Masséna, Marshall of France | letter signed, to General Loison, about reconnaissance patrols in Portugal, 1810

Masséna, André, Marshal of France

Letter signed ("Massena"), as Marshal, Prince d’Essling and Commander-in-chief of the Armée de Portugal, to General Loison, 18 November 1810

in French, ordering his division general, Louis Henri Loison, to send a large patrol along the River Tagus to reconnoitre the district of Santarém and to let him know what he finds out, for which purpose he should halt the 6th light infantry at "Golgau" (Golegã) until receiving further orders, discounting the reports of General Reynier about the enemy's positions and instructing him to repulse the garrison of Abrantès, further up the Tagus (Closer to Torres Novas), should it sally forth

"...Tenez vous prêt de votre côté avec toutes vos troupes à manoeuvrer au besoin soit pour repousser la garrison d’Abrantère [Abrantès] si elle fesait une sortie..."

1 page, folio, Torres Novas (Tagus River, Portugal), 18 November 1810

André Massena (1758- 1817) was one of the original 18 Marshals of the Empire created by Napoleon I in 1804. He led the French army in Portugal, but was defeated by Wellington at Buçaco on 27 September, and at Sabugal and Fuentes de Oñoro in 1811, when he retreated to the border with Spain.