He was not at home for his children's births, nor their baptisms. The rest of the time his military postings – including active service in the Crimean War and the Sardinian Campaign (with medals earned in both) – meant he returned home to Charleville only when on leave. Though the marriage lasted seven years, Captain Rimbaud lived continuously in the matrimonial home for less than three months, from February to May 1853. Three more children followed: Victorine-Pauline-Vitalie on 4 June 1857 (who died a few weeks later), Jeanne-Rosalie-Vitalie ("Vitalie") on 15 June 1858 and, finally, Frederique Marie Isabelle ("Isabelle") on 1 June 1860. The next year, on 20 October 1854, Jean Nicolas Arthur ("Arthur") was born. Nevertheless, on 8 February 1853, Captain Rimbaud and Vitalie Cuif married their first-born, Jean Nicolas Frederic ("Frederic"), arrived nine months later on 2 November. Arthur Rimbaud's private name for her was "Mouth of Darkness" ( bouche d'ombre). When Charles Houin, an early biographer, interviewed her, he found her "withdrawn, stubborn and taciturn". completely lacking in a sense of humour". Her personality was the "exact opposite" of Rimbaud's she was narrowminded, "stingy and. She came from a "solidly established Ardennais family", but one with its share of bohemians two of her brothers were alcoholics. In October 1852, Captain Rimbaud, then aged 38, was transferred to Mezieres where he met Vitalie Cuif, 11 years his junior, while on a Sunday stroll. with the long moustaches and goatee of a Chasseur officer. Captain Rimbaud was described as "good-tempered, easy-going and generous". From 1844 to 1850, he participated in the conquest of Algeria, and in 1854 was awarded the Legion d'honneur "by Imperial decree". Rimbaud's father, a Burgundian of Provencal extraction, was an infantry captain risen from the ranks he had spent much of his army career abroad. He was the second child of Frederic Rimbaud (7 October 1814 – 16 November 1878) and Marie Catherine Vitalie Cuif (10 March 1825 – 16 November 1907).
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