Exécution de Rossel, Bourgeois et Ferré dans la plaine de Satory à Versailles (le 28 Novembre 1871) (1871) by Ernest AppertBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
On November 28, 1871 at 7:15 a.m. …
… a 27-year-old man called Louis-Nathaniel Rossel was shot at the Satory military camp in Versailles.
Tombe de Louis-Nathaniel et Isabella Rossel (2021) by Pierre E. RichardBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
The family obtained permission to transfer the body to Nîmes where Rossel's father was from. At the behest of the authorities, who feared protests, Rossel was secretly buried in the city's Protestant cemetery on December 19, 1871.
Faire-part du décès de Louis-Nathaniel Rossel (1872)Bibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
Rossel's parents announced the painful news to their relatives and expressed their anger: their son had been murdered.
Portrait de Louis-Nathaniel Rossel (1871) by Ernest AppertBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
What did Rossel do to suffer such a fate?
Billet écrit à l'âge de 5 ans pour l'anniversaire de son père (1849) by Louis-Nathaniel RosselBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
Rossel grew up, alongside his sisters, in a loving family: "My dear parents, you gave me so much love and care that I thought life was just like that." (October 25, 1871).
Portrait de Rossel à l'Ecole Polytechnique - Projet d'amélioration des places (1862/1866) by Photographie Sée and Louis-Nathaniel RosselBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
His brilliant studies paved the way to a career as a senior officer. After attending the Prytanée militaire, a military school in La Flèche, he went to the École Polytechnique in Paris in 1862.
At the École d'application in Metz, he specialized in military engineering, a field of study that focuses on the attack and defense of fortifications.
But he had already developed many other interests. He was fascinated by literature, opera, archaeology, and languages. Appointed in the city of Bourges in January 1869, Rossel became deeply bored with military and office life. He filled his time by attending balls hosted by the local bourgeoisie.
Epreuve corrigée d'une planche pour le mémoire sur la Réparation des ponts. (1869) by Louis-Nathaniel RosselBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
He wrote a remarkable thesis on railroad bridges and hoped to be hired as a civil engineer. Perhaps in the United States …
L'Année Terrible (1872) by Victor HugoBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
But the turmoil of history decided otherwise …
Épisode de la bataille de Saint-Privat (près Metz) (1870/1871) by Pinot et SagaireBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
On July 19, 1870, war broke out with Prussia. Rossel immediately asked to join the front. He was transferred to Metz where the military situation quickly worsened after the defeat in Saint-Privat and Gravelotte (August 18, 1870).
Defeated in Sedan, Napoleon III was captured. This disaster led to the fall of the imperial regime and the proclamation of the Republic on September 4, 1870. Marshal Bazaine, who was more concerned with re-establishing the traditional order than fighting the Prussians, handed over Metz on October 27, 1870. The surrender infuriated Rossel, who fled the city disguised as a peasant.
He went to the city of Tours to join the national defense, led by Gambetta, and was assigned to an inspection mission in the north of France. He was then entrusted with the organization of a military camp in Nevers where he trained soldiers in order to continue the war. But the armistice signed on January 28, 1871 put an end to his hopes.
Proclamation de la Commune sur la place de l'Hôtel de Ville à Paris (1871)Bibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
The people of Paris, who had endured a very hard siege, did not accept the armistice and became hostile to the monarchist assembly that had been elected in February 1871. On March 18, 1871, the uprising broke out. It was the beginning of the Paris Commune.
Barricade de la Chaussée Ménilmontant, 18 mars 1871 (1871)Bibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
Without hesitation, Rossel resigned from the army and joined the insurrection, saying: "I stand firmly on the side [of the party] that did not sign the peace." (March 19, 1871).
La cour martiale, séance du 29 avril (1871)Bibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
The insurgents took advantage of the skills of Rossel, the only senior officer to have joined the Commune …
… and on April 17, they appointed him President of the Court Martial.
On April 30, he replaced Cluseret as delegate to the war, having been the chief of staff since April 3.
Billet à ses parents, 6 mai 1871 (1871) by Louis-Nathaniel RosselBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
Rossel sought to reorganize the army and restore discipline. On the operational front, he focused on the defense of the fort of Issy, which was being shelled by the government's troops that had retreated to Versailles.
Le Père Duchêne du 20 floréal an 79 (10 mai 1871) (1871)Bibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
But the situation proved to be unmanageable. Decisions were not being made or were contradictory, orders were being contested, men did not show up. Given the impossibility of completing the mission, he resigned on May 9.
Under arrest, Rossel went into hiding under a false name in a small hotel on the Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris. There, he witnessed the dreadful repression of the semaine sanglante (Bloody Week). He was arrested by the Versailles police on June 7, 1871.
Les séides de la Commune (1871)Bibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
While in jail, he shared his thoughts on the events.
"Despite all the disgrace of the Commune, I prefer having fought with the defeated than with the victors" (1871).
3eme conseil de guerre de Versailles. Jugement des 17 principaux membres de la Commune (1871) by Ernest AppertBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
On September 8, a war council sentenced him to death for treason. Annulled for procedural errors, the judgment was finally confirmed on October 7. The defense's appeal was rejected by the Council of Revision on October 26.
Étudiants intercédant auprès de Thiers (1871)Bibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
A public outcry called for Rossel's pardon, but it was denied.
Billet d'adieu de Louis-Nathaniel Rossel, 28 novembre 1871 (1871) by Louis-Nathaniel RosselBibliothèque Carré d'Art Nimes
And on November 28, 1871, he said his final goodbye to his family: "Farewell, farewell, my loved ones, or rather goodbye. Thank you for all your love until the last moment … I stand strong and brave. I embrace you, I embrace you with all my heart."
Realization: Ville de Nîmes - Bibliothèque Carré d'Art
Iconography: © Bibliothèque Carré d'Art, Nîmes, Collection Pierre E. Richard - Musée du Vieux Nîmes - Musée Carnavalet
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