France Napoleonic Documents

[eitze]

Hello Barry,

thank you for the transcription of the letters !

It`s always a pleasure to read your postings

greetings

eitze

[joe campbell]

the journal entry method and the writing style

make this most interesting to read!

thank you, barry!

joe

[Bear]

Thanks

The last mention of Custine in the journal is July 16, 1793. I don't know the date of his recall to Paris.

I believe Baussancourt was put on trial but released.

Both men served under Rochambeau during the American Revolution.

Wike Bio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Custine

Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine (February 4, 1740 ? August 28, 1793), was a French general. Born in Metz, he began his military career as a captain in the Seven Years' War, where he learned to admire the modern military organisation of Prussia.

He next served with distinction against the British as a colonel in expeditionary force of the comte de Rochambeau in the War of American Independence. On his return to France he was named mar?chal de camp (brigadier general) and appointed governor of Toulon. In 1789 he was elected to the states-general by the bailliage of Metz. In October 1791 he again joined the army, with the rank of lieutenant-general and became popular with the soldiers, amongst whom he was known as g?n?ral moustache. General-in-chief of the army of the Vosges, he took Speyer, Worms, Mainz and Frankfurt in September and October 1792.

He carried on the revolutionary propaganda by proclamations, and levied heavy taxes on the nobility and clergy. During the winter a Prussian army forced him to evacuate Frankfurt, re-cross the Rhine and fall back upon Landau. He was accused of treason, defended by Robespierre, and sent back to the army of the north. But he dared not take the offensive, and did nothing to save Cond?, which the Austrians were besieging. Sent to Paris to justify himself, he was found guilty by the Revolutionary Tribunal of having intrigued with the enemies of the Republic, and guillotined on 28 August 1793.

His son was guillotined for attempting to defend him, and his daughter-in-law nearly shared the same fate, but survived, as did his grandson, Astolphe-Louis-L?onor, marquis de Custine

[Bear]

Here is an entry dated the 19th of July 1793. Custine would be replaced by the Irish born Kilmaine. Within 40 days Custine's head would be in a Basket.

[Ulsterman]

Good stuff!

Have some of our French members been able to help? My goat-French is not up to par, but the hand-writing is very clear.

It is a wonderful story-worthy of an article and shows how Napoleon was able to come to power so swiftly.

Formal executions of hapless Generals like this paved the way for someone to restore civil authority.

[Bear]

Hello,

This one showed up today. Thanks to Jerome I got it translated. The document is not that exciting except for the fact that it is signed by Napoleon and Drouot.

thanks,

barry

"Report to Sa Majest? l'Empereur

Porto Ferragio, 23 June 1814.

Sire,

I have to honour of submitting Your Majesty a report from the Capitaine d'Habillement relating to the establishments to set up for the stores.

I have the honour of praying Your Majesty to authorize the requested expenses.

Gal.Drouot"

[Bear]

General Antoine Drouot

(1774-1847)

Artillery Officer

Battles

Fluerus

Hohenlinden

Wagram

Borodino

Lutzen

Bautzen

Leipzig

Hanau

La Rothiere

Vauchamps

Craonne

Laon

Waterloo

[Bear]

Napoleon

[Bear]

They would soon be at Waterloo.

[Guest Rick Research]

One wonders what supplies the newly arrived Emperor of Elba was signing for... :rolleyes:

[Bear]

Size 6 Mud Proof Boots

Drouot asked Napoleon to wait until the mud dries at Waterloo before attacking.

http://www.answers.com/topic/waterloo-film

Napoleon is in a happy mood compared to the night before but now the commander of artillery(Drouot) brings bad news. The rains of the previous night have made it impossible to manoeuvre the French guns. The battle must be delayed until the ground dries. Napoleon, who agrees with Ney that they had fought with muddy boots previously, alone among his generals realises that each delay brings the Prussians closer. He is annoyed and leaves his breakfast to look at the battlefield.

Waterloo Movie 1970 - Napoleon gets stuck in the mud

[ColinRF]

Here is the text of Napoleon's decree sent with this letter:

20/06/1805 D?cret sur l'organisation de la Garde royale

TITRE I : Dispositions g?n?rales

Article I : la Garde royale sera compos?e de :

1 corps de Gardes d'Honneur

1 corps de V?lites

1 corps de Garde de ligne.

TITRE II : Des Gardes d'Honneurs

Article 2 : il sera form? dans notre Royaume d'Italie, 4 compagnies de Gardes d'Honneur qui porteront les noms suivants :

- 1?re Cie de Milan

- 2?me Cie de Bologne

- 3?mc Cie de Brescia

- 4?me Cie de la Romagne

Article 3 : chaque compagnie sera compos?e de 100 hom?es dont 60 ? cheval et 40 ? pied.

Article 4 : ces compagnies seront form?es des fr?res,fils, pefit-fils, neveux et petit-neveux et cousins des membres des trois coll?ges et des jeunes gens de la conscription,fils ou neveux des plus impos?s des d?partements.

Article 5 : La compagnie de Milan sera compos?e des jeunes gens des d?partements de l'OLONA,de l'AGOGNA,du LARIO et de l'ADDA. La compagnie de Bologne sera compos?e des jeunes gens des d?partements du RENO, du CROSTOLO, du PANARO et du MINCIO. La compagnie de Brescia sera farm?e des jeunes gens des d?partements du SERIO, de l'ALTO PO, de la MELLA et de l'ADIGE. La conpagnie de la Romagne des jeunes gens des d?partements du RUBICONE et du BASSO PO.

Article 6 : Jusqu'? ce ces compagnies soient au complet,aucun fr?re,fils, petit-fils,neveu, petit-neveu ou cousin des membres des trois coll?ges ou fils ou neveu des plus impos?s des d?partements qui les uns ou les autres se trouveraient de la conscription ne seront admis ? se faire remplacer.

Article 7 : Ces compagnies feront le service aupr?s de la personne du Roi.

Article 8 : Deux ans de service dans ces compagnies donneront le grade de sous-lieutenant.

Article 9 : Tous ceux qui y seront admis devront avoir un revenu de 1200 livres de Milan ou de leurs biens propres ou en une pension assur?e par leurs parents, tous les trimestres ? la caisse de la compagnie et seront sold?s aux gardes tous les mois ? raison de 100 livres par mois.

Article 10 : Il sera fourni aux gardes ? cheval, un cheval harnach? et des rations pour la nourriture du cheval. Les hommes tant ? pied qu'? cheval recevront pour la nourriture et les v?tements un pr?t de 30 livres par mois. L'armement et les casernements seront fournis par les magasins royaux.

TITRE III : Des V?lites Royaux

Article 11 : Il sera form? 12 compagnies de Gardes V?lites composant 3 bataillons de 4 compagnies.

Article 12 : Les bataillons de V?lites royaux feront le service aupr?s de la personne du Roi; pendant la paix ils seront employ?s ? la garde des palais et pendant la guerre ? la d?fense de sa personne.

Article 13 : Chaque d?partement fournira une compagnie ? l'exception du CROSTOLO qui sera ? cet effet r?uni au PANARO et de l'ADDA qui sera reuni au LARIO.

Article 14 : Les compagnies de l'OLONA, de l'AGOGNA, du LARIO et de l'ALTO PO formeront le Premier Bataillon,les conpagnies du PANARO, du BASSO PO, du RENO et du RUBICONE le Deuxi?me Bataillon; les compagnies du SERIO, de la MELLA, de l'ADIGE et du MINCIO le Troisi?me Bataillon.

Article 15 : Chaque compgnie sera compos?e de 100 hommes dont 3 officiers, 4 sergents et 8 caporaux.

Article 16 : Les masses de boulangerie, d'habillemcnt, de chauffage et autres seront les m?mes que celles de la Garde royale de ligne ? pied. La solde sera de 10 sols de Milan par jour.

Article 17 : Les parents de chaque V?lite leur assureront annuellement une somme de 200 livres de Milan qui sera vers?e dans les caisse du corp. Cette somme sera distribu?e aux v?lites par portions de 5 jours en 5 jours en forme de suppl?ment de pr?t.

Article 18 : Le remplacement pour la conscription ne sera permis dnas les d?partements que lorsque les compagnies de V?lites de ces d?partements seront compl?tes.

Article 19 : Apr?s deux ans de service les V?lites royaux auront le rang de sergent, ils en porteront la distinction et pourront entrer dans

ce grade dans les troupes de la ligne.

TITRE VI : Des Gardes de la Ligne

Article 20 : Les Gardes de la Ligne seront compos?es de :

- un escadron de 4 compagnies de dragons. Chaque compagnie sera de 100 hommes dont 60 ? cheval et 40 ? pied. Le corps sera command? par un colonel.

- un r?giment d'infanterie de 2 bataillons, le premier de 5 compagnies de grenadiers et le deuxi?me de 5 compagnies de chasseurs. Chaque compagnie sera de 100 hommes.

- une compagnie d'artillerie l?g?re. Cette compagnie sera de 64 hommes.

Les Gardes de la ligne n'auront qu'un seul Conseil d'administration.

Article 21 : Tous les individus existants dans la Garde royale actuelle y conserveront leur grade et leur droit.

Article 22 : Le corps de la Garde de la ligne sera d?sormais recrut? parmi les hommes des corps de la Ligne qui auront 5 ans de service et qui se seront distingu?s par leur tenue, leur conduite et leur bravoure

Article 23 : Exc?cution...

29/06/1805 D?cret sur les uniformes de la Garde Royale d'Italie

Art 1 : Gardes d'honneur

- Milan : habit ? la fran?aise rouge ? revers, col, parements et retroussis gros bleu.

Boutonni?res en argent. Aiguilettes et tr?fles en argent.

Culotte et veste blanches.

Sabre de dragon et bottes ? la cavali?re.

Chapeau bord? en argent.

Mousqueton et giberne ? fourniment en galon argent.

Selle de veau laqu? blanc, housse et chaperons gros bleu ? galon argent.

- Brescia : bleu ? distinctive cramoisie. Housse et chaperons cramoisis et galon argent.

- Bologne : blanc ? distinctive gros bleu. Housse et chaperons gros bleu ? galon argent.

- Romagnes : vert ? distinctive ?carlate. Housse et chaperons ?carlates ? galon argent.

Art 2 : V?lites royaux

Habit blanc avec col et revers verts. Epaulettes rouges. Bonnet de grenadiers.

Fourniment complet.

Culotte et veste blanches.

Gu?tres noires.

[Bear]

..........the Brothers Berthier.

My name is Leopold and this is my brother Louis & my other brother Louis.

Marshal Louis Alexandre Berthier

(1753-1815)

General Louis Cesar dit de Berluy Berthier

(1765-1818)

General Victor Leopold Berthier

(1770-1807)

[Bear]

Marshal Louis Alexandre Berthier

(1753-1815)

He would serve throughout the Napoleonic Wars until his death in 1815.

[Bear]

Document while in Cairo 1798.

[Bear]

General Louis Cesar dit de Berluy Berthier

(1765-1818)

Edited April 7, 2009 by Bear

[Bear]

General Victor Leopold Berthier

(1770-1807)

He would die of an illness in Paris.

Wiki Photo

[Bear]

Army of Hanover

[Bear]

General Lasalle would have an affair with Leopold's wife. Leopold would divorce her and she would marry Lasalle. Lasalle would treat Leopold's children as if they were his own.

Memoirs of Baron Marbot

Just as he(Lasalle) was on the point of marrying the lady to whom I have referred, Napoleon had given him 200,000 francs out of his privy purse. A week later, meeting him at the Tuileries, the Emperor asked, 'When is the wedding?' 'As soon as I have got some money to furnish with, sir.' 'Why, I gave you 200,000 francs last week! What have you done with them?' 'Paid my debts with half, and lost the other half at cards.' Such an admission would have ruined any other general. The Emperor laughed, and, merely giving a sharp tug to Lasalle's moustache, ordered Duroc to give him another 200,000.

Lasalle would meet his end with a bullet to the head at Wagram in 1809.

[Chris Boonzaier]

My name is Leopold and this is my brother Louis & my other brother Louis.

:-)

I loved that show :-)))

[Bear]

That show(Bob Newhart) was the first thing that came to mind. :D

[Bear]

Just added Cesar Berthier document - post #4

[Paul R]

General Lasalle would have an affair with Leopold's wife. Leopold would divorce her and she would marry Lasalle. Lasalle would treat Leopold's children as if they were his own.

Memoirs of Baron Marbot

Just as he(Lasalle) was on the point of marrying the lady to whom I have referred, Napoleon had given him 200,000 francs out of his privy purse. A week later, meeting him at the Tuileries, the Emperor asked, 'When is the wedding?' 'As soon as I have got some money to furnish with, sir.' 'Why, I gave you 200,000 francs last week! What have you done with them?' 'Paid my debts with half, and lost the other half at cards.' Such an admission would have ruined any other general. The Emperor laughed, and, merely giving a sharp tug to Lasalle's moustache, ordered Duroc to give him another 200,000.

Lasalle would meet his end with a bullet to the head at Wagram in 1809.

Strange how what comes around goes around! (Cheating with another General's wife).

Thanks for posting this very interesting topic. They all died relatively young!

[Bear]

The amount of fighting during this period is staggering.

I'm still looking for a picture of Cesar Berthier, so if some one knows where one is please post it.

thanks,

barry

[Bison]

About General Lassalle, who was one of the most extraordinary and eccentric character of the period :

He said in 1800 (he was 25) : "any hussar who is not dead at 30 is a 'Jean-Foutre' (we could translate '######ing bastard' sorry)". He died at 34.

In his last letter to his wife he wrote : "My heart is for you, my blood for the Emperor, my life for Honour".