Description:

Bonaparte Napoleon



Napoleonic War General who Once Fled France after Murderous Duel Announces his Return to Paris

 

1p DS in French signed by Charles Pierre Francois Augereau (1757-1816), then Commander of the Gallo-Batavian Army, as "Augereau" at bottom right. Adorned with several looping flourishes. With "Liberte / Egalite / Armee Gallo-Batave" letterhead, partly printed and partly handwritten. Featuring an unusual figural representation of a Roman soldier brandishing an arrow at top center. The watermarked cream bifold paper has a few chipped and darkened edges, else very good to near fine. The handwriting is bold and dark. Each page measures 8.5" x 9.875".

 

General Augereau, then stationed in Wurzburg in northern Bavaria, announced his imminent departure for  Paris, some 650 km to the west. Issued from his Headquarters on February 10th, or "22 pluviose," according to the newfangled Republican calendar. The year is unspecified, but can be narrowed down to either 1800 or 1801. This is because the Gallo-Batavian Army was formed under this name in November 1800, and officially disbanded in October 1801.

 

Translated in part:

 

"I inform you, Citizen Commissioner [in this case, Chief Financial Officer], that I leave for paris [sic]; during my momentary absence, I am not appointing anyone in charge of the army, you will address my Chief of Staff major General for all things relating to service, I left him detailed instructions and ordered him to keep me precisely informed so that I can make decisions when necessary.

 

I salute you,

Augereau."

 

Charles Pierre Francois Augereau was a career soldier with a deliciously checkered personal history. An expert swordsman, he fled France after killing an officer in a duel. He wandered as a soldier-for-hire throughout Europe for more than 10 years, serving as a mercenary in the Russian and Prussian armies, and even teaching fencing in Saxony. Augereau returned to France in the early 1780s and joined the Revolutionary army. He served in Spain, Italy, and Germany. Napoleon appointed him a Marshal in 1804.

 

The Armee Gallo-Batave was an iteration of the Armee du Nord [Army of the North]; this French Revolutionary army was originally formed in 1791.

 

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