The Garde mobile ("Mobile Guard"; also called Garde nationale mobile though it had nothing to do with the Garde nationale) was intended to be a reserve force of all able-bodied men previously not drafted (such as single men and childless widowers), trained yearly, during the time of Napoleon III.
Length of service was intended to be five years, with a draft of 116,000 men per year. Adolphe Niel, Minister of War for France under Emperor Napoleon III, was in charge of implementing the plan. The Walters Art Museum.
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