LS in French, signed “Np,” one page, 7.25 x 8.75, June 16, 1812. Napoleon writes from Königsberg to the Duc de Feltre, his Minister of War. In full (translated): “I need 300,000 arms for the insurrection; 20,000 cavalry sabers, 20,000 pairs of pistols and 20,000 rifles and carbines, all the shipments that you have done, direct them towards Magdeburg. You are proposing a shipment of 20,000 rifles; I do not object; but the rifles have to be in good condition. You know all the resources that I have. That amounts to 30,000 rifles that I had Saxony buy in Vienna 3 years ago. There are still 230,000 rifles to send me. Make all the necessary arrangements for that. And now God bless you.” Marginal pinholes and a touch of subtle handling wear, otherwise fine, bright condition.
Napoleon’s letter to his minister of war was sent barely a week before his disastrous invasion of Russia. The weaponry request—including “300,000 arms...20,000 cavalry sabers, 20,000 pairs of pistols and 20,000 rifles and carbines”—were used to arm German members of his Grand Army in Magdeburg, which Napoleon had been given six years earlier. However, Napoleon also planned to use the added force to quell outbreaks of German national insurrection. “Make all the necessary arrangements for that,” the Emperor orders. As tensions grew on the border between Germany and Russian, some Russian officers encouraged defection. For the most part, however, German forces were loyal to Napoleon and eager to drive Russian forces from Europe. On June 24, 1812, ignoring the advice of his closest advisors, Napoleon invaded Russia with a force of more than 600,000 men from every corner of his empire. Napoleon predicted the war would be over in twenty days—instead it marked a marked a historic turning point in the leader’s fortunes. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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