Instruction sur le fourrage d'une armée

25 pp. 4°

55 pp. 4°.

4° manuscript calligraphed around 1763. Contemporary red morocco, fillet on covers, Maltese cross encircled by the collar of the Holy Spirit at the corners, with “INSTRUCTION SUR LES FOURRAGES D'UNE ARMÉE” (Instruction on Army Forages) stamped in gold letters on the upper cover, richly decorated smooth back, gold fillets on edges.

S.l.n.d, vers 1763.

220 x 186 mm.

Instruction sur le fourrage d’une armée : la nature des fourrages et la quantité relative qu’on en donne aux chevaux.

Suivi de : Mémoires sur l’administration militaire des fourrages et des voitures et sur les avantages qui en résultent depuis son institution jusqu’à la fin de la dernière guerre.

Original manuscript of 80 pages calligraphed on Holland paper towards 1763 and dealing with army fodder.

The amount of fodder in Alsace rose from 40,000-50,000 pounds at the beginning of the 18th century to 800,900,000 pounds at the end of the century, with 1787 breaking all records (1.5 million pounds): FORAGE THEREFORE CONSTITUTED ONE OF THE MAIN ITEMS IN THE ARMY'S BUDGET. The long-standing practice of artificially increasing the number of forage places proved insufficient. Contractors speculated on the price of rations to increase their profits. At the end of the 17th century, the ration was set at 12 pounds of hay, the same amount of straw, and 3 picotins of oats; but during the second half of the 18th century, it could be arbitrarily estimated at up to 36 pounds of hay, 60 pounds of straw, 14 pounds of barley, 8 pounds of rye, and a bushel of oats, or 18 sous in cash. The scarcity of fodder following the drought of 1785 only partly explains this. Officers, who were entitled to a ration for feeding their own horses, could find fodder for 7 or 8 sous, hence the attractive profit margin (or “revenant bon”) they allowed themselves.

As the distribution of fodder rations at the “stages” proved insufficient, the “parties” were allowed, during military operations, to “forage” in enemy territory, either ‘green’ (on the hoof) or “dry” (from reserves already stored). However, despite royal decrees such as that of April 1, 1707, and the “Treatises on Cavalry” " (Drummont de Melfort, 1776), to control the foragers, who found it difficult to distinguish between friendly and enemy countries, and to protect the inhabitants from the abuses or frauds of the population being taxed. It was primarily grassland areas that were affected, as it was important to avoid transporting bulky and heavy products such as hay and straw, the latter being used not only to feed livestock, but also as bedding for men and litter for animals. The reason why foraging by cavalry is so feared is that, in the absence of pasture, horses often attack young wheat crops, young vines, and even vegetable beds. In times of war, foraging is difficult to distinguish from requisitioning or looting (hence the pejorative connotation of the words “forage” and “foraging”) and often provides a pretext for marauding, before being converted into money between 1700 and 1710.

A superb manuscript bound in contemporary morocco with 8 Maltese crosses encircled by the collar or the Holy Spirit.