Who could imagine today that women were fully part of the military community in France in the modern era? Yet far from being isolated and marginalized, these service auxiliaries occupied "support" roles alongside the soldiers, constantly adapting and accommodating themselves to gender norms and the grueling daily lives of the men over whom they watched over. The author breathes new life into these women forgotten by history, the followers or companions of the armies, tracked down in war archives and memoirs of soldiers and officers from the late 18th century, the revolutionary armies, and the First Empire. This book reassigns their rightful place to these wives, mothers of soldiers, prostitutes, cantinières, and laundresses who participated in the campaign community alongside the men. It recounts their experiences, often underestimated or invisible in official accounts. Another vision of the practices of war "at ground level", from the female side, which broadens the scope of military history.
Publication date 1st October 2025
PUF
