Victor de Faÿ de La Tour-Maubourg (1768-1850) [général de Napoléon] - Lettre opérationnelle autographe signée [Campagne d'Allemagne 17 mai 1813] - 1813

Autograph operational letter signed by Victor de Faÿ de La Tour-Maubourg on the campaign in Germany, the French Empire of Napoleon against the armies of the Sixth Coalition (Russia Prussia Austria Sweden United Kingdom), dated at Wildenhayn, May 17, 1813 (a few days before the Battle of Bautzen). Addressed to “Your Excellency” / “Your Excellency” (presumably the Major-General of the Grande Armée, Marshal Berthier, Prince of Neuchâtel and of Wagram). Official-era paper bearing the imperial watermark with Napoleon I’s profile captioned “NAPoleon EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH KING OF ITALY.”

The letter reports on the arrangements made to restore command liaison and to monitor enemy movements:

- Transmission of orders and restoration of communications:

La Tour-Maubourg acknowledges receipt of dispatches intended for the Prince of the Moskova (Marshal Ney) and for General Lauriston; he outlines the arrangement set up to convey orders to General Lauriston: he plans to dispatch the next morning (May 18) at 8 o’clock a detachment comprising 500 horses from the Chastel division, two battalions of General Beaumont, and two artillery pieces, with direction to Dobrilugk (Doberlug).

- Cavalry reconnaissance:

He states that he has ordered the departure of several reconnaissance patrols at 7 o’clock in the morning in different sectors to scout the terrain: toward Riesa, Strehla, and Mühlberg, to verify whether the enemy has detachments or posts on the Elbe. Toward Blochwitz, to obtain news from Ortrand. Toward Peritz and Elsterwerda, if possible, to seek contact with Lauriston’s forces.

- Intelligence on the enemy:

On the reverse, he transmits espionage or patrol reports on the opposing cantonments: the enemy forces (estimated at 3,000 or 4,000 horses) had left their positions the previous day (toward Wildenhayn/Golsa/Dauda), leaving only Cossacks in the rearguard that evening.