Arthur Fortant (June 14, 1829 - April 10, 1901) was a sergeant of the French Regiment of the Guard of the field artillery. He was a member of the first
French Military Mission to Japan in 1867, in which he accompanied
Jules Brunet
Jules Brunet (2 January 1838 – 12 August 1911) was a French military officer who served the Tokugawa shogunate during the Boshin War in Japan. Originally sent to Japan as an artillery instructor with the French military mission of 1867, he refu ...
. He worked as an instructor for artillery in the army of the ''
shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamak ...
''.
With the advent of the
Boshin War, and the declaration of neutrality of foreign powers, Fortant chose to resign from the French Army and continue the fight on the side of the
Bakufu
, officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakura ...
.
He participated to the
Battle of Hakodate
The was fought in Japan from December 4, 1868 to June 27, 1869, between the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate army, consolidated into the armed forces of the rebel Ezo Republic, and the armies of the newly formed Imperial government (composed ...
, in which he was head of one of the four Japanese regiments.
French soldiers
1829 births
1901 deaths
Meiji Restoration
People of the Boshin War
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