In 1858 the creation of a " ministry of Algeria and of the colonies " brought about the resignation of Marshal Randon.
Randon (1795-1871), named governorgeneral of Algeria after the coup d'etat, had at first to repress in the south a rising of a new " master of the hour," Mahomet ben Abdallah, the sherif of Wargla.
Henceforth matters remained quiet in the region of the Sahara, and Marshal Randon turned his efforts towards Kabylia.
But in two months (May to June 1857) Marshal Randon made himself master of it, and built in the heart of this country Fort Napoleon (now Fort National), " the thorn in the side of Kabylia," whose batteries commanded all the Kabyle villages of the region.