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The ”’First Battalion of Guiana”’ |
The ”’First Battalion of Guiana”’ |
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== History == |
== History == |
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=== Foundation === |
=== Foundation === |
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In March 1795, the Council of war of Guiana was assembled in response to Portuguese hostilities. Ships from Portuguese Para were seen around Guiana’s coast, troops were disembarked in the canton of Oyspock<ref name=”:0″>{{Cite journal |last=de Cointet |first=Noel |date=March 1991 |title=François-Maurice de Cointet de Fillain: Officier au Régiment d’Alsace Gouverneur de la Guyane Française 1766-1809 |url=https://ghcaraibe.org/publications/F-M%20de%20Cointet%20de%20Fillain.pdf |journal=Généalogie et Histoire de la Caraïbe}}</ref>{{Reference page|pages=25-27|page=|location=}}and the Portuguese kidnapped three citizens in said canton. Cointet proposed that a black bataillon be created,<ref name=”archive”>{{Cite book |last=Bénot |first=Yves |url=https://archive.org/details/laguyanesouslare0000beno |title=La Guyane sous la Révolution |publisher=Ibis Rouge Éditions |year=1997 |isbn=978-2-911390-25-8 |language=fr}}</ref>{{Reference page|pages=|page=86|location=}} arguing that the 2nd Bataillon of the 53rd Regiment alone could not defend the colony and that the national guard lacked training and discipline.<ref name=”:0″ />{{Reference page|pages=25-27|page=|location=}} |
In March 1795, the Council of war of Guiana was assembled in response to Portuguese hostilities. Ships from Portuguese Para were seen around Guiana’s coast, troops were disembarked in the canton of Oyspock<ref name=”:0″>{{Cite journal |last=de Cointet |first=Noel |date=March 1991 |title=François-Maurice de Cointet de Fillain: Officier au Régiment d’Alsace Gouverneur de la Guyane Française 1766-1809 |url=https://ghcaraibe.org/publications/F-M%20de%20Cointet%20de%20Fillain.pdf |journal=Généalogie et Histoire de la Caraïbe}}</ref>{{Reference page|pages=25-27|page=|location=}}and the Portuguese kidnapped three citizens in said canton. Cointet proposed that a black bataillon be created,<ref name=”archive”>{{Cite book |last=Bénot |first=Yves |url=https://archive.org/details/laguyanesouslare0000beno |title=La Guyane sous la Révolution |publisher=Ibis Rouge Éditions |year=1997 |isbn=978-2-911390-25-8 |language=fr}}</ref>{{Reference page|pages=|page=86|location=}} arguing that the 2nd Bataillon of the 53rd Regiment alone could not defend the colony and that the national guard lacked training and discipline.<ref name=”:0″ />{{Reference page|pages=25-27|page=|location=}}Cointet seeked to gain the trust of Guiana’s black citizens<ref name=”archive” />{{Reference page|pages=|page=86|location=}} and to contain the white population by this measure, and likely did not believe that the colony was seriously threatened by the Portuguese.<ref name=”:0″ />{{Reference page|pages=25-27|page=|location=}} |
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The project was met with strong opposition. Multiple council members were opposed, including the ordonnateur Corio who opposed the project because it was costly and would reduce the agricultural workforce, and the geograph Mentelle. Many whites sent strong protests to Paris. The mayor of Cayenne, Lanne, was the fiercest opponent of the project, refusing to draft troops and send cash vouchers to buy equipment.<ref name=”archive” />{{Reference page|pages=86-87|page=|location=}} |
The project was met with strong opposition. Multiple council members were opposed, including the ordonnateur Corio who opposed the project because it was costly and would reduce the agricultural workforce, and the geograph Mentelle. Many whites sent strong protests to Paris. The mayor of Cayenne, Lanne, was the fiercest opponent of the project, refusing to draft troops and send cash vouchers to buy equipment.<ref name=”archive” />{{Reference page|pages=86-87|page=|location=}} |
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=== Life (?) === |
=== Life (?) === |
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Despite these protests, the First National Batallion of Guiana was created<ref name=”:0″ />{{Reference page|pages=25-27|page=|location=}} on 7 April 1795. It was lead by |
Despite these protests, the First National Batallion of Guiana was created<ref name=”:0″ />{{Reference page|pages=25-27|page=|location=}} on 7 April 1795. It was lead by Lerch and other white officers from the 53rd Regiment.<ref name=”archive” />{{Reference page|pages=86-87|page=|location=}} |
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It participated in thwarting an insurrection on 27 January 1796.<ref name=”archive” />{{Reference page|pages=|page=103|location=}} |
It participated in thwarting an insurrection on 27 January 1796.<ref name=”archive” />{{Reference page|pages=|page=103|location=}} |
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Revision as of 01:15, 8 February 2026
| First Battalion of Guiana | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1795-1798 |
| Country | France (French Guiana) |
| Size | 480 men |
Military unit
The First Battalion of Guiana was a military unit in French Guiana active from 1795 to 1798.
History
Foundation
In March 1795, the Council of war of Guiana was assembled in response to Portuguese hostilities. Ships from Portuguese Para were seen around Guiana’s coast, troops were disembarked in the canton of Oyspock[1]: 25–27 and the Portuguese kidnapped three citizens in said canton. The Governor General Cointet proposed that a black bataillon be created,[2]: 86 arguing that the 2nd Bataillon of the 53rd Regiment alone could not defend the colony and that the national guard lacked training and discipline.[1]: 25–27 Cointet seeked to gain the trust of Guiana’s black citizens[2]: 86 and to contain the white population by this measure, and likely did not believe that the colony was seriously threatened by the Portuguese.[1]: 25–27
The project was met with strong opposition. Multiple council members were opposed, including the ordonnateur Corio who opposed the project because it was costly and would reduce the agricultural workforce, and the geograph Mentelle. Many whites sent strong protests to Paris. The mayor of Cayenne, Lanne, was the fiercest opponent of the project, refusing to draft troops and send cash vouchers to buy equipment.[2]: 86–87
Life (?)
Despite these protests, the First National Batallion of Guiana was created[1]: 25–27 on 7 April 1795. It was lead by captain Lerch and other white officers from the 53rd Regiment.[2]: 86–87
It participated in thwarting an insurrection on 27 January 1796.[2]: 103
Merge
In 1798, the First Battalion of Guiana was merged with the 53rd Regiment into a single, separate unit.[3]: 22 It however still existed in practice during the Directory in the form of black companies in Guiana’s single military unit and a black gendarmerie.[2]: 87
Uniform
The First Battalion of Guiana’s initial uniform was very plain. Each man had two grey linen smocks, two pair of breeches and a straw hat. A year later, the troops were provided with a piece of blue cloth, ten piece of Irish linen and three hundred of yellow nankeen with shoes and stockings.[3]: 22
