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Louis Jules Trochu

Louis Jules Trochu was born in Brittany on the 15th of March, 1815, the year which saw the final cessation of the great conflict which for twenty years France had been waging with the rest of Europe. One would think it was hardly a period when young men of ability would be drawn toward a military life, but the young Trochu showed early a decided preference for the army, and at the ageof twenty entered the military school of St. Cyr by means of success in a competitive examination. Having graduated from St. Cyr with high honors, he went to the Staff School at Paris, whence, after two years of hard study, he was assigned a place upon the staff of General Bugeaud, and went to serve in Algeria. This early association with so able a man as Marshal Bugeaud was a fortunate thing for Trochu, and that he profited by it is evidenced by the fact that few officers returned to France with so solid and untarnished a reputation.

When the Crimean war broke out, Trochu was made colonel and chief of the personal staff of Marshal St. Arnaud, commander-in-chief of the allied army, to which was afterward added the responsible position of "military adviser " at the French headquarters. As Marshal St. Arnaud was too feeble in health to participate actively in the conduct of the campaign, Trochu virtually controlled the movements of the whole campaign up to the time when Marshal Canrobert was appointed to the command ; and to him has been assigned the credit of the first successes of the Anglo-French forces. After Canrobert's accession to the command he was made general of brigade, and led the final assault on Sevastopol.

From the date of the Crimean war, Trochu failed to make the progress in the army which he seemed entitled to expect, and it was soon found that political reasons had probably consigned the brilliant young General to a life of comparative obscurity. While Trochu was in Africa he had met and contracted a warm friendship for the Due d'Aumale, and soon became known as one of the ablest of the Orleanists. Of course a man with such proclivities could expect nothing but "inglorious repose" at the hands of the Second Empire. But this repose was not spent ingloriously, as was too apt to be the case with French officers.

In 1868 appeared that remarkable work, "The French Army in 1867," which was declared by military critics to be the ablest contribution to military science that has been made by any modern writer. Well would it have been for France had she taken to heart the lessons which it was the object of this book to inculcate. Had she done so the terrible war of 1870, which terminated in utter humiliation and defeat, would have been impossible ; for in it were pointed out with unflinching hand the errors and deficiencies which, in the short space of four months in 1870, brought ruin upon the armies of France. This book, of course, rendered it impossible for Trochu to look for promotion as long as the War Department was under the control of the Empire.

When the French battalions were crushed, and the German armies marching upon the capital, the Regency was unable to resist the pressure of public opinion. General Trochu was appointed Commander-in-Chief of all the forces in Paris on August 17, 1870. In this position, he refused to use his military power to overthrow the tottering Regency.

On the last day of August and 1st of September the crowning battle of the campaign was fought in Sedan, and the Emperor was compelled to surrender with his whole army. The news of this catastrophe was fatal to the dynasty of Napoleon. A provisional government, subsequently known as the Government of National Defence, was declared. With Trochu as its President, Jules Favre as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Gambetta Minister of the Interior.

Paris was under the command of Trochu, patriotic and brave, but military critic rather than leader, discouraged from the beginning, and unable to take advantage of opportunities. Out of the chaos of the most disorderly city in Europe, Trochu organized a government capable of repressing internal violence and inspiring confidence in the hearts of the people. From ignorant, untrained peasants, and gay shopkeeping Parisians, he organized armies capable of meeting the best soldiers in Europe in the field without disgrace. For three months he exhibited to the world the bravest spectacle that it had looked upon for many a year.

But his best friends described Trochu as a weak sort of military Hamlet, wise of speech, but weak and hesitating in action - making plans and then criticising them, instead of accomplishing them. As a commander Trochu's task was a difficult one; when the siege commenced he had no army; when the army was formed it was encompassed by earthworks and redoubts so strong that even better soldiers would have failed to carry them. As a statesman, he never was master of the situation. He followed rather than led public opinion.

On the 19th of January 1871 the final effort of the Parisians themselves was made. Under the command of Trochu himself 100,000 men pushed out towards St. Cloud and St. Denis. Successful for a while, they were finally beaten back. Tne inevitable consequence of this failure was a riot. Though it was suppressed without difficulty Trochu surrendered the command; and it was evident that famine and sedition rendered further defence impossible. On the evening of the 28th an armistice was signed, and Paris surrendered. Success is the criterion of ability in this country, and poor Trochu was as politically dead as though he never had lived.