LARREY, Dominique Jean, Baron (1766-1842). Surgeon-in-Chief to the Grande Armée.
"GOD GRANT THAT THIS CAMPAIGN BE LESS PAINFUL . . ."
Autograph Letter Signed ("B[a]ron D.J. Larrey") to his wife Laville, written when embarking on the Russian campaign, giving her details of the hardships he encountered, offering warm praise of his beloved horse and recalling the battle fought at Heilsberg exactly five years earlier, and some of those who fell there.
3 pages 4to in French on writing paper with the arms of the Imperial Guard, Heilsberg, 10 June 1812.
On 10 June 1807, the French and Russian armies met at Heilsberg in an encounter which resulted in nearly 20,000 men killed. Exactly five years later, Baron Larrey recollected the events of that day while passing through the town. Within three months, the French army would meet the Russians at Borodino.
Trans: "I have just arrived in this small town, memorable for me for many reasons . . . I have not ceased to suffer, partly from privations and partly from a serious case of ophthalmia . . . I was careless enough . . . to have my hair cut before my departure. That and the sharp cold . . . produced this illness. . . I will bleed myself slightly at the temples and tomorrow morning I will take an emetic
. . . before my departure, the Emperor ordered me to proceed immediately with two ambulances . . . This precipitous departure deprived me of my baggage wagon which was left behind . . . I left with my second servant, a very good lad who is devoted to me. We marched all night and day and we only stopped to let our horses graze or to let them eat when we found some forrage which happened very seldom. My poor Coco endures this fatigue well, he is a precious horse - he obeys my commands he listens to everything I say - for example when I wish to sleep I tell him and immediately he is still and I sleep for a quarter of an hour on this animal . . .
When entering this town I stopped for a moment to recollect the site of the battle which took place here five years ago today, that is where I thought of the unfortunate General Roussel who died under my care - young Juville who was wounded by his side and not far from me, General Jeannin grievously wounded in the face - the nephew of M. de Segur and so many others. . . I also saw when passing through Ostende the house where I stayed after the Battle of Eylau . . . I was without provisions, they hastened to find me some in spite of the great penury in that city as everywhere else. It is true that they had good reason to remember me as I had protected them from pillage and fire. They mourned the death of my student Frézac whom they also loved greatly. . . God grant that this campaign be less painful and as short. . ."
Larrey was appointed Surgeon-in-Chief to the Grande Armée in March 1812, having already proved his personal bravery and his devotion to the wounded, of whatever nationality. Perhaps his most notable achievement was the introduction of field ambulances which saved a great many lives.
Although Larrey refers here only to the nephew of M. de Segur, General de Segur himself - author of the history of the Russian campaign - had been taken prisoner by the Russians in 1807, and was only released after the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit.
From the Crawford collection.
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