Crimea medal to a brave Zouave of the Garde Imperiale

[dante]

Crimea medal named;  
Pietro-Giuseppe (later Pierre-Joseph) Rossini was born on February 15, 1824, in Isolaccio di Fiumorbo a small commune of a few hundred people, in Haute -Corsica, he was the son of Ferrando Rossini and Maria-Nunzia Micaelli. 
Isolaccio was a modest village nestled on a hill over 1,800m above sea level, in the wildest part of the island, according to some observers who passed there ... 
In 1808 nine of its inhabitants were shot by the troops of Napoleon and many were the deported. 
His first job was as an office boy, he is noted as being sentenced to 15 days in prison for wilful injury.
This prompted him to enlist in the French army and on June 27, 1842, he joined, the 8e régiment d'infanterie de ligne based in Bastia, under the orders of the colonel Vincent Garrido. 
Four years later, he left Corsica for Africa. On March 1, 1846, he joined the 22e régiment d'infanterie de ligne which was stationed in Constantine, Algeria. 
He first served there as a simple voltigeur then he rose through the ranks: corporal on May 28, 1848, and sergeant on June 20, 1850. 
On March 5, 1852, he was assigned, to Blidah, to serve with the 1st Zouave Regiment, an elite-regiment. 
He only stayed there for a year, then he was transferred on August 6, 1853, to Oran, to the 2nd Zouave Regiment which had just been formed from elements of the the 1st; 3800 strong, it was led by Colonel Cler, future general. The unit's focus was on road work between Oran garrison and Tlemcen garrison.
After this 9-year long campaign "under the scorching sun of Algeria" (Zouaves' march song) Rossini left Algeria to return to France (most likely with elements of the 3rd Zouaves) but on his arrival is mobilised to the Crimea. 
On March 26, 1854, he joined the prestigious Zouave regiment of the Imperial Guard, created at the start of the year. (décrets des 23 décembre 1854). 
“On 23 December 1854 a fourth regiment was created, the Zouaves of the Imperial Guard. The actual formation of this unit was delayed until 15 March 1855 when detachments from the zouave regiments already serving in the Crimea were brought together before Sebastopol for this purpose. Having earned the unusual distinction of being created on the field of battle, the Zouaves of the Imperial Guard served through the remainder of the Crimean War”
(There is note of him being entrusted with the regimental colours during the campaign) 
On his return he was housed in Satory barracks, commune of Versailles, and was decorated with the Medaille de Crimée est une médaille commémorative Britannique (Crimea medal).
On May the 9th Sergeant Rossini was injured while on duty, he was going to fight a fire in the Saint-Martin barracks in Versailles: he fractured his left radius while falling.
It was most likely during his convalescence he met Jeanne-Marie Barbée (AKA Barbé or Barbe) the daughter of a local carpenter.
The relationship with Jeanne-Marie is somewhat confusing as we know that Jenny was born on July 1858 and they married on June 17, 1859, noted in the decree published in the Official Gazette.
But at some stage Jeanne-Marie had become a regimental Cantinière (Vivandière or cantinière is a French name for women attached to military regiments as sutlers or canteen keepers).
The regiment was mobilised in 1859 in support of Victor-Emmanuel of Savoy and both Pierre and Jeanne-Marie both went to war.
While little is known about Pierres war Jeanne-Marie’s is well documented
Jeanne-Marie was wounded on May 31 during the Battle of Palestro, which defeated the Austrians and further distinguished herself again on June 4 by saving the life of the Colonel, during the decisive battle of Magenta, which saw about 120,000 men clash, leaving 2,095 dead, 7,403 wounded, and 5,235 prisoners and missing.
On June 17, 1859, by decree published in the Official Gazette (which names Barbe by her married name Rossini) she was awarded the Commemorative Medal of the Italian Campaign and Medaille Militaire (Military Medal) for gallantry the first women to be awarded the decoration. 
The 25-year-old like the other holders of the Military Medal, received a life annuity of one hundred francs. 
In October 1862 Jeanne-Marie gave birth to another girl while based in the Louvre district, garrison of the Zouave regiment of the Guard, where the couple resided. 
In 1863 Sergeant Rossini re-engages and is transferred Oran in Algeria, as a private 2nd class in the 2nd Zouave regiment commanded by Colonel Lefèvre (a future Versaillais who will lay siege against the Paris Commune). (re-engagement in another unit meant he had to start from zero). 
On December 24, 1863, he was promoted to private 1st class, the following March 30 1864, corporal; and in the following December 1865, he further re-enlists for 2 years. 
He is promoted back to the rank of sergeant on January 8, 1868: and in March 6, 1868, he retires after 25 years 1 month and 24 days of service which, cumulated over 12 years 2 months and 5 campaign days (included in these 25 years) which counts as double, this gave him a total of 49 years of service. 11 months 18 days. 
His pension was 565 francs. Despite his seniority, he had only been a sergeant for 3 years 5 months and 26 days and in December 31, 1868  his file was closed. 
His pension was effective from January 1, 1869. 
Pierre returned from Oran in July 1869 and settled in Paris. He was only 45 years old. 
We do not know what he did for work but on the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 he joins the National Guard (Garde Nationale) and is promoted Captain in the First battalion of the Avengers of Paris, a free corps of 30 officers and 497 men, we also know that Pierre-Joseph in 1871, made a radical choice by rallying to the Paris Commune. 
We do not know what his responsibilities or missions were... In any case, it seems that when the Commune was crushed, he managed to escape summary execution the fate of many of his compatriots. (Between 6,000 and 7,000 Communards are confirmed to have been killed in battle or executed)
He and his family evaded capture until December 1874 when he was arrested and appeared before the 3rd Council of War (set up to repress the Commune). 
He was sentenced to deportation to New Caledonia (and the loss of the Medal of 'Italy), in a fortified enclosure on the Ducos peninsula. 
In 1879, Rossini he received a pardon by the President of the Republic and on June 3, he embarked with 405 deportees or convicts on the Navarin which anchored in Brest on September 28. 
We do not know if he ever saw his wife and children again, we do know that on May 12, 1884, the death of Jeanne-Marie Barbé (sic) in Montrouge of 11 avenue de la Paix, in the department of Seine was announced. She was 50 years old and had no profession. We also do have note that in her death notice that Pierre-Joseph Rossini, retired, was known to be homeless, (according to Augustin-Paul Dolter, 40, an employee of the Seine prefecture).
No note of what happened to Pierre-Joseph Rossini nor how his medal survived 

Sources:
  Research Guy Lidec
  Archives de la Grande chancellerie de la Légion d’Honneur.
  Archives Nationales BB/24/811. Dossier de deman-de de grâce.
  Archives de la préfecture de police de Paris. Listes de contumaces et amnisties (cote BA 470). 
   Archives  du  Service  historique  de  la  Défense  à Vincennes. Dossier de pension de Rossini 4Yf 51104 et dossier de justice militaire 8J 1932. 
  Archives nationales d’Outre-mer à Aix-en-Provence.  Archives BMS et NMD de Carhaix, Gourin, Concar-neau,  Paris  (fichier),  Béziers,  Montrouge  et  autrescommunes.