Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet (November 14, 1828 - May 14, 1923) was a French statesman and President of the Council during the Third Republic, part of the Opportunist Republicans faction. Born at Foix and entered governmet service as a mining engineer. In 1858 he was appointed traffic manager to the Compagnie de chemins de fer du Midi, and in 1862 returned to the engineering service, attaining in 1886 the rank of inspector-general. He was sent on several special scientific missions, including one to the UK, on which he wrote his notable M幦oire sur le travail des femmes et des enfants dans les manufactures de l'Angleterre (1867). On the establishment of the Third Republic in September 1870, he offered his services and was appointed prefect of the department of Tarn-et-Garonne, and in October became chief of the military cabinet. It was mainly his powers of organization that enabled the country to raise army after army to oppose the invading Germans. He was an excellent strategist but the policy of dictating operations to the generals in the field caused friction between him and General d'Aurelle de Paladines resulting in the loss of the advantage temporarily gained at Orleans, and he was responsible for the campaign in the east, which ended in the destruction of Bourbaki's army. ?007 TopFoto