Army of England
On the 26th of October 1797, the French Directory established a new military command called the Army of England. The goal was to gather troops for a planned invasion of Great Britain. By the end of that same year, 40,000 men from the Army of Italy had been called to this force. Another 10,000 soldiers arrived from both the Army of the Rhine and the Army of Mainz. These units were yet to be fully assembled when the order went into effect.
General Napoleon Bonaparte received the appointment as commander of this new army in late 1797. He kept his headquarters in Paris while the troops gathered elsewhere. General Louis Desaix served as provisional commander during Bonaparte's absence. This arrangement allowed Napoleon to maintain control over Paris before he departed for Egypt. The physical distance between the leader and the gathering forces created a unique logistical challenge.
The original plan to invade Great Britain eventually fell apart without ever being executed. Instead, the Army of England received orders to suppress the Chouannerie rebellion in Western France. This shift occurred around 1799 after the invasion strategy was abandoned. The unit moved away from its coastal assembly points to engage with insurgents inland. The change redirected thousands of soldiers toward internal conflict rather than foreign war.
A series of provisional and interim commanders led the force from its inception until early 1800. Charles Edward Jennings took charge provisionally starting on the 27th of March 1798. Jean-François-Auguste Moulin served as acting commander during Kilmaine's absence in October 1798. Claude Ignace François Michaud held the role provisionally from July through November 1799. Gabriel de Hédouville assumed command in November 1799 just months before the unit dissolved.
On the 14th of January 1800, the unit was officially renamed the Army of the West. This order went into effect three days later on the 17th of January. The original mandate for invading Great Britain had ended by this time. The reorganization marked the final transformation of a force that never crossed the English Channel. Soldiers who once prepared for an overseas campaign now faced domestic enemies instead.
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Common questions
When was the Army of England established by the French Directory?
The French Directory established the Army of England on the 26th of October 1797. This new military command aimed to gather troops for a planned invasion of Great Britain.
Who commanded the Army of England after Napoleon Bonaparte left Paris?
General Louis Desaix served as provisional commander during Napoleon's absence from the Army of England headquarters in Paris. General Charles Edward Jennings took charge provisionally starting on the 27th of March 1798.
What happened to the original plan to invade Great Britain with the Army of England?
The original plan to invade Great Britain fell apart without ever being executed around 1799. The Army of England received orders instead to suppress the Chouannerie rebellion in Western France.
Which commanders led the Army of England between 1798 and 1799?
Charles Edward Jennings, Jean-François-Auguste Moulin, Claude Ignace François Michaud, and Gabriel de Hédouville held command roles from 1798 through November 1799. These leaders managed the force until it was officially renamed in early 1800.
When did the Army of England officially become the Army of the West?
The unit was officially renamed the Army of the West on the 14th of January 1800. This order went into effect three days later on the 17th of January 1800.