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BONAPARTE, NAPOLEON

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BONAPARTE, NAPOLEON
(1769 - 1821) The "Little Corporal" whose brilliance in the field of battle and as Emperor of France has made him perhaps the most important figure of post-Renaissance Europe. Lengthy L.S. "Nap" 3pp. 4to., Paris, Mar. 11, 1811, to a Major General Alexandre Berthier. In part: "...I have given the order to the Minister of War and of the Sea, that I desire to have you survey the carrying out of orders by the Minister of War, and to send to Santona 100,000 infantry cartridges, 20...of powder, 5 gun cartridges for 24...General Caffarelli will take to St. Sebastien, Belbas, and others to complete this watch...Send him a regimental officer...an artillery officer and all the marine gunners which I found in St. Sebastien...[Marshal Jean-Baptiste] Duke d'Istrie will go similarly to Santona...Send this order to your officer of State who will begin fortifications...". Napoleon's 1810 campaign in Portugal, led by General Andre Massena, began optimistically, but his army was repulsed by Wellington at Bussaco in late September, and a winter of increasing frustration followed. By March 1811, the time of this letter, Massena was forced to retreat toward Spain, leaving, by April, Alameda as the only French stronghold. There, he once again met Wellington, only to once again be roundly defeated on April 4, 1811. Very good.