NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. Rare and very good historical content L.S.,

NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. Rare and very good historical content L.S.,

Napoleon establishes his Headquarters at Dubrovna, Russia,

and sends orders a few days before the Battle of Smolensk

NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. Rare and very good historical content L.S., `Np´, two pages, 4to, Vitebsk, 12th August 1812, to Prince Major General Berthier, in French. The present letter is written only four days before the battle of Smolensk, the first major battle of the French invasion of Russia, with Napoleon leading his Grande Armée. Napoleon orders to forward urgently his orders to the Duke of Reggio, requesting information regarding `..would make me think that troops of the Wittgenstein´s corps are moving to reach the Nevel..´, further reporting `I will establish my Head Quarters at Dubrovna over the Borysthine, and the army on the right shore of the Borysthine will march towards Smolensk; there is only a garrison of 3000 men…, and we need to protect always this position against the attacks of Wittgenstein´corps.´ Napoleon further insists on the necessity of receiving daily information and expresses his disapproval regarding Marshal Oudinot´s behaviour on this subject, saying `This way of waiting three or four days to write is absolutely the opposite to a good service; that he should have been corresponding with the Duke of Taranto who is at Dunaburg and has assembled the 7th Division..´ The day after Napoleon will leave Vitebsk after having kept his Head Quarters there for two weeks planning what would be his first major victory towards Moscow. Two extremely small pinholes, corresponding to the date response affixed, no longer available, and a light crease to the upper right corner, otherwise VG Louis-Alexandre Berthier (1753-1815) Marshal of France, Prince of Neuchatel and Wagram. Chief of Staff under Napoleon. Nicolas Oudinot (1767-1847) Marshal of France. Duc de Reggio. Oudinot commanded the II Corps of La Grande Armée in the Russian campaign. His corps was instrumental in building the bridge over the Berezina that allowed the evacuation of troops after the defeat at the Battle of Berezina. During this period Oudinot suffered another wounding in battle, having been wounded 34 times in battle, with at least twelve bullets over the course of his military career. Louis Adolph Peter (1769-1843) 1st Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein. German Prince and Field-Marshal in the Imperial Russian Army during the Napoleonic wars. Wittgenstein commanded in 1812 the right wing of the Russian Army in the battles of Polotsk which were crucial deciding the fate of Saint Petersbourg. For this he was given the title of ''Saviour of Saint-Petersburg''. In the 1813 campaign he took command of the Russian army after Kutuzov´s death. Etienne Jacques Macdonald (1765-1840) Marshal of France. Duc de Tarante. In 1812, he commanded the left wing of the Grande Armée for the invasion of Russia.