Description:

Napoleon Bonaparte
Bayonne, France, May 19, 1808
Rare Napoleon ANS, 22 Words in His Hand, Re: Forming New Battalion to Accommodate Westphalian Recruits for Peninsular War - Superb Content!
ANS on PPDS

A 2pp manuscript document in French featuring an autograph note boldly signed and inscribed by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), as "Nap." The surrounding document is dated May 19, 1808 and was written in Bayonne, France near the Spanish border. Napoleon's note is found in the left margin, and consists of approximately 22 words, among which several figures are legible, being "6," "16," "43," and "25," presumably referring to his desired configuration of military companies and men. The document is signed at its conclusion under the name and rank of Louis-Alexandre Berthier (1753-1815), Prince du Neuchâtel, Vice-Constable, and Major-General, but this signature does not exactly match known examples of Berthier's signature. The military document is beautifully secretarially inscribed on laid watermarked paper. Docketed at lower left recto indicating that Napoleon's reply was sent on May 20, 1808. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds. The left edge is reinforced verso and there are minor mounting traces verso, else near fine. 8" x 12.25." Ex-Paul Richards, 1966.

An unsigned Napoleon note of about 40 words in his hand sold last year (2024) in Europe for around $20,000. Napoleon handwritten notes are very rare, and this one demonstrates the same laser-focused (some might even say micro-managerial) attention to details that Napoleon often displayed in all military matters.

Here, Napoleon answers a question posed by one of his most important subordinates, Louis-Alexandre Berthier (1753-1815), Prince du Neuchâtel, Vice-Constable, and Major-General, regarding whether to create a new battalion in the Westphalian Regiment in order to accommodate new recruits arriving daily. Napoleon's reply is inscribed in the left margin, in which he designates how many soldiers and officers should be allocated to each company.

Napoleon had arrived at Bayonne about one month earlier, in mid-April 1808, under the pretext of touring his southern French departments, but really to prepare for his coup of the Spanish throne. Napoleon forced the legitimate Spanish rulers, Ferdinand VII and Charles IV, to abdicate a few weeks earlier, in May 1808, so that he could install his older brother, Joseph Bonaparte, as a puppet ruler. For almost the next decade, Napoleon's generals waged a stalemated war - the Peninsular War (1807-1814) - against Sixth Coalition forces Britain, Spain, and Portugal in the Iberian Peninsula.

The document concerned the Westphalia Regiment, created by Napoleon by decree in December 1806, and subsequently raised by Karl, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (to be elaborated below). In the first few years of its creation, the Westphalia Regiment suffered from a lack of recruitment and many desertions as it made its way through northern Germany, Belgium, northern France, and eventually southwestern France, where it became part of an observation corps overseeing the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. Knowing this, the report of "Germans showing up each day" to enlist might smack of overinflated numbers. Nevertheless, the Westphalia Regiment soon reached a critical mass, enabling it to become the Westphalia Battalion. It was disbanded in 1809 and merged with the Hanoverian Legion.

The document addressed to Napoleon reads in full, with punctuation silent added for better clarity:

"Bayonne, 19 May 1808

Westphalia Regiment

Sire,

The 1st Battalion of the Westphalia Regiment, which belongs to the observation corps on the coasts of the Ocean, just received 320 recruits, subjects of S.M. ["Son Majesté"] the King of Westphalia: these recruits are already dressed, equipped, armed, and provisionally formed in three companies by order of S.A.J. ["Son Altesse (?)"] the Grand Duke of Berg.

The imperial decree that created this regiment dictates that battalions will only be composed of these six strong companies of 117 men each, including non-commissioned officers. In consequence of this development, the prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, colonel of the said regiment, asks if your Majesty wishes to authorize the formation of a new battalion to accommodate the 320 recruits that the battalion will soon gain; it must be observed that this battalion will soon be finished, seeing the large number of Germans that show up each day to serve in this corps.

I have the honor of begging Your Majesty to let me know your intentions as to this request.

The Prince of Neuchâtel,
Vice-Constable, Major-General

Alexandre (?)"

The document refers to several important players of the Napoleonic era, many of whom were interconnected with Napoleon through marriage and ties of personal loyalty. Napoleon relied heavily on family members and trusted friends to help him rule his extensive empire. His siblings, cousins, and in-laws married into the ruling families of territories that he had recently conquered or consolidated. In this way, Napoleon could rule by proxy through the House of Bonaparte in Italy, Naples, Spain, Holland, and Westphalia.

- "le roi de Westphalie," or King of Westphalia, referred to Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860), Napoleon's youngest brother, who served as King of Westphalia, a French client state in present day north-central Germany, between 1807-1813.

- "le Grand Duc de Berg," or Grand Duke of Berg, was an honorary title bestowed on one of Napoleon's most competent generals, Joachim Murat (1767-1815), who was also his brother-in-law (the husband of Napoleon's younger sister Caroline Bonaparte). Murat was the Duke of Berg from 1806 to 1808, abandoning the title in order to become King of Naples.

- "le prince de Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen" referred to Karl, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1785-1853), who moved closer into Napoleon's orbit after his February 1808 marriage to Marie Antoinette Murat, niece of Joachim Murat. This marriage made Karl a hereditary prince of the imperial court.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8" x 12.25"
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