Forwarding of Constantine of 1837

The Forwarding of Constantine of 1837 , in Algeria, is decided by Louis-Philippe I {{er}} and the chief of his government, the count Molé at the summer of 1837 at one time when, with the consolidation of the Monarchie of July and the re-establishment of economic prosperity, the king considers a dissolution of the House of Commons. Like Charles X in 1830 with the Forwarding of Algiers, the king of the French seeks to obtain a better result with the elections by offering to the country a little military glory and by avenging the failure for the Expédition of Constantine of 1836.

The preparation of forwarding is the occasion, at the end of August, of a sharp competition between the two oldest sons of the king, the duke of Orleans and the duke of Nemours, who dispute the honor to take part in it: first regard that as elder, the first role returns to him from right, while the second, which took part in the unfruitful forwarding of the year spent, absolutely makes a point of avenging this humiliation. Ultimately, it is the elder one which is inclined.

The army meets in the camp of Merdjez-Hammar, established on the edges of the Seybouse, in front of Ghelma, with half way of Bone to Constantine. Placed under the orders of the general Damrémont, general governor, it had as a chief of staff, the Brigadier Perrégaux; the lre brigade, that of avant-garde was ordered by the duke of Nemours, 2nd 3rd and 4th were under the orders of the generals Trézel and Rulhières; the general Valée ordered artillery, and the general Rohault de Fleury, the genius.

The French Army starts from Bône on October 1st. The October 13rd, the victorious attack is started with the general Damrémont, which is carried by a ball, and is completed by its successor, the general Valée. This last is high with the dignity of Marshal of France the November 11th and named general governor of Algeria on February 1st.

Description

A German eyewitness which served the army as a volunteer gives the account of this forwarding

“It was on October 1st that the French Army left the camp of Merdjez-Hammar to go on Constantine. It was composed of four brigades, of which each one had hardly the force of a regiment; the whole did not include/understand more than 7.000 men. The first two brigades, ordered by the duke of Nemours and the Trézel general, bivouacked, on October 1st, on the heights of Rez-el-Akba. ”

“The bivouac of French was on the same place where Achmet-Bey had had to it his. The October 2nd, the army camped near the marabout of Sidi-Tamtam. The third and fourth brigades, ordered by the general Rulhières and the colonel Combes, were always held a half-day to behind protect the large convoy which, with its multitude of cars and mules, occupied two miles of road. ”

“The 3, the army camped near Ouad-el-Aria. Since Rez-el-Akba, the French Army goes in a very-high country, whose same valleys were at least with 1.500 feet above the sea level. The walk of the French soldiers until Constantine lasted nearly six days, though this city was distant only from 19 miles Merdjez-el-Hammar and 41 miles Bone. As soon as it made enough day to distinguish the road, the French avant-garde was started; all the bodies followed in the order prescribed. The artillery and the immense convoy were trailed then, then came the third and the fourth brigade which had joined the army the 1^er October. ”

“In the terrible situation where the French Army was, only one moment ago to lose to establish the batteries of breach. The 10, all the parts of 24 were placed on the hill, and the 11 French forces started to launch their balls against the walls, between the doors Ball-el-Wadi and Bab-el-Decheddid. ”

“The governor, the duke of Nemours, the Perregaux general, chief of staff, went Mansourah to Coudiat-Aty to observe the effects produced by the batteries of breach. The communication between these two positions stopped forever, but the passage of the Rummel was always dangerous. 300 Arabs approximately camped on the heights near the colossal aqueduct of the Romans; their general headquarter was with a small half-league in the south of Coudiat-Aty. The latter approached sometimes the French riflemen until a half-range of rifle. ”

“In the morning of the 12, the breach had become broad. Around eight hours, the governor put an end to fire because it awaited the return of a member of Parliament sent in the city to summon the inhabitants to go. ”

“After the death of the general Damrémont, a council of war was convened and the command of the army was entrusted to the artillery general Valée, veteran of the Empire. The general Valley, man opposed to the system of negotiations and treaties which French had adopted for some time, gave the order at once to double the number and the celerity of the blows. ”

“The 13, the first column of French attack were formed by a battalion of Zouaves, two companies of the 2nd light one, the frank company and part of the genius under the command of the colonel Lamoricière. The second column of attack was composed of the companies of elite of the 17th light one and the 47e of line, the riflemen of Africa and the foreign legion. Colonel Combe, who ordered it, arrived in front of the breach at the time when the Zouaves asked for scales. ”

“The town of Constantine had at the time of the attack 6.000 more defenders. The inhabitants still continued some time their resistance in the streets, to secure the retirement towards the Kasbah and an exit out the city. Around 9 a.m., the Tricolor had replaced on the rock the red flag. ”

“The French Army remained in Constantine until worms the end of November. At that time, the general Valley leaving there a garrison under the orders of the general Bernelle, returned in Bône with the duke of Nemours. He accepted there the news of his promotion to the dignity of Marshal of France. ”

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