Portuguese Army. FIVE LETTERS FROM SOLDIER PHILIPPE JEAN-CLAUDE, originally from Montimirey (near Dôle) 1808, 1810, 1812. 18855-23
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Portuguese Army. FIVE LETTERS FROM JEAN-CLAUDE PHILIPPE, originally from Montimirey (near Dôle) 1808, 1810, 1812. 18855-23
- Vincennes, May 18, 1808.
Letter addressed "To Mr. Chupiet / owner in Montmirey / The Castle / Dept. of Jura near Dole." Postal marks "VINCENNES" "60" "P".
Jean-Claude PHILIPPE is a hunter in the 15th Light Infantry, 1st battalion.
He writes to his godfather to announce that he arrived in Vincennes on April 15th. He sees beautiful things "a triumphal arch has been built in the courtyard of the Tuileries, an iron bridge called the Austerlitz bridge has been built. He is happy to travel and does not regret the decision he made, and he would have chosen to be a soldier long ago if he had known. He is lodged in the most beautiful castle in France, the Château de Vincennes, the keep has been restored to house state prisoners. [...]
"A girl who killed 3 people in Paris, including a priest, was guillotined, she was judged last Monday.
Our clothes that we brought with us have been taken away.... and we were immediately dressed and given a rifle... I think we are going to leave for Portugal sooner." 2 1/2 pages.
- Pampelune, October 9, 1808.
Letter addressed "To Mr. / To Mr. Cordier / owner in Dole in Franche-Comté / In Dole rue de l'instruction / Dept. of Jura." Postal marks "ENGLISH ARMY IN SPAIN" "N° ?3".
"I have not been able to write to you since my departure from Vincennes because I haven't had a moment of rest [...] We have just changed and merged with another regiment two days ago, and before that we were the 2nd march battalion of Portugal and we are now called the 1st march battalion so it is Mr. de Romete from Dôle who commands us. Everything is cheap, it had been a month since we were paid but Mr. Domete had us paid immediately [...]." 3 pages.
- Leon, January 17, 1810.
J.C. Philippe, now a carbineer in the 15th Light Infantry, 4th battalion, 3rd division of the 2nd army corps currently in Leon in Spain, writes to his godfather "To Mr. Chupiet / owner in Montmirey / The Castle / Canton of Montmirey / Arrondissement of Dole / Franche-Comté near Dole." With postal mark.
He couldn't write to his godfather earlier after being in Galicia and Portugal, without communication with France. Conditions are tough every day, forced to harvest and crush wheat to eat, marching without shoes which causes the death of many French soldiers. Forces coming from France are eagerly awaited. The French are seven hours away from the enemy army... We hope that Spain will soon be in our hands, that the English are planning to embark [...] It has been eight months since we were paid, but we have a good ration of bread, meat, and wine. We always drink to the health of our Spanish friends. We are commanded by General Ferry who is from Franche-Comté, he is good to the soldier [...]." 3 pages.
- "Army of Portugal / 3rd division / 6th Corps". At the camp in front of Almeida, August 15, 1810.
A new letter to his godfather. After a long familial text, he writes: "Here we are once again in Portugal, in a very fertile country for everything but bread is scarce... We are in front of Almeida, in front of the English gentlemen who have an army as considerable as ours but that will not prevent them from receiving their thrashing and soon we will be in Lisbon where we can rest and plant the imperial eagle despite the English. We are preparing to burn Almeida and soon we will reduce them to ashes [...]." 3 1/2 pages.
- Rioseco, September 1, 1812.
Letter addressed again to his godfather Mr. Chupiet and postal mark "BAYONNE".
J.C. Philippe has received the letter from his godfather accompanied by a voucher of 66 francs "which comes in handy." On July 22nd, he lost half of his belongings, shoes, boots, trousers, waistcoat. He describes "the beating" given to the English on this day. "Our marshal was injured, which contributed to our defeat because we immediately saw the army fall apart. This fatal blow caused our retreat and the death of many of our soldiers. The Spaniards, already content and perched on top of their mountain, were cheering. This infamous people had already abandoned their property with a superb harvest that seemed to languish on [...] The English gentlemen were heading towards Madrid where the King and Marshal Souls are currently located. It is presumed that they have fought but we do not know the outcome of the battle. We are hoping for the moment when the Emperor will have finished the Russian campaign [...]." 2 1/2 pages
On this letter, near the address, a handwritten note "last letter from binette dated Rioseco 1st September 1812."
Letters in fairly good condition to medium condition, all with damp stains and foxing, fold marks, small tears, texts preserved except for the last letter where a word is missing (tear with loss).
- Vincennes, May 18, 1808.
Letter addressed "To Mr. Chupiet / owner in Montmirey / The Castle / Dept. of Jura near Dole." Postal marks "VINCENNES" "60" "P".
Jean-Claude PHILIPPE is a hunter in the 15th Light Infantry, 1st battalion.
He writes to his godfather to announce that he arrived in Vincennes on April 15th. He sees beautiful things "a triumphal arch has been built in the courtyard of the Tuileries, an iron bridge called the Austerlitz bridge has been built. He is happy to travel and does not regret the decision he made, and he would have chosen to be a soldier long ago if he had known. He is lodged in the most beautiful castle in France, the Château de Vincennes, the keep has been restored to house state prisoners. [...]
"A girl who killed 3 people in Paris, including a priest, was guillotined, she was judged last Monday.
Our clothes that we brought with us have been taken away.... and we were immediately dressed and given a rifle... I think we are going to leave for Portugal sooner." 2 1/2 pages.
- Pampelune, October 9, 1808.
Letter addressed "To Mr. / To Mr. Cordier / owner in Dole in Franche-Comté / In Dole rue de l'instruction / Dept. of Jura." Postal marks "ENGLISH ARMY IN SPAIN" "N° ?3".
"I have not been able to write to you since my departure from Vincennes because I haven't had a moment of rest [...] We have just changed and merged with another regiment two days ago, and before that we were the 2nd march battalion of Portugal and we are now called the 1st march battalion so it is Mr. de Romete from Dôle who commands us. Everything is cheap, it had been a month since we were paid but Mr. Domete had us paid immediately [...]." 3 pages.
- Leon, January 17, 1810.
J.C. Philippe, now a carbineer in the 15th Light Infantry, 4th battalion, 3rd division of the 2nd army corps currently in Leon in Spain, writes to his godfather "To Mr. Chupiet / owner in Montmirey / The Castle / Canton of Montmirey / Arrondissement of Dole / Franche-Comté near Dole." With postal mark.
He couldn't write to his godfather earlier after being in Galicia and Portugal, without communication with France. Conditions are tough every day, forced to harvest and crush wheat to eat, marching without shoes which causes the death of many French soldiers. Forces coming from France are eagerly awaited. The French are seven hours away from the enemy army... We hope that Spain will soon be in our hands, that the English are planning to embark [...] It has been eight months since we were paid, but we have a good ration of bread, meat, and wine. We always drink to the health of our Spanish friends. We are commanded by General Ferry who is from Franche-Comté, he is good to the soldier [...]." 3 pages.
- "Army of Portugal / 3rd division / 6th Corps". At the camp in front of Almeida, August 15, 1810.
A new letter to his godfather. After a long familial text, he writes: "Here we are once again in Portugal, in a very fertile country for everything but bread is scarce... We are in front of Almeida, in front of the English gentlemen who have an army as considerable as ours but that will not prevent them from receiving their thrashing and soon we will be in Lisbon where we can rest and plant the imperial eagle despite the English. We are preparing to burn Almeida and soon we will reduce them to ashes [...]." 3 1/2 pages.
- Rioseco, September 1, 1812.
Letter addressed again to his godfather Mr. Chupiet and postal mark "BAYONNE".
J.C. Philippe has received the letter from his godfather accompanied by a voucher of 66 francs "which comes in handy." On July 22nd, he lost half of his belongings, shoes, boots, trousers, waistcoat. He describes "the beating" given to the English on this day. "Our marshal was injured, which contributed to our defeat because we immediately saw the army fall apart. This fatal blow caused our retreat and the death of many of our soldiers. The Spaniards, already content and perched on top of their mountain, were cheering. This infamous people had already abandoned their property with a superb harvest that seemed to languish on [...] The English gentlemen were heading towards Madrid where the King and Marshal Souls are currently located. It is presumed that they have fought but we do not know the outcome of the battle. We are hoping for the moment when the Emperor will have finished the Russian campaign [...]." 2 1/2 pages
On this letter, near the address, a handwritten note "last letter from binette dated Rioseco 1st September 1812."
Letters in fairly good condition to medium condition, all with damp stains and foxing, fold marks, small tears, texts preserved except for the last letter where a word is missing (tear with loss).
Reference :
18855-23
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