Marshal BEURNONVILLE (Pierre RIEL, Marquis of) Aube 1752–182 - Lot 520

Marshal BEURNONVILLE (Pierre RIEL, Marquis of) Aube 1752–1821—Marshal of France, Minister of War from February 4 to April 1, 1793 - Autograph letter signed by General BEURNONVILLE, from Paris, 25 Prairial, Year 5 (June 13, 1797) – 4 pages, in-4°: “D’Avoye, my dear General, has informed me of his departure, and I shall be pleased to see that it takes place without risk to his health. He is quite capable of providing us with all the information we could wish for regarding the entire region he will be traveling through; Above all, I hope he does not catch the fevers of Zeeland! The journey you are about to undertake to Helder will likewise be of great use to us, and you will observe, as I have, that the naval gun emplacements you find at the batteries do not make them particularly formidable. I can even assure you that if I were in command of a fleet with a favorable wind, I would sail in without much danger. Since General HOCHE has the troops assigned to him at his constant disposal, we cannot hinder him in his operations; we must therefore let him do what you cannot prevent. The fleet and the Batavian troops may as well rush off to fight windmills; general peace is almost assured. Continental peace is advancing; BONAPARTE and GALLE are negotiating it without a congress. A courier departed from Paris yesterday morning carrying the Directoire’s passports for the general officers; it appears that LILLE will be the venue for the conferences and the intermediate point between LONDON and PARIS... once negotiations begin, I will inform you of whatever I learn.... MACDONALD is leaving for good on the 10th of next month and will be with you on the 15th; I will accompany him as far as CAMBRAY... »