LOUIS NICOLAS DAVOUT (1770-1823) Autograph letter signed to his wife Aimée Leclerc. LONG LETTER WRITTEN DURING THE POLISH CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE RUSSIANS. Liebemühl [now Milomlyn in Poland], 2 March [1807].

4 pp. in-4, small angular lack. THE ONLY EMPIRE MARCHAL WHO REMAINED UNINVESTED, LOUIS-NICOLAS DAVOUT took part in the campaigns of Egypt (1798-1800), Italy (1800), Austria (1805 and 1809), Prussia (1806), Poland (1807) and Russia (1812, where he was the only one to bring back the survivors of his army corps in good order). He constantly asserted himself as an outstanding strategist and tactician, a leader of men, and won decisive battles, which earned him the dignity of marshal in 1804, then the titles of Duke of Auerstaedt in 1806 and Prince of Eckmühl in 1809. Napoleon I also had recourse to him for various delicate missions such as the occupation of Poland in 1807-1808 and that of part of Germany from 1809 to 1812, or as Minister of War in charge of reconstituting an army during the Hundred Days. He always showed himself to be of exemplary moral rectitude: thus, after the fall of the Empire, he was one of the few to testify in favour of Marshal Ney, then, after two years of di grâce, used his newfound credit to have the generals of the Hundred Days rehabilitated by personally taking responsibility for their actions carried out under his orders. THE MARÉCHALE DAVOUT, SISTER-IN-LAW OF PAULINE BONAPARTE. Raised in Madame Campan’s institution, Aimée Leclerc (1782-1868) made friends with other famous boarders, Hortense de Beauharnais or Aglaé Auguié (future marshal Ney) or Pauline Bonaparte who married her brother, General Victor-Emmanuel Leclerc (died in 1802). Aimée Leclerc married the future Marshal Davout in 1801.