Tag: Leon
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The experiences of Dragoon Auguste de Maupas in Spain and Portugal, 1808-1812 (I)
Born on 5 September 1786 in Laon, Aisne, into a noble family originally from Berry, Auguste-Marie was the son of Jérôme Clément Agard, the Marquis of Maupas, and Marie-Madeleine de La Fons d’Happencourt. He married Geneviève-Stéphanie-Félicité-Cécile de Martiny on 2 January 1821. Maupas entered the École Militaire of Fontainebleau on 17 February 1805, and was…
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The Military Life of Bruno d’Ast … (I)
Dominique-Louis-Guillaume-Bruno d’Ast was born on 9 August 1790, in Brignemont. (1) He was the eldest son of Mr. Guillaume d’Ast and Madame Marie-Germaine-Sophie de Pérignon. (2) His godfather was Dominique Catherine de Pérignon, his uncle, an officer in the royal grenadiers in the Quercy Regiment, the future victor of Rosas and Figueras, ambassador of the…
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The battle of Fuentes de Oñoro, recounted by a staff officer …
Here follows an excerpt from Emmanuel-Frédéric Sprünglin’s (1773-1844) exceptional memoirs, which he wrote based on his detailed journal he kept during his service in the Peninsular War. On 3 October 1810, our Swiss-born officer was appointed deputy (adjoint) battalion commander in the general staff of the Army of Portugal. When the decision was made for…
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Correspondence of grognard Jean-Henry Rattier (III) …
Puente la Reina, 13 November 1810. The regiments of our division are gathering at this moment to move from Navarre to Castile. Our (supply) wagons leave at noon for Pamplona, in order to follow the main road to Vitoria, as well as the artillery. The troops will travel via the secondary roads; the main roads…
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A selection of Peninsular War letters of the rank and file …
Stamp: (illegible number), FRENCH ARMY IN SPAIN. Mister Even, mayor of Beaufort, Department of Forests, Canton of Echternach, arrondissement of Bitbourg, via Paris. (Medina de) Rioseco, 24 August (1811). Dear father, Your long silence would certainly cause me to have doubts; only the filial love you have always fostered in me makes me think that…