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Paris, March 24, 1813. Letter signed “Np,” addressed to Henri Clarke, duc de Feltre, Napoleon’s Minister of War. In French, written in a secretary’s hand on both sides of one sheet.
A revealing military letter combining precise artillery orders with an explicit concern for public confidence. Napoleon directs the removal of 38 guns from Medemblik toward Texel and Den Helder, while retaining the batteries defending the harbor entrance. He rejects transferring the artillery inland to Breda or Bois-le-Duc, explaining that its direction of travel would influence how the population interpreted France’s military position.
“Moving these guns toward the sea will only have a favorable effect on public opinion,” he writes. Movement in the opposite direction would have “a very bad effect”; he would prefer leaving the guns in place to causing alarm in Holland.
Napoleon also orders that two 24-pounder guns at Scheveningen, near The Hague, remain to protect the fishermen, observing that they are useful and serve their intended purpose.
Dated during the preparations for the 1813 campaign, the letter offers a direct view of Napoleon’s attention to coastal defenses, artillery deployment, and the political consequences of military decisions.
The text concludes on the reverse with the customary closing, the Paris dateline, and a prominent abbreviated signature, “Np,” with an extended flourish.
Condition: Light age toning, scattered small spots, storage folds and creasing, minor edge wear, and ink show-through. Small punctures are visible near the lower margins. The writing and signature remain clear.
Price: $3,500
