Edmond-Louis-Alexis Dubois-Crancé
Date of Birth
October 14, 1747
Date of Death
June 28, 1814
About
A former army officer and Convention deputy, Dubois-Crancé was one of the Revolution’s principal military reformers. In 1793 he proposed the amalgame, which reorganised the army into demi-brigades combining one battalion of former royal troops with two battalions of volunteers. The reform was intended to integrate soldiers drawn from different forces within a common structure. Sent as representative on mission to the Army of the Alps, he helped direct the siege of Lyon but was recalled after disputes over the conduct and pace of operations. In October 1794, the Convention declared that he had fulfilled his duty during the mission. He continued his political and military career and briefly served as Minister of War in 1799.