Officer Boudousquie (18th Line) on the road to Russia, 1812 (I) …

Pierre-Alain Boudousquie was born on 9 May 1791 at Cahors, where his father was a director of messengers. Before entering the Ecole Militaire, he had to complete a solid education, as can be deduced from this extract from one of his letters, written in August 1807 (he was then sixteen):

‘I was awarded four first prizes, one for rhetoric, another for Greek, the third for German and the fourth for drawing and mapping. I also scored five first prizes for mathematics, philosophy and the various faculties of rhetoric. I don’t have to hide from you now that I have studied a bit of English and that I have a knowledge of it which could serve me well in the future … I have designed a large map of the world, for which I have been highly praised by several illustrators and ladies … ’

Then follows the classic request for money from a schoolboy. However, he adds:

‘I also bought, more than a month ago, some books on philosophy which were indispensable for our course and our thesis, and these volumes were quite considerable; Condillac, etc.’

And finally: ‘I took five louis for the journey I’m about to embark on … ‘

On leaving the Ecole Militaire, the young Pierre-Alain, who had just turned nineteen, joined the 18th Line Regiment as a second lieutenant. He was sent to Holland, from where he regularly wrote to his family in lively, well-documented letters, written in a spirited style. This correspondence allows us to follow him on his travels through Germany, Poland and finally Russia where he was wounded and taken prisoner.

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Between November 1797 and December 1810, Germany was subjected to six major restructurings, divisions, regroupings and annexations. Armies, leaving ruin and plunder in its wake, crossed the regions in all directions. The populations suffered enormous war contributions; but more than that, they felt the humiliation of being reduced to the level of commodities that were negotiable, moved or appropriated according to the fortune of arms. It is not surprising that Marshal Davout, commander-in-chief of the Army of Germany, and King Jerome pointed out, in December 1811, the threatening state of mind of the German people. Napoleon was wrong not to give credence to these opinions.

It is at this period in time that Second Lieutenant Boudousquie enters Germany along with the Grande Armée.

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20 February 1812.

Do not be surprised, my dear Father, if I do not know the name of the place from which I am writing to you: I assure you that I myself do not know where I am. I have no desire to ask for the name, and if I did, you would not know much more.

All I can tell you of my stay is that after running up and down hills, through back roads and knee-deep in mud for a good part of the day, we (the battalion of the regiment) arrived in a town perfectly similar to Catus (a French commune in the west of the department of Lot, in the Occitania region), which was designated for our billet. But as it could only contain 70 to 80 men, we were almost all detached and, for my part, I was sent with 50 grenadiers to a small hamlet of said town, which I could compare to the five or six houses that one finds on the right hand side before arriving at Catus, when one has left the main road.

The soldiers of my detachment are still lodged a quarter of a league and half a league from my accommodation. You probably think I am unhappy, but I am not. By chance I was lodged with a plump German who, on my arrival, overwhelmed me with glasses and bottles of all sizes. He got me drunk, but I returned the favour, and here he is, snoring in an armchair, after a wild banter. It is after this scene that I am writing to you, so you should not be surprised if my letter indicates a somewhat cheerful mood …

The journey did me a lot of good; I am now perfectly well. However, I repeat to you, because you seem not to have added faith to it, that I suffered in Holland all that it is possible to endure. The air here is very pure and the waters healthy. The people who told you that it was a very beautiful country have not made the proper impression on you. I have never encountered a region that is more fertile and of such a picturesque aspect, and so diverse.

The amiability of its inhabitants contrasts perfectly with the inhospitality of the Dutch, and although this region does not have the appearance of wealth and ease which still prevails in Holland, I would prefer it a thousand times over. It seems that our compatriot Murat was rather loved there, several people spoke to me about it with pleasure.

We arrived on the 14th at Düsseldorf; we departed this morning to make room for the 4th Line Regiment. We are still waiting for a regiment of Croats and a regiment of Portuguese which must join the division with us and the 93rd. These regiments will arrive shortly and we expect to leave in the first days of March.

The general who commands the division is named Razout, and our general of brigade is Compère ; thus I will not have the advantage of serving under the orders of Mr. Ambert, which I would have preferred. You speak to me a lot about it: I do not know if it would not have been part of your plans to have me as his aide-de-camp. If that is the case, I will tell you frankly, but between us, that for my advancement and for my pleasure, I do not care at all about being aide-de-camp to a general of brigade, and especially (I can say this between us) to a disgraced general of brigade. I would remain ten years in the same rank …

We are part of the army corps of Marshal Ney and not of Marshal Oudinot, as we were initially. I wanted to write to Mr. Carayon to request him to keep the promise he made me to recommend me to this marshal, but, having thought about it, I believe I will not do so …

I have convinced myself that promotion is often only the result of the whims of chance, especially in the field: an officer who has the misfortune to be wounded and to remain in a hospital has the inconvenience of seeing himself frustrated by the promotion which is legitimately due to him by his seniority. Why is this? Because he is absent and men must be present. A thousand similar peculiarities prove that the man who makes the most progress (advancement) in the campaign is the one who has the most happiness and not the most deserving, not even the most courageous.

With the Marshal’s patronage, I may not be able to obtain any promotion, just as it is also possible that I may be able to obtain advancement without any patronage (at all). Therefore, if I am lucky, so much the better for me, I will not complain about fate. And if I am put off by fortune, I will console myself with Figaro (character created by French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais), assuming that only fools succeed. What is certain is that I will embark on the campaign full of ardour and zeal, and that I am satisfied when I think that I will acquire titles of esteem and consideration.

Write to me: Mr. B., Officer in the 1st Battalion of the 18th Line Regiment, General Razout’s Division, Marshal Ney’s Army Corps, Duchy of Berg.

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At Hesse-Cassel, Westphalia (sic), 6 March 1812.

We have been on the road for eight days, my dear mother, and we left in such haste that I did not have time to tell you.

We have orders to proceed to Leipzig, where we will undoubtedly find Marshal Ney who is to command us, and where we will receive a new destination. Do not be troubled about my health; I am perfectly well and the road, instead of incommoding me, has done me good, although I am still travelling on foot.

Thank God, we have reached the fine season and I am travelling with great pleasure.

Farewell, my dear mother, I am in a hurry. I am writing to you only to inform you of my tidings and to announce our departure. Write to me at Leipzig …

To be continued …

Source : Correspondance du Lieutenant Boudousquie, in De Cahors à la Moskowa, Imprimerie Maugein et Cie, 1974, pp. 35-37.