[78] Colonel Rossel was one of the most capable members of the Commune
Government. He was born in 1844, and was the son of Commandant Louis
Rossel, an officer who acquired a high reputation in the Chinese war.
The young Louis Rossel received a sound military education at the
Prytanée of La Flèche, and subsequently at the École Polytechnique, at
which latter institution he gained high honours. He served as captain
of engineers in the army of Metz, and was one of the officers who
signed the protestation against the surrender of Bazaine. He succeeded
in eluding the vigilance of the Prussians, and appeared at Tours to
offer his services to the Government of National Defence. Gambetta,
then Minister of War, appointed Rossel to the rank of colonel in the
so-called auxiliary army. After the signature of the peace
preliminaries, the new government refused to ratify the promotion
granted by Gambetta, but offered Rossel the rank of major. This
seriously offended the ex-Dictator’s ex-colonel, who shortly after the
tenth of March, put his sword at the disposition of the Commune. He
was at first appointed chief of the staff of General Cluseret, whom he
subsequently replaced as delegate for war. On April 16 he became
president of the Communist court-martial; he acted with great vigour
in all military affairs until the 10th of May, when the Commune
ordered his arrest.
[Illustration: Chapelle Expiatoire.]