Bidspirit auction | DAVOUT LOUIS-NICOLAS: (1770-1823) Signed just

DAVOUT LOUIS-NICOLAS: (1770-1823) Signed just over five weeks before the Battle of Waterloo - DAVOUT LOUIS-NICOLAS: (1770-1823) 1st Prince of Eckmühl, 1st Duke of Auerstaedt. French military commander and Marshal of the Empire who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars and is considered one of Napoleon´s finest commanders. L.S., Pr. d´Eckmühl , one page, folio, Paris, 10th May 1815, to Clapier, on the printed stationery of the Ministère de la Guerre, in French. Davout informs his correspondent that he has appointed him to fulfil the duties of his rank in the 11th Military Division, and continues ´Je vous adresse ci-joint vos nouvelles lettres de service. Aussitôt qu´elle vous seront parvenues, vous vous présenterez à M. le Lieut. général Cte. Clausel, gouverneut de la 11e division qui vous fera reconnaître en votre qualité de Commissaire ordonnateur de cette division par tout ce qui est soumis à ses ordres´ (Translation: ´I have enclosed your new letters of appointment. As soon as you have received them, you are to report to Lieutenant-General Count Clausel, Governor of the 11th Division, who will ensure that you are recognised in your capacity as Paymaster of that division by all those under his command´ ), further instructing ´Vous vous concerterez ensuite avec M. l´ordonnateur Dintroux, qui vous remplacera au 8e corps d´observation pour lui remettre tout ce qui est relatif au service de ce corps d´armée et pour recevoir de lui les titres et renseignements qui appartiennent à l´administration dont je vous ai confié la direction´ (Translation: ´You shall then consult with Mr Dintroux, the Paymaster, who is to replace you in the 8th Observation Corps, in order to hand over to him all matters relating to the service of that army corps and to receive from him the documents and information pertaining to the administration of which I have entrusted you with the management´ ). With blank integral leaf (minor traces of former mounting to the corners of the verso). VG On his return to Paris on 20 March 1815, Napoleon appointed Davout as Minister of War, a post which the Prince of Eckmühl initially refused before yielding to the Emperor’s insistence. Despite the scale of the difficulties and the limited resources, Davout succeeded in re-equipping the army in record time.