Autographs and Manuscripts
BERTHIER, Louis Alexandre, Prince of Wagram and Neuchatel (1753-1815). French Marshal. ()
Three Letters Signed ("Mal Alex Berthier"), the first to General Belliard, Chief of Staff at Wurzburg, the others to M. Villemanzi, Commissariat Officer at Merzburg.1½ pages folio, Munich, 20 September 1806; half page folio, Wurzburg, 3 October 1806; 1¼ pages folio, Mertzburg, 19 October 1806.
A series of three letters from the time of the Prussian campaign.20 September, [trans]: "I am very pleased, General, that you are at Wurtzburg. . . Find out where the Prussians are on the route to Magdeburg and if they are in Saxe, in Gotha and in Erfurth, and in what numbers. Although the Emperor has expressly forbidden me to make any troop movements until I know officially that M. de la Foret has left Berlin, if the Prussians were to threaten Wurtzburg, we could bring Mal. Davout's corps closer . . . I repeat that the Emperor has forbidden me to move any troops until I know that M. de la Foret has left Berlin. . . . most of all, keep an eye on the citadel of Wurzburg." In a postscript, he adds "I send you the adjoint Simoni who you will send back immediately with any news you may have: always speak in peaceful terms. expect to receive important orders presently."3 October: "I inform you . . . that the Emperor has given the military command of the Duchy of Wurtzburg and of its Citadel to General Thouvenot. In addition, I must tell you that His Majesty has given the military command of Bamberg to General LeFranc . . ."Eleven days after this letter, the Prussian army was decisively defeated at the battle of Iena. Hostilities continued, as can be seen from the following letter; the following day saw the commencement of the siege of Magdeburg, which finally capitulated on 11 November. Queen Louise of Prussia, stronger and more determined than her husband Frederick William III, proved one of Napoleon's most resolute foes, but at Tilsit she failed in her attempts to plead for more favourable treatment for her country. She famously paraphrased Mary Tudor, saying "If my heart were opened, you would read there the name of Magdeburg."19 October: ". . . I have given the order to the French garrison at Wurzberg and to the foreign troops which are there to go immediately to Erfurt. . . All those in the French convalescent depot [hospital] who are now at Wurtzburg or in the Citadel must also be transferred to Erfurt . . . the Cavalry which is at the same place has orders to go to Beyreuth . . .The only place where the French are to remain in Bavaria will be at Braunau. . . I am also ordering that the 3rd Regiment of Cuirassiers who are now in Italy go to Augsburg where they will join the Grande Armée . . . "The letters are slightly browned and dusty.
Stock Code: AU3411
