NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. A fine military L.S., `Np´, two pages, gilt edges, 4to, Hartha, Saxony, near Leipzig, 23rd September 1813, to the Duc de Feltre, in French. The present letter is dated during the last few victorious campaigns of Napoleon, less than a month earlier obtaining an important victory at the Battle of Dresden, but also less than a month before the defeat at the crucial Battle of Leipzig. Napoleon refers to the organization of the French troops, mostly the ones located in Germany, and insists on the importance of the officers´ formation. Napoleon shows once more his military planning and organization skills and knowledge of each regiment, stating in part `J´ai ordonné que les quatre premiers escadrons de chaque regiment de gardes d´honneur fussent réunis à l´armée… Je desire que les 6 autres escadrons restent à Francfort et Hanau pour s´y former. J´espère donc avoir d´ici à la fin d´octobre 6000 hommes de cavalerie de garde d´honneur…´ (“I have ordered that the first four squadrons of each regiment of honour Guards be united with the army… I wish that the other 6 squadrons remain in Frankfurt and Hanau to form there. I therefore hope to have by the end of October 6,000 men of honour Guards cavalry…...”) Napoleon expresses in part his plans on future military campaigns, and orders to troops movements he expects, saying `Chargez le Duc de Valmy d´avoir un oeil là-dessus. Laissez ces regiments se bien former. Peut-être les y laisserai-je tout l´hiver ce qui alors me ferait une ressource très précieuse pour la campagne prochaine. Ces regiments ont besoin d´instructions: comme la Garde est trop loin pour les fournir, je desire que vous tiriez des régiments de cavalerie qui sont en Espagne…´ (“Ask the Duc of Valmy to keep an eye on this. Let these regiments form well. Perhaps I will leave them there all winter, this would then make me a very precious resource for the next campaign. These regiments need instructions: and because the Guard is too far away to provide them, I want you to take them from the cavalry regiments that are in Spain…”) Napoleon further continues explaining how the regiments should be formed. Accompanied by a small 12mo holograph pinned receipt to the bottom left corner. Very small overall minor creasing with one small stain, otherwise G to VG

 

Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke (1765-1818) Duc de Feltre and Minister of War under Napoleon. Later Marshal of France in 1816, one of six created under King Louis XVIII from 1815-24

François Christophe Kellerman (1735-1820) Marshal of France, Duc de Valmy