Jean Nicolas Houchard
Encyclopedia
Jean Nicolas Houchard (24 January 1739, Forbach
, Moselle
– 17 November 1793) was a French General of the French Revolution
and the French Revolutionary Wars
.
in Lorraine
, he began his military career at 16 the Royal German Regiment. He became captain fighting against the rioters led by Pascal Paoli in a dragoon
regiment in Corse
, receiving also a deep saber slash across his cheek and a gunshot wound at the mouth, which left him disfigured.
On 11 April 1793 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Moselle
and, in the following August, of the Army of the North
. He was a protagonist of the French victory at the Battle of Hondschoote against the British army under the Duke of York
.
Despite the French victory, Houchard was censured for failing to pursued it, and was arrested at Lille
on 24 September 1793. When accused of cowardice by the Revolutionary Tribunal
, Houchard replied "Read my answer !", while tearing his shirt off and showing his many battle wounds. However, the tribunal found him guilty and Houchard was guillotined in Paris
on 17 November 1793 (26 Brumaire
, Year II
).
Custine stated - “‘The conduct of two armies is beyond Houchard’s power, and the conduct of one army would be above his power if he were not guided’. Unfortunately this was published, and Houchard, whilst not asking to be given any command beyond that of the ‘Moselle’, felt the slur the more that undoubtably his advice had been of use to the General that now denied his fitness to command at all”. “The conviction that ‘the soldier is good’ permeated so much of the discussion of victory and defeat that it rose to the level of dogma… ‘I say to you with the truthfulness of a true republican,… the soldiers are good, but the cowardice and crass ignorance of the officer has taught them cowardice.’ This characteristic criticism came from the pen of General Houchard, soon to suffer death for his own failures”. “There was nothing aristocratic about Houchard. He rose from the ranks as an officer of fortune, reaching the rank of captain in 1779, after twenty-four years of service. When war broke out in 1792, Captain Houchard climbed the ladder of promotion rapidly and followed Custine as chief of the Nord on 1 August. Unfortunately, Houchard soon revealed himself to be a man of limited capacity… Houchard paid for failure with his life… he went to the scaffold in November not for treachery but for incompetence. By his arrest and execution the Convention made it clear that it demanded ability as well as loyalty from its officers”.
Forbach
Forbach is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is located near the German border. Population : 22,784....
, Moselle
Moselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
– 17 November 1793) was a French General of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
.
Biography
Born at ForbachForbach
Forbach is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is located near the German border. Population : 22,784....
in Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
, he began his military career at 16 the Royal German Regiment. He became captain fighting against the rioters led by Pascal Paoli in a dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
regiment in Corse
Corse
Corse may refer to:*Corse, the French name for Corsica, the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea*Corse , a European surname of multiple origins *Corse, a Shakespearean word for Corpse...
, receiving also a deep saber slash across his cheek and a gunshot wound at the mouth, which left him disfigured.
On 11 April 1793 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Moselle
Army of the Moselle
The Army of the Moselle was a French Revolutionary Army. Originally known as the Armée du Centre, it was renamed by decree of the National Convention on 1 October 1792 and kept under that name in the decrees of 1 March and 30 April 1793...
and, in the following August, of the Army of the North
Army of the North
The Army of the North , contemporaneously called Army of Peru, was one of the armies deployed by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in the Spanish American wars of independence. Its objective was freeing the Argentine Northwest and the Upper Peru from the royalist troops of the Spanish...
. He was a protagonist of the French victory at the Battle of Hondschoote against the British army under the Duke of York
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
The Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
.
Despite the French victory, Houchard was censured for failing to pursued it, and was arrested at Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
on 24 September 1793. When accused of cowardice by the Revolutionary Tribunal
Revolutionary Tribunal
The Revolutionary Tribunal was a court which was instituted in Paris by the Convention during the French Revolution for the trial of political offenders, and eventually became one of the most powerful engines of the Reign of Terror....
, Houchard replied "Read my answer !", while tearing his shirt off and showing his many battle wounds. However, the tribunal found him guilty and Houchard was guillotined in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 17 November 1793 (26 Brumaire
Brumaire
Brumaire was the second month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word brume which occurs frequently in France at that time of the year....
, Year II
French Republican Calendar
The French Republican Calendar or French Revolutionary Calendar was a calendar created and implemented during the French Revolution, and used by the French government for about 12 years from late 1793 to 1805, and for 18 days by the Paris Commune in 1871...
).
Assessment
Phipps describes him as “Brave & stupid... Tall, brave, a proved ‘patriot’” ”. Custine prophesised that the command of an army would be “an evil present” to him. Houchard himself was fully aware that it could be a fatal command, and his confidence was thus shaken “is there any more cruel position than this?” he wrote At the head of the army he became dejected, and let the Representatives have a free hand, over-riding his bold plan. At Hondschoote he failed to exert control over any except Jourdan’s column, and spread his forces twice when concentration on Walmoden’s left would have given decisive victory. He was “In his element” leading the charge of a cavalry regiment. After Hondschoote he failed to organise an effective pursuit, “cowed” by the minor check at Rexpoede. Then he was denounced as incapable, not without reason. “The army, which knew his faults, knew also his gallantry and his patriotism...”. In December 1792 Custine “had not enough knowledge of war and he owed much to the advice of his lieutenant, Houchard, who was a bold and capable head of an advanced guard”. His appointment to command the ‘Moselle’ was “probably done to please Custine; he, however, considered it was a harmful present to Houchard, who, he feared, would fail in the command on an army. Custine certainly could judge men, and he was right in this case, for all who knew the worthy old Houchard considered him as lost when given a charge so much beyond his powers”.Custine stated - “‘The conduct of two armies is beyond Houchard’s power, and the conduct of one army would be above his power if he were not guided’. Unfortunately this was published, and Houchard, whilst not asking to be given any command beyond that of the ‘Moselle’, felt the slur the more that undoubtably his advice had been of use to the General that now denied his fitness to command at all”. “The conviction that ‘the soldier is good’ permeated so much of the discussion of victory and defeat that it rose to the level of dogma… ‘I say to you with the truthfulness of a true republican,… the soldiers are good, but the cowardice and crass ignorance of the officer has taught them cowardice.’ This characteristic criticism came from the pen of General Houchard, soon to suffer death for his own failures”. “There was nothing aristocratic about Houchard. He rose from the ranks as an officer of fortune, reaching the rank of captain in 1779, after twenty-four years of service. When war broke out in 1792, Captain Houchard climbed the ladder of promotion rapidly and followed Custine as chief of the Nord on 1 August. Unfortunately, Houchard soon revealed himself to be a man of limited capacity… Houchard paid for failure with his life… he went to the scaffold in November not for treachery but for incompetence. By his arrest and execution the Convention made it clear that it demanded ability as well as loyalty from its officers”.