CLUSERET, GUSTAVE PAUL (1823 1900). A French soldier and Communist, horn in Paris. He was educated at Saint-Cyr, distin guished himself during the insurrection of 1848 in Paris, served in the Crimean War and in Africa against the Kabyles, and became a cap tain in 1855. In 1858 he resigned his commis sion, and in 1S60, as commander of the French volunteers, joined Garibaldi in the expedition to Sicily and Naples. At the outbreak of the Ameri can Civil War in 1861 he came to the United States, entered the Union Army, served on the staffs of McClellan and Fremont, and became brigadier-general in 1862. Two years Inter he was editor of The New Nation in New York, ad vocating the nomination of Fremont for the Presidency. Returning to Europe, he took part in the Fenian revolt of 1867. went back to France in the same year and wrote for several radical papers, but was condemned for certain publica tions and compelled to take refuge in England.
On the proclamation of the Republic in Septem ber, 1870, he took part in the insurrectionary at tempts at Lyons and Marseilles, whence he fled to Geneva. In .Tanuary. 1871. we find him in Paris where, after the establishment of the Conunune, he was appointed delegate of the War Department, and endeavored to improve the military organiza tion of the Communist troops, hut soon gave offense to the Central Committee. was accused of treachery, and was imprisoned at Mazes. When the Government troops entered Paris, he escaped to England. thence to Mexico. and finally to Switzerland. In 1872, during his absence, he was formally sentenced to death be returned to France in 1881, two years after the amnesty, and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1888, 1889, and 1893. lie died August 21, 1900. near Toulon. He published Mentoircs du general Cluscret (1887-88).