
