Napoleon I. Letter signed to the Marshal of the Empire Nicolas Oudinot, Duke of Reggio, in French, …

Napoléon I (Emperor of France, 1769-1821) Letter signed to the Marshal of the Empire Nicolas Oudinot, Duke of Reggio, in French, 4pp., sm. 4to, Dresden, 26th September 1813, informing him that a regiment of Lancers, Poles, Chasseurs and Guards has been sent to join him, with General Lauriston passing on the left bank [of the river Elbe], giving orders for the movement of troops and transports across the river, with details of generals and divisions expected shortly and other measures to be taken in connection with the battle for Dresden, "d'est necessaire que Dresde soit couvert à 2 ou 3 heures du Camp retranchée", si toutefoisla position le permet", margin stub, folds, slightly browned. ⁂ Napoleon and the Grande Armée in the year after the retreat from Moscow. The Russian army had pursued the retreating French Grande Armée across Europe but Napoleon was still a formidable general in charge of a powerful force. At the time this letter was written Napoleon had won the Battle of Dresden at the end of August, but the tide was turning against him and soon the combined forces of his enemies would overwhelm him. In March 1813 the Sixth Coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated Napoleon and led to the invasion of France in 1814 and drove Napoleon into exile. Nicolas Charles Oudinot, first Count Oudinot, first Duke of Reggio (1767-1847), was a Marshal of the Empire.