Louis-Marie Stanislas Fréron

Louis-Marie Stanislas Fréron was born in 1754.  Fréron’s father was a well-regarded literary critic.  His father had connections to Louis XV’s father in law the former King of Poland, Stanislas who acted as godfather to young Louis-Marie Stanislas Fréron.  As a boy Fréron attended the Lycée Louis-le-Grande where he met both Camille Desmoulins and Maximilien Robespierre.  

During the Revolution he took up writing and editing a journal and through this  he came into contact with Marat and Danton.  His journal mainly focused on what he saw as the “Austrian Committee” seeking to undermine France.  He also condemned those he saw as acting against the Revolution such as Lafayette and Bailly

He was a member of the Cordeliers Club and was elected to the National Convention.  He voted for the execution Louis XVI.  He was during his time in the Convention a Representative on a Mission in Provence, Marseilles and Toulon with Paul Barras.  It was at Toulon that he successfully assisted in the removal of the British Admiral Hood and his fleet who were aiding the Federalist rebels.  It was during this time that Fréron met a young Napoleon Bonaparte who led the attacks on British positions overlooking Toulon.

His methods in dealing with the rebels in Toulon (where he claimed to have killed eight hundred army and navy) officers and in Marseilles (where he killed wealthy merchants accusing them of being federalists) were severe.

On his return to Paris he was more than happy to assist in the removal of the Hebertists.  He was soon however to turn against the Jacobins during the Thermidorian Reaction.  During this time he made use of the Golden Youth to harass and attack Jacobins throughout Paris.  He was then sent on a mission to Marseilles to resist the White Terror there.  Unlike his previous efforts he was less severe.

In 1801 after being an unsuccessful suitor to Napoleon’s sister Pauline he was sent by the First Consul to Saint Domingue as part of France’s efforts to maintain control over their colony.  He died there of yellow fever in 1802.