Bugeaud’s conquest of Algeria from 1841 to 1847: insights from the State Archives of Naples

Scholars often present Thomas Robert Bugeaud as one of the first French commanders to pursue pacification, especially in his role as Governor General of Algeria. Covered in their works are accounts of marches based on mobility and morale, raids targeting spouses and supplies, torture through asphyxiation and mutilation, but also Arab Offices (Bureaux Arabes) making maps and translations, liaising with local leaders, collecting taxes and grievances, and monitoring mosques and mujahedin. While some English-language publications employ French-language sourcesvirtually none refer to Italian-language manuscripts. Taking inspiration from the work of Federico Cresti, this paper is based on consular dispatches sent to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, stored in the State Archives of Naples (Archivio di Stato di Napoli). Using 47 handwritten Italian-language letters sent from Algiers to Naples during Bugeaud’s governorship of Algeria, along with recently published French-language accounts, the paper presents new evidence that corroborates the arguments of Porch and DeVore that Bugeaud’s command was characterized by a militarized form of governance and poor civil-military relations.