BERTRAND HENRI GATIEN: (1773-1844) French General. Count Bertrand and Grand Marshal of the Palace. Bertrand was aide-de-camp to Napoleon I and the closest officer to the Emperor who had full confidence in him. He served during the expedition to Egypt and the Battles of Austerlitz, Wagram, Leipzig and Waterloo and accompanied Napoleon I to Elba in 1814 and to St. Helena in 1815. Bertrand was condemned to death in 1816 but did not return to France until Napoleon´s death when King Louis XVIII granted his amnesty. In 1840 Bertrand went to St. Helena to bring Napoleon´s remains back to France. A very fine and lengthy A.L.S., `Bertr´, four pages, 8vo, Warsaw, 10th September 1813, to his wife Fanny, in French. The present letter is written few weeks before the important Battle of Leipzig. Bertrand refers to many different subjects, including the writing of memoirs, the quality of food they are eating, to his wife´s health, and further mentions the Duchess of Abrantes, spouse of General Junot dead a month earlier and states `La pauvre duchesse d'Abrantes est traité bien sévèrement, son mari a gâté la plus belle existence, mais c'était un ami et affectionné serviteur de l'Empereur, je le plains et le regrette…´ (``The poor Duchess of Abrantes is treated very severely, her husband has spoiled the finest existence, but he was a friend and affectionate servant of the Emperor, I pity him and miss him...´´) Before concluding Bertrand emotionally expresses how much he misses the children so far from them, saying `Mes chers petits enfants croyaient donc me revoir quand tu es arrivée. Pauvre petite, mon cœur se meurt toutes les fois que je pense à vous, je crois les entendre gazouiller, je désire leurs petits discours, je les presse comme toi contre mon cœur…´ (``My dear little children thought they were seeing me again when you arrived. Poor little one, my heart dies every time I think of you, I think I hear them chirping, I long for their little speeches, I press them like you against my heart...´´) Very small creasing, one stain to the last page not affecting the text or signature, with spine edge professionally repaired. G

 

Fanny Bertrand (1785-1836) born Dillon, daughter of Irish General Arthur Dillon and second cousin of Empress Joséphine. She went to Saint Helene with her husband and was the one who announced to Napoleon the death of his first wife.

Duchess of Abrantes (1784-1838) Laure Junot. French Writer and spouse of French General Junot.

Jean-Andoche Junot (1771-1813) Duke of Abrantes. French Hussard General who leaded troops in the Smolensk and Borodino battles. Mentally instable in his last years, he died after trying to commit suicide.