£360 - £500
THE RETREAT STARTED GATHERS PACE - FRENCH OFFICER'S LETTER EX "MOZAISK" TO ROUEN BY WESTPHALIAN COURIER; 26 Oct. 1812 EL (lightly toned reverse; full typed transcription & translation) from a French Officer (Trousset; probably a "Dispersing Agent" in the Imperial Quarters) in "Mozaisk" to his wife in Rouen unusually routed via Westphalia charged "6" and "15" with a recognisable "Qtier. Gal. ARMEE/WESTPHALIENNE" on the front beside a very fine "NEUKIRCHEN(PAR)." transit mark. Sent from the Occupation Army at Mozhaysk just as it was about to join the Moscow troops on their retreat. The contents include; "I am once again taking advantage, my dear Melanie, of a Westphalian courier to give you my news. This letter will be the last from Mozaisk. The army is on the move, and we are waiting every minute for the order to leave. It is to be assumed that the army will take up its winter quarters in Lithuania, that is to say, 190 leagues closer to France.... It has been more than a month since I received any letters from you. They are at Headquarters... I have written... to you several times. I don't know if my letters reached you; several couriers were kidnapped by the Cossacks.... It was a misfortune for me not to have been in Moscow at the beginning; there are some very good sources at very good prices...". Important letter written as the Mozhaysk troops were about to leave. [With p.copy of 2015 Roumet certificate.] Cross Reference: RUSSIA, FRANCE, GERMAN STATES
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