1794 Incredible French Army Requisition Document Exposing Preparation for the French Revolutionary Army

​​On offer is a fascinating piece of French revolutionary history – a document detailing requisitions for the revolutionary army in 1794.

The document is entitled: Extract des Register de directoire de département regard Seance Publique

[Translation: Extract from the Register from the departmental directorate regarding Public Meetings]

The document covers a number of different subjects, such as that in the excerpt below:

Requisition de cent charrettes avec des ridelles attelages des trois chevaux ou mulets completement hazmachie et conduits par un charetier avec repaitition par districte. 

[Translation: Requirement for one hundred carts with sideboards and harnessing for three horses or mules completely [ ] and led by a cart driver. Preparation by district]

There are a number of other such notices included in the document. For example:

je certifie que ce qualite de [ ] que le nomme Louis Sayerle s'est retire du convois pour aller chez lui apres s'est fait remplacer par Gabriel Laborville a Narbonne [ ] mission an 2 de la R(epublic) (Francaise) Cautet Brigadier

[Translation: I certify that this quality of [] that the name Louis Sayerle withdrew from the convoy to go to his home after he was replaced by Gabriel Laborville in Narbonne [] mission year 2 of R(epublic) (French) Cautet Brigadier]

In 1794, France was on its way to building the most powerful army in Europe. Contrary to what a casual observer may think, the deep strength of an army lies in its logistics organization. No army has ever had long-term success without excellent logistics. This document gives historians an insight into how France was organizing its armies which for the next 21 years would ravage Europe.

This document measures 9.25 inches by 7.0 inches. It has four  pages, made from a single folded sheet. The lower portion of one page is missing. The page shows wear marks, especially along creases and at the edges. The handwriting is tight but reasonably legible.