LANNES JEAN: (1769-1809) Marshal of France. Duc de Montebello. One of Napoleon's most daring and talented generals ...

LANNES JEAN: (1769-1809) Marshal of France. Duc de Montebello. One of Napoleon's most daring and talented generals and personal friend of the Emperor. A Rare letter of historical content, L.S., `Lannes´, two pages, 4to, Tudela, 25th November 1808, to his wife Louise Guéhenneuc, in French. Lannes is exultant and lengthy reports on his victory at the Battle of Tudela in Spain two days earlier, stating in part `I had written to you from Burgos that I intended to remain close to the Emperor, but I received the order on that same day to take the command of the army corps under Marshal Moncey and the division under General Lagrange. I marched to Logrono in order to attack the enemy who was here, fifty thousand men commanded by Catagnos. He was in a dreadful position, and has been tumbled from all flancs by six thousand men. Judge the valor of that scoundrel. I hope all will be under control before four days. We have chased them everywhere. He has not a single cannon now, we have taken all his artillery and made till now six thousand prisoners. There you have his formidable armies fully destroyed.´, Lannes further refers to his wife´s brother who is his aide-de-camp, stating `Louis had a horse killed under him and got his teeth hit, nothing important.. I am a bit tired, and intend to leave in two days to return alongside His Majesty. General Lagrange had his arm shot through, he is here with me, but nothing broken, it will be fine in a month time. Please tell Madame Lagrange to be calm, she will meet her husband in a month, he is departing to France. And you too, be secure, we will not have troubles, there is no more enemy, no army.´, and Lannes concludes with an unusual remark saying `The Battle of Tudela is the finest one we have ever had´. Further again referring to his wife´s health, to the difficulties of sending letters when he is far from the Emperor head-quarters, and asking for detailed information on his children. Lannes also asks his wife to forward his best regards to Corvisart `..tell him that I won´t forget his advice about the English..´ A letter of excellent content. With address leaf, postmarked. Small area of paper loss to the address leaf as a result of the letter opening, not affecting the text. Overall minor age wear, creasing and small tear to the bottom edge, only affecting partially the flourish of the signature. Together with A.L.S., signed by Joseph-César Saint-Mars, aide-de-camp to Marshal Lannes, one page, 4to, [Head Quarters at Aranda del Duero], 26th November [1808], to Lannes´ wife, Louise Guéhenneuc, in French. Saint-Mars reports on similar topics, the Battle of Tudela, about his correspondent´s brother Louis, and states in part `Marshal Lannes is keeping well and should not take long to return to the Emperor Head-Quarters where I have been ordered to return to announce this victory..´ G, 2 The Battle of Tudela, near Navarre, in Spain, took place on 23rd November 1808. French army led by Marshal Lannes attacked a Spanish army leaded by General Castanos. It resulted in a full victory of Napoleon´s forces. Louise Antoinette de Guéhéneuc (1782-1856) Duchess of Montebello. Second wife of Marshal Lannes. Louise was a French ''dame d´honneur'', being the Mistrss of the Robes to Empress Marie Louise of France. Bon Adrien Jeannot de Moncey (1754-1842) Marshal of France, Duc de Conegliano. A prominent soldier in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. Joseph Lagrange (1763-1836) French General and Count. A distinguished officer who fought at the Peninsula wars, Battle of Dresden, Leipzig, among many others. Charles-Louis Guéhéneuc (1783-1849) Frenc. Lannes´ brother-in law and his aide de camp since 1805. In 1809, and after Lannes´ death, he became aide-de-camp to the Emperor Napoleon I. Francisco Javier Castaños (1758-1852) Spanish General and Politician. One of the most important Spanish military officers during the Napoleonic Wars. He also served as the first President of the Senate of Spain in 1834. Appointed by the Spanish Queen Duke of Bailen for his heroic actions in the Battle of Bailen, the first defeat of the Napoleonic armies at open field which caused the flight of Spain of King Joseph Bonaparte. Jean Nicolas Corvisart-Desmarets (1755-1821) French Physician. In 1804 Corvisart became the primary physician of Napoleon Bonaparte, attending him until Bonaparte´s exile to St. Helena in 1815.