Napoleon I | Letter signed, announcing the attack on Britain's maritime trade, to Admiral Willaumez, 1805

Napoleon I

Letter signed, to Admiral Willaumez

announcing his intention to attack the enemy's maritime trade on all fronts, 7 pages, folio, countersigned by Decrès, St.Cloud, le ler Venemiarre an 14 [23 September 1805]

[with:] Admiral Decrès, letter signed, to Admiral Willaumez, giving news of English naval troop movements, with a list of English ships of war in India or on the seas, 4 pages, folio, Paris, 9 frimaire an 14 [30 November 1805]

11 pages total, bound together, ink smudging, spotting, tears repaired with transparent adhesive tape

APPARENTLY UNPUBLISHED.

Napoleon appoints Willaumez to command a squadron of six ships and two frigates from Brest, giving a plan of the campaign and a detailed itinerary designed to mislead the enemy, in classic Napoleonic fashion. He details going first to the Cape of Good Hope and then to the West Indies, and instructs what Willaumez must do to damage the enemy's interests, repeating that 'our sole aim is to do the greatest harm possible to the enemy, and every method of achieving that end must be employed'.

Written three weeks before Trafalgar, this account offers a considerable insight into the involvement Napoleon had with military affairs globally, and his expertise in both naval and military battle tactics. Willaumez had considerable success in inflicting losses on English ships off Africa and in the West Indies (where he captured Montserrat) but his force was then crippled by storms off the American coast.

''Apres lui avoir fait dans ces parages tout le mal possible, vous les quitterez pour vous porter a Terreneuve et y detruire le peche”, authorising Willaumez to go even to the Indian Ocean, repeating “notre but unique est de faire le plus grand mal possible a l'ennemi, et que tout moyen qui atteindra ce but doit etre employe”.

PROVENANCE:

Calvin Bullock; Christie's, London, 8 May 1985, lot 293