Les souvenirs d'un soldat bas-alpin sur la conquête de la Tunisie (1881-1882)

摘要

Abstract Using a previously unpublished document of private origin, this study relates the "souvenirs de l'expédition" (memories of the Expedition) in Tunisia written by Ignace called Sylvain Darnaud (1861-1943). When twenty and doing his national service he took part in the conquest and occupation of the Regency. The author describes the route followed by his regiment -the 7th cavalry- which goes from La Goulette, Tunis harbour, to Sousse via Kairouan, Gabès, Sfax and El Djem. Darnaud's faithful and scrupulous account tells us a lot about how the French behaved and how the Tunisians reacted during the 1881-1882 operations. Besides his evocation of the remains of Roman antiquity, he gives us an interesting description of the Tunisian towns and country, of the inhabitants' habits, as well as a good picture of the relationship between the local population and the French soldiers.