His most well-known military exploits took place in the West Indies during the American War of Independence, where he was involved in the French capture of a number of British possessions.

François Claude Amour, the marquis de Bouillé was born at Chateau Cluzel in Saint-Èble (present-day Mazeyrat-d'Allier, Haute-Loire) on 19 November 1739.

He distinguished himself throughout the campaign, playing an important role in the Battle of Grünberg in February 1761 that resulted in the surrender of thousands of German troops and the capture of many military standards, and prompted Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick to lift that year's Siege of Cassel.

When d'Emery died in 1777, Bouillé was awarded with the governorships of Martinique and St. Lucia, with authority to take full command of the French West Indies in the event France joined the American War of Independence.

France's entry into that war occurred in early 1778, and Bouillé was heavily involved in the planning, execution, and leadership of operations in the West Indies.

He was equally gracious at home, even refusing an offer of payment (amounting to the munificent sum equivalent to £20,000 of the day) from the King for war expenses that he had personally covered.

A committed Royalist, he was instrumental in putting down rebellion in Metz, and led forces that controversially crushed a military mutiny in the "Nancy affair" in August 1790, in which both soldiers and civilians were killed.

Bouillé had managed to keep a fairly strong Royalist command in his army, and he became deeply involved in an attempt by King Louis and Marie Antoinette to escape their virtual house arrest in Paris.

In conjunction with Comte Axel von Fersen and Baron de Breteuil, he planned the means and route by which the Royal Family would travel from Paris to the fortress of Montmédy, within Bouillé's area of control.

The regiments, which included Swiss and German mercenary units, made up a force that had largely retained its discipline and was considered by the court party as still loyal to the monarchy.

Delays in the arrival of the coach carrying the royal family had led to several of Bouillé's detachments being stood down, and none was immediately available to intervene.

Courted by royalty for positions in their armies, he sought to remain loyal to Louis, eventually serving as a military consultant to Prussian King Frederick William II in the early stages of the First Coalition.

[4][5] Bouillé's role in the French Revolution is alluded to in the fifth stanza of the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise", as a detestable counter-revolutionary figure: On 6 July 1768, Bouillé was married to Marie Louise Guillemette de Bègue (1746–1803), a daughter of Marie Anne Neau Dubreuil and Pierre Joseph de Bègue, a former Major of Martinique.