Tag: Westphalia
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1813-14 letters from Cuirassier Brigadier Pilloy
The following letters are drawn from a voluminous register which also contains copies of the Emperor’s proclamations, accounts of our narrator’s travels and more or less unusual recipes. The author in question is Étienne-Nicolas Pilloy, born in Santeau, canton of Pithiviers (Loiret), a farmer by trade. Here are his service records: 13th Cuirassier Regiment. Entered…
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An Italian, the Grande Armée and the campaign of 1812 …
The Biblioteca Estense in Modena preserves the original copies of a substantial set of letters written by an unsung soldier of the Army of the Kingdom of Italy, Paolo Magelli, born at Pavullo in 1785. These were addressed to his elder brother Giustiniano. In contrast, the correspondence does not contain the letters written by Giustiniano…
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Eyewitness accounts of the campaign in Russia, 1812 (III) …
A letter from Baptiste Massicoir to his father: From Rostenbourg, (this) 20 August 1812. My dear father, This letter is to inform me of the state of your health and that of my brother and sisters. I am doing well. I hope with all my heart that this letter finds you all well. My dear…
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The early stages of the Russian campaign, recounted by an officer …
… On my arrival at Berlin, I received the order to proceed to Warsaw, carrying dispatches to Prince Jérôme; my instructions required me to follow the operations of this army corps until further notice. On the departure of King Jérôme, who was displeased to see himself placed under the command of Marshal Davout, I left…
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Correspondence of a hussar officer, 1807-1809 …
Here we have the correspondence of Second Lieutenant Auguste Des Graviers. He first served in the 11th Infantry Regiment, but later on had himself transferred to the 7th Hussar Regiment. We follow him on his encounters and campaigns from 1807 to 1809 … First a few letter extracts, meant for his mother, Madame Des Graviers,…
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A couple of officer letters, Germany and Austria 1808-1809 …
Army of the Rhine. Letter from C. DESHAMEAUX, Lieutenant of Grenadiers in the 25th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, dated Rauden on 8 November 1808, meant for his father residing in Bayeux. Red military postmark ‘N° 16 GRANDE ARMÉE’. This is interesting because the mark was used at a time when the first Grande Armée (1805-1808) had…
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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…
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A Flemish dragoon’s journey to Russia …
Hanover, 2 July 1812. My dear Father and Mother, Sisters and Brother, I inform you on the state of my health and I hope to hear yours as well. I let you know that on 6 June we departed to join our regiment, although we are unaware where it is located. It could be either…