£360 - £500
BATTLE OF VITEBSK, ETC. - OFFICER'S ACCOUNT SENT BY MILITARY ESTAFETTE TO PARIS; 29 July 1812 EL from "Witepsk" by Captain (later Maréchal) de Castellane (1788-1862) to his mother in Paris and redirected to Arches charged "6" with a long letter initially sent by the French Army's express estafette system from Russia to Paris. The contents include; "...I left to join the Emperor 7 leagues from here on the road to Smolensk...the Russians are retreating... There were 3 battles on the 25th, one of very lively cavalry, the King of Naples at the head; we took 8 cannons on the 26th from the Army of Italy... one on the 27th where the emperor was, the battle was very lively, but few troops were engaged. On the 28th we entered Witepsk, yesterday morning the Cossacks were still at the gate of the city. I went to recconoitre them and then accompanied General de Caulaincourt who pursued them. On the 27th I brought back and rallied the pursuers from the 16th and 8th Hussars... these are two excellent regiments that have worked wonders all these days, and took the 8 cannons on the 25th with the 9th Lancers of Colonel Gotrecht (former major of my regiment) who had 3 horses killed and a bayonet wound in the hand... an aide-de-camp of the king of Naples and I brought them back to their brigade...". Fine Campaign letter from occupied Russia. Cross Reference: RUSSIA, FRANCE
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