Army of the Coasts of the Ocean (1796)

Army of the Coasts of the Ocean
Active	5 January – 22 September 1796
Country	First French Republic
Branch	Army
Type	Army
Size	117,746–182,956 soldiers
Engagements	War in the Vendée
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lazare Hoche

The Army of the Coasts of the Ocean (Armée des côtes de l'Océan) was a French Revolutionary Army that was only in existence during 1796. The army was formed by combining the three armies that were engaged in the War in the Vendée and appointing Lazare Hoche to command. While the army's nominal strength was 182,956 men at the time of its formation, this declined to 117,746 during the year. Because its operations were successful, the army was disbanded in September 1796 and approximately half its personnel sent to other armies.

The Army of the Coasts of the Ocean was created by an order of 26 December 1795 which was executed on 5–8 January 1796. The army was formed by combining the Army of the West, the Army of the Coasts of Brest and the Army of the Coasts of Cherbourg. Its first and only commander-in-chief was Lazare Hoche, although from 10 July until mid-August the chief of staff Gabriel Marie Joseph, comte d'Hédouville carried out the orders of Hoche while he was in Paris. Hoche arrived in Angers on 5 January and took over the Army of the West the next day. He assumed command of the Brest and Cherbourg armies on 8 January. On its creation, the army's paper strength was 182,956 soldiers, though only about 100,000 troops were available. The former armies became divisions in the new army; the Brest army became the West Division, the Cherbourg army became the East Division and the Army of the West became the South Division. South was led by Amédée Willot.

Hoche had much experience with the War in the Vendée. He was appointed commander of the Army of the Coasts of Cherbourg on 1 September 1794 and he also assumed leadership of the Army of the Coasts of Brest starting on 10 November 1794. His tenure with the Cherbourg army ended on 30 April 1795 when Jean-Baptiste Annibal Aubert du Bayet took command. Hoche continued to lead the Brest army until 10 September 1795 when Gabriel Venance Rey replaced him. On 11 September he became commander of the Army of the West and led it until 17 December 1795 when Willot temporarily replaced him. When Hoche took command of the Army of the Coasts of the Ocean, 11 army commanders and 120 general officers had been employed in putting down the Vendean rebellion, without success. Uniquely, he learned how to deal with the revolt.

...
Wikipedia