Many of those who fled France in the wake of the French Revolution were soldiers and officers of the French Royal Army. With the outbreak of French Revolutionary Wars in 1792 émigré nobles set up units and formed Armée des émigrés. Soon after the France declaration of war on Britain in February 1793, émigré officers also offered to raise units for the British Army. The British government welcomed the additional manpower. The first unit to be raised was the by Louis, duc de La Chastre. To avoid political problems, the officers were commissioned by George III as Elector of Hanover and then they were transferred to British pay. This arrangement was not practical for further offers, so new legislation was introduced to allow émigré units to be raised and maintained directly by Britain. As the French officers of these units were Catholic, they needed exemptions from British laws against Catholics. Also, throughout the Eighteenth Century, many British MPs has been hostile to employing foreign troops within the British Army.
Debates in Parliament
The were significant debates in the House of Commons about the "Bill to enable subjects of France to enlist as Soldiers". The political arguments focused on two areas. Firstly, there were concerns over the government using foreign troops within the British isles, which was seen as a threat to British political liberty. Secondly, that by recruiting Frenchmen Britain was changing the nature of the war with France, and showing that it wanted to overturn the French Revolutionary government. Charles James Fox, one of the MPs who said most on this, thought the war would be longer and more violent as a result, and negotiating a peace much harder. Despite these concerns being raised in Parliament, the government had enough of a majority for the bill to pass, although votes where held at each stage.
It was declared legal for Frenchmen to enlist and for George III to commission them as officers.
Their terms of enlistment restricted their service to the continent of Europe, the Channel Islands, and any French territories outside Europe before 1792.
Officers held temporary rank and were not entitled to half-pay when units were disbanded.
Soldiers or officers in the units were not liable to prosecution or penalties under laws against Catholics.
The units could be landed in Great Britain, but notice of this had to given to Parliament. The units were not allowed more than five miles from the coast, and limited to a maximum of 5,000 men.
