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BERTRAND (Henri-Gatien, Count)
See original version (French)
4
-
BERTRAND (Henri-Gatien, Count)
See original version (French)
Estimate €1,000 - €1,500
Voluntary lot
Description
BERTRAND (Henri-Gatien, Count)
Alexandria, 12 Floréal, Year IX [2 May 1801]..
Autograph signed letter to his comrades in the Corps of Engineers in Egypt.
6 pp. in-8 (23 x 16.4 cm).
An interesting letter to Count Charles Marie Benjamin Hautpoul criticising the operations of General Menou, the last commander-in-chief of the French army in Egypt, following the defeat at the Battle of Canopus on 21 March 1801.
Bertrand laments the division of the French army into three parts, which, in his view, prevented them from exploiting the slowness of the British army.
‘We were up against a very slow-moving enemy, and their operations were very poorly co-ordinated with the Turks, which hardly surprises me, as it is not easy to make them act as one wishes. What advantages we would have if we could capitalise on this. Unfortunately, the army is split into three roughly equal parts, none of which can undertake any action.”
He emphasised the tactic of ‘gathering all their troops at one point and then moving them swiftly to another’, taking advantage of the ‘superior marching ability of the French infantry’—a tactic successfully employed by Bonaparte in Italy and Frederick II in Germany. This tactic, he argued, could notably have led to the defeat of the Ottomans: ‘This well-established principle had a very natural application here. A victory over the Ottomans was as easy as it was advantageous; it would have maintained peace in the country […]. Once rid of the Ottomans, we would have had only the English to contend with, who would not have managed to reorganise a Turkish army for a long time, and I believe they would have been in a very difficult position. They have only two options: either to take Alexandria or to destroy the army; we need not worry about anything that does not lead them to that end.”
He goes on to set out his plan in detail, focusing first on mustering a sufficient number of men: ‘I believe it is possible to assemble a force of 7,000 to 8,000 men whilst leaving a sufficient garrison in Alexandria’, as well as shifting the battle to open country; enabling the French army to make the most of its cavalry: ‘Our superiority lies in our artillery and cavalry, which they hold in high regard, and rightly so; and although they appear to be recruiting horses, they cannot quickly train them either for draught work or for manoeuvres. All the arguments therefore favour a battle on the plain’.
He concludes by lamenting General Menou’s decisions, despite having advised him: ‘I have often put forward these ideas—which, incidentally, are shared by many people, including both you and myself—to several generals and others in whom I assumed the Commander-in-Chief [Menou] might have some confidence. During the short walk we took after dinner, in front of his tent, I emphasised the ease and advantages of a victory over the Ottomans; that was then, as it is now, the idea I held most dear. I was truly sorry about the course of action that was taken ’.
Powerless in the face of Menou’s decisions, Bertrand tried to maintain hope of a victory against the English army. ‘An army split into three parts, none of which can act, and two of which—especially yours—are in a very precarious position. For a few days I was unable to come to terms with it. Today I am trying to be patient; perhaps the enemy’s slowness will give us time to make up for the ground we have lost.”
However, the defeat at the Battle of Canopus would have a decisive impact on the army’s morale and its chances of victory. General Menou withdrew to Alexandria, where the English army laid siege to him. Cornered, he surrendered on 31 August 1801.
Skillful restoration of the final leaf, which had been torn into four pieces, without any damage to the text.
Full transcription available on request.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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