BERTRAND Henri (1773-1844) général, Grand-Maréchal du Palais, fidèle compagnon de Napoléon à Elbeffet Sainte-Hélène

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BERTRAND Henri (1773-1844) général, Grand-Maréchal du Palais, fidèle compagnon de Napoléon à Elbeffet Sainte-Hélène
75 L.A.S. "Bertrand", "Bert" or "B.", April-November 1813, to his wife Fanny BERTRAND; 80 pages in-4 or in-8, mostly with gilt edges, some addresses with countersignature (tabs, small flaws to some letters). Important correspondence during the whole Saxon Campaign. The letters allow to follow the march of the Grand Army: Augsburg, Bamberg, Coburg, Frohbourg, Freyberg, near Görlitz, Jauer, Seichau near Goldsberg, Sprottau, Koenigsbruck, Zaucke, Malmitz, Sagan, Saalow, Feldheim, Wotterdorf near Wittemberg, Schilda, Torgau, Mockerein, Trebiz, Belgern, Smiedberg, Wartenburg, Kemberg, Erfurt, Schurnbach near Eisenach, Aschebach near Fulda, Frankfurt, Hochst, Mainz, Hochheim. Striving to calm his wife with reassuring remarks about the camps, the crews, and the chance encounters of the campaign, Bertrand multiplies questions and instructions on domestic matters, but also gives interesting insights into his command of the 4th Corps of the Grande Armée and his confidence in Napoleon, and quotes in passing many generals and marshals, including Morand, Taviel, Vignolle, Rapp, Duroc, Caulaincourt, Mongenet, Morand, Grouchy, Lauriston, Girardin, Sébastiani, Haxo, Le Marois, Macdonald, Bellair, Durosnel, Arrighi de Casanova, Devaux, Nansouty, Kellermann, etc. We can only give here a quick overview of this correspondence. Bamberg April 20. "The Emperor being on his way out, you were unable to see him and I share the grief you felt"... Coburg April 23. "I dined yesterday at the Prince of Cobourg's, we are having tea tonight at the Duchess'. I went yesterday to see the old Field Marshal Pitt-and-Coburg. The white horses of a military respected in the fights, always interested me a lot "... Frohbourg May 5. His Corps has become the 4th Corps, and the Württemberg division joined it yesterday; he finds it well disposed, and the King of Württemberg "has character, and communicates his impulse"... Freiberg May 8. "We are marching on Dresden, where we will be this evening; I do not know if the enemy will want to defend this capital"... Jauer June 2. He was ordered yesterday to come to an agreement with the enemy general to suspend hostilities during the negotiations for an armistice... Sprottau June 10. "I sent you yesterday that I had received a good letter from the Emperor. I do not believe that I have ever received such a flattering letter in many respects, it compensates me for some pains that I have experienced"... Sprottau June 16. They received the Bulletins of the battle [of Leipzig]: "The battle was perfectly rendered with clarity and precision and it is a very beautiful bulletin which made me a real pleasure"... June 20. "The Emperor is in Dresden. I am here at 50 leagues and I will surely not go for the whole armistice. Gal Guilleminot has replaced Gal Lorencez who is doing well. I do not believe that Gal Gruyer is a gift gal but he will have commanded for a while"... July 6. Account of a hunting trip by Marmont, Duke of Ragusa... July 22. He leaves to make maneuvers. "I have several regiments at this distance, thus I am obliged to run errands which make me get up in the morning and excite terribly as you say the activity of gal Delort. He is doing well. I am always very happy to be with him, he is a witty man, upright and capable, and the singularity of his mind often makes him very piquant "... July 24. "It is said here that the duke of Otranto [Fouché] is governor in Illyria and the gal Fresia superior commander of the troops"... Malmitz August 7. Explanations about the different circumstances that allow Mme de Lobau to see her husband, while Fanny cannot come to hers... Sprottau August 10. "The newspaper announces the death of the Duke of Abrantès [Junot], what a deplorable end for a military man who had fought all his life... [Mid-August]. "We are moving today, it is probable that hostilities will start again. If Austria gets involved, it will be a serious matter, the Emperor's genius will unravel it. Arm yourself with courage"... Camp of Feldheim August 31. "The weather is superb and we are fighting. Our troops are in the best dispositions. We know of the last victory of the Emperor near Meissen [in Dresden]. Wherever he is, there are always brilliant successes"... Schilda September 8. "Here we are near the Emperor, that is to say, in my opinion, near victory"... Torgau September 8. "We had a not very happy affair [Pirna], where the 4th corps suffered - but it behaved very well. Besides, I cannot say that I commanded my corps in this affair. We are doing well except for poor Cailleux who received a wound in the head that I believe is fatal. Gal Delort's aide-de-camp also had a leg amputated."... September 14. "M. de Narbonne has just arrived as governor of Torgau, I had not seen him since Illyria. I write to you from the Pce de la Moskowa [Ney] who charges me with the
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