CHABAUD-LATOUR (François Henri Ernest) Nîmes, Gard, 1804 – P - Lot 534

CHABAUD-LATOUR (François Henri Ernest) Nîmes, Gard, 1804 – Paris, 1885 – General, Member of Parliament for the Gard department. He took part in the Kabylie Expedition (1857) and the Siege of Paris – Letter from A. S. “E. de CHABAUD-LATOUR” – GRENOBLE, September 9, 1845 – 4 pages, in-8° – An interesting military and political letter on the pacification of ALGERIA: “My dear Colonel.” He thanks him for his kind words regarding his involvement in the bill on extraordinary fortification works. “Since I do not currently have the honor of serving in Africa, I am at least pleased to contribute to anything that may strengthen our military and defend our homeland, to have directed part of the fortifications of PARIS as a Corps of Engineers officer; and to participate, as a Deputy, in the defense of all our military interests. This is to continue obeying the will of our dear and ill-fated Duke of Orléans, whose every thought was so patriotic, so ardent for all that touched upon the honor and power of France. May his memory be, for all of us who loved him so dearly—to whom he was always so kind—like the pillar of fire that guided Israel. You have brilliantly justified, my dear Colonel, the interest that His Grace the Duke of ORLÉANS took in your career, by subduing—at the cost of ceaseless toil and danger—these turbulent tribes, always ready to raise the banner of revolt against us. The disarmament measure seems to me to be quite effective in preventing the recurrence of these insurrections, and your columns must have struck such great terror into the Arabs that they have resigned themselves to such a great sacrifice... As for the events in the Ouled Biah caves, while I deplore that it was necessary to resort to such extremes, you can be certain that all men of sound judgment, all those who know what war in AFRICA is like, have understood that Colonel PÉLISSIER was merely obeying a cruel necessity, and that he could not withdraw without having defeated the most indomitable core of the rebels. ... Farewell, my dear Colonel. I have just returned from an election campaign prompted by my promotion to the rank of colonel, which went wonderfully. I can give you the best news regarding the health of the King, the Duchess of Orléans, and our young princes, who are in EU and are thriving there thanks to the sea air. Our political situation is excellent, and it is likely that the upcoming handover will proceed without serious unrest...”