Saturday, July 18, 2015

Vauban

Monument to Vauban by Henri Bouchard, square Santiago-du-Chili, Paris

Monument to Vauban by Henri Bouchard, 1962
Square Santiago-du-Chili
Quartier du Gros-Caillou, 7th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

“Vauban’s talents were soon revealed. He distinguished himself by defending towns in the Argonne region and in the siege and capture of Sainte-Menehould for Condé. In 1653 he was taken prisoner by the government’s forces. Honourably treated, he was soon induced to change sides and to help the royalists to recapture Sainte-Menehould. During a siege in 1654 he was twice wounded. In 1655 he was admitted, as a ‘king’s ordinary engineer,’ into the corps of officers that was gradually being built up, outside the regular military hierarchy, for specialized work on fortification and siege craft. After taking part in operations against various fortresses and cities between 1655 and 1657, he was engineer in chief at the siege of Gravelines in 1658.” (Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, Encyclopædia Britannica)

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