Bonaparte Napoleon

Napoleon DS Approving Cavalry Appointment of Wounded & Shipwrecked P.O.W. & Veteran from Egyptian Campaign

A document in French signed by then First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) as "Bonaparte" near the left center. The handwritten document is dated July 23, 1801, but Napoleon's orders were issued from Paris, France two days after. Countersigned by the claimant, a man named Germain, who was an aide of Adjutant Commander Jullien [possibly Louis Joseph Victor Jullien de Bidon (1764-1839)] in Egypt. The watermarked cream laid paper is stamped at lower left. With light overall toning and gentle paper folds. Remnants of a red wax seal are found verso at bottom left, and there is tape residue verso at upper left. Else very good to fine. 13.5" x 8.5".


Germain was a veteran of Napoleon's Egyptian & Syrian Campaign (1798-1801). He had recently been liberated as a prisoner of war, and upon his return to Paris, had requested a cavalry appointment from his old commander. The request was granted as indicated by a margin note found at left center. Napoleon instructed the Minister of War to give the claimant the first available cavalry opening.


Translated in part:

"To the Citizen First Consul

Returned from Egypt a prisoner of war,


Stripped,


Shipwrecked,


Arrived in Paris by the aid of someone [?], voila, Citizen Consul, what is my position?

…I ask you for employment in active service in the Cavalry, if it is possible, an injury preventing me from serving on foot…"

Napoleon's domestic policies, which included consolidating his power as First Consul, were more successful than the failed French campaigns in Egypt and Syria, when Napoleon led more than 40,000 French soldiers across the Mediterranean to protect French trading interests and to disrupt British trade with India. Over more than three years of fighting, approximately 15,000 French soldiers were killed or wounded, and about half as many were captured, as our claimant Germain could attest.

The French engaged their Turkish and British foes in spectacular land and sea battles in Cairo, Alexandria, Jaffa, and Acre, along the Nile and in front of the Pyramids. Yet serious reversals forced Napoleon to flee to France in October 1799. His remaining troops were supposed to be evacuated under terms, but the combatants continued to fight. Cairo fell in June 1801-- nearly two months before Germain had escaped to Paris. Was he captured there? Germain was safely in Paris in late July, thus missing the horrific siege of Alexandria in mid-August-September 1801.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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