Blue Division (Second French Empire)
Encyclopedia
Created during the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870, the Blue Division is the name given to the division d'Infanterie de Marine which - for the first time in the history of the marines - joined 'marsouins' or marine infantry (4 regiments) and 'bigors' or marine artillery (1 regiment).
Commanded by general de Vassoigne, it was made up of two brigades :
The Blue Division formed part of the 12th Army Corps
under the command of Barthélémy Louis Joseph Lebrun
, which was the last unit to arrive at Sedan
after having made a last attempt to retreat with general de Wimpffen
. It fought at Bazeilles
on 31 August and 1 September 1870. The town was retaken and abandoned four times, with 2,655 French and 5,200 Bavarians dead, inspiring the patriotic painting Les dernières cartouches (The Last Cartridges) by Alphonse de Neuville. Each year the marines celebrate the anniversary of the battle, ending the ceremonies with the unit's battle cry, "Au nom de dieu, vive la coloniale" ("In God's name, long live the colonials") - the unit had God Himself as its patron saint.
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870, the Blue Division is the name given to the division d'Infanterie de Marine which - for the first time in the history of the marines - joined 'marsouins' or marine infantry (4 regiments) and 'bigors' or marine artillery (1 regiment).
Commanded by general de Vassoigne, it was made up of two brigades :
- the 1st, commanded by general Reboul, was formed from the 1st Marine Infantry Regiment1st Marine Infantry RegimentThe 1st Marine Infantry Regiment is a French regiment, that inherits from Colonial Infantry. It is one of the oldest regiments of the Troupes de Marine with 2e RIMa, 3e RIMa, 4e RIMa and 1er RAMa, forming the Blue Division during Franco-Prussian war....
of Cherbourg and the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment4th Marine Infantry RegimentThe 4th Marine Infantry Regiment was a French marine regiment, as part of the troupes de marine within the French Army. Its motto was "J'y suis j'y reste" . It and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Marine Infantry Regiments are the oldest marine units in the French Army...
of ToulonToulonToulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
; - the 2nd, commanded by general Martin des Pallières, comprised the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment2nd Marine Infantry RegimentThe 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest marine units in the French Army, as part of the troupes de marine.The 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment is a unit of the French army is the only one to carry 15 names on its battle flag and the inscription "AFN 1952-1962"...
of BrestBrest, FranceBrest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
and the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment3rd Marine Infantry RegimentThe 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest marine units in the French Army, as part of the troupes de marine. It formed part of the 2nd Brigade of the Blue Division during the Franco-Prussian War...
of RochefortRochefort, Charente-MaritimeRochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...
, along with 3 batteries from the 1st Marine Artillery Regiment.
The Blue Division formed part of the 12th Army Corps
XII Corps (France)
XII Corps was an army corps in the French Army. Commanded by Général Lebrun in the Franco-Prussian War then by General Galliffet from 1882 to 1886. On the outbreak of the First World War it was subordinated to Fourth Army.- 23rd Infantry Division :...
under the command of Barthélémy Louis Joseph Lebrun
Barthélémy Louis Joseph Lebrun
Barthélémy Louis Joseph Lebrun was a French Army officer of the Second French Empire.- Life :...
, which was the last unit to arrive at Sedan
Sedan, France
Sedan is a commune in France, a sub-prefecture of the Ardennes department in northern France.-Geography:The historic centre is built on a peninsula formed by an arc of the Meuse River. It is around from the Belgian border.-History:...
after having made a last attempt to retreat with general de Wimpffen
Emmanuel Félix de Wimpffen
Emmanuel Felix de Wimpffen was a French soldier and general of Austrian descent. Entering the army from the military school of Saint-Cyr, he saw considerable active service in Algeria, and in 1840 became captain; in 1847 chef de bataillon...
. It fought at Bazeilles
Battle of Bazeilles
The Battle of Bazeilles was one of the first occasions of modern urban warfare.During the 1870 Franco-Prussian war, Bazeilles, a small village in the French Ardennes department near Sedan was the theater of an ambush on Bavarians, allies of the Prussians, by a small detachment from the "Blue...
on 31 August and 1 September 1870. The town was retaken and abandoned four times, with 2,655 French and 5,200 Bavarians dead, inspiring the patriotic painting Les dernières cartouches (The Last Cartridges) by Alphonse de Neuville. Each year the marines celebrate the anniversary of the battle, ending the ceremonies with the unit's battle cry, "Au nom de dieu, vive la coloniale" ("In God's name, long live the colonials") - the unit had God Himself as its patron saint.