BEAUHARNAIS EUGÈNE DE: (1781-1824) French statesman and military officer who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The adopted stepson of Napoleon (through the second marriage of Eugène´s mother, Josephine de Beauharnais), Eugène was made Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy (1805-14) under Napoleon, and commanded the Army of Italy during the Napoleonic Wars. A good L.S., Eugene Napoleon, with paraph manu propria, two pages, 4to (featuring a watermark of the French Imperial Eagle), Laybach (i.e. Ljubljana), 28th September 1813, to Lieutenant-General Comte Grenier, in French. Beauharnais acknowledges receipt of Grenier´s letters up until the 26th September, and continues to inform the General ´Je vois avec peine qu´il faut renoncer, au moins pour le moment, à mon projet´ (Translation: ´ I regret to say that I must abandon my plan, at least for the time being´), explaining ´D´abord, parce qu´il n´est pas possible de passer d´ici à Ratmansdorf avec de l´artillerie; ensuite parce que le Pont de Crainbourg demande au moins trois jours pour la réparation; enfin parce que l´ennemi a fait un mouvement par Gotschée sur Zierknitz, où il a attaqué hier le Gal. Palombini´ (Translation: ´Firstly, because it is not possible to get from here to Ratmansdorf with artillery; secondly, because the Crainbourg Bridge will take at least three days to repair; and finally, because the enemy has made a move via Gotschée on Zierknitz, where it attacked General Palombini yesterday´). Beauharnais adds that only 150 men were lost in the attack, ´mais le Gal. Palombini me parait tellement inquiet de sa position et surtout si peu confiant dans ses soldats, et une seconde attaque plus sérieuse pouvant d´ailleurs avoir lieu´ (Translation: ´but General Palombini seems to me to be very concerned about his position and, above all, to have very little confidence in his soldiers, and a second, more serious attack may well take place´) and provides details of the military manoeuvres he has instigated ´J´ai cru devoir faire mouvoir la Division Marcognet, que j´envoie aujourd´hui à Oberhaybach. La Div. Quesnel se ploye sur Laybach. Si, comme je l´espère, le mouvement de l´ennemi n´a point de suite, on pourra reprendre s´il y a lieu, ses anciennes positions; ou enfin se reployer sur Adelsberg, ayant une tête aux défilés de Loitsch. J´ai vu avec plaisir, d´après les Rapports du 26 au matin, que tout était tranquille sur votre front. Le mouvement qu´on aura observé d´un bataillon remontant la valléedu Gail peut avoir été nécessité par la présence du Gal. Gifflengue à Brixen, où il a dû arriver le 25 ou le 26. J´espère que son mouvement en Tyrol soulagera votre gauche´ (Translation: ´I felt it necessary to move the Marcognet Division, which I am sending today to Oberhaybach. The Quesnel Division is moving towards Laybach. If, as I hope, the enemy's movement is not followed up, we will be able to retake our former positions if necessary, or finally fall back on Adelsberg, with a headland at the Loitsch defiles. I was pleased to see from the reports of the morning of the 26th that all was quiet on your front. The movement observed of a battalion moving up the Gail valley may have been necessitated by the presence of General Gifflengue in Brixen, where he must have arrived on the 25th or 26th. I hope that his movement into Tyrol will relieve your left flank´). In concluding Beauharnais writes of other news he has received, ´Les lettres de Milan que je reçois aujourd´hui annonceraient la nouvelle qu´un armistice aurait eu lieu à la Grande armée. Si cela est vrai, nous ne tarderons pas à en savoir quelque chose´ (Translation: ´The letters I received today from Milan announce that an armistice has been agreed with the Grande Armée. If this is true, we will soon know more´). A letter of fine military content. VG

Count Paul Grenier (1768-1827) French General of Division who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. A skilled tactician, he was one of the veteran generals who made the Napoleonic armies such a formidable foe to the other European powers.

Giuseppe Federico Palombini (1774-1850) Italian Division Commander during the Napoleonic Wars.

Pierre-Louis Binet de Marcognet (1765-1854) French General of Division who served in the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Marcognet commanded a division in the Italian campaign of 1813-1814, fighting at Caldiero, Boara Pisani, the Mincio, and other actions.In 1815, he led a division at Waterloo where it was broken by cavalry after an initial success.

François Jean Baptiste Quesnel (1765-1819) French General of Division who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Quesnel was placed on active duty with the Army of Italy in 1799 and at the start of the War of the Second Coalition led a brigade in Paul Grenier´s division.

Alexandre de Rège, Comte Gifflenga - French General of Division who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

In 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars, Eugène de Beauharnais, was involved in the defense of the Illyrian Provinces, including the city of Laybach (modern Ljubljana). He commanded the French forces in the region, including the Kingdom of Italy, against Austrian and Russian forces. Despite initial successes, the French position weakened as the war progressed, and Laybach ultimately fell to the Austro-Russian forces in the autumn of 1813.