BIB_ID
104337
Accession number
MA 1266.38
Creator
Baillet Latour, Maximilien de, 1737-1806.
Display Date
1796 July 3.
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1899.
Description
1 item (3 p.) ; 24.7 cm
Notes
It is not entirely certain that this letter was written by General Baillet de Latour, however, the military details he provides in the letter coincide with his military operations at the time.
The last page of the letter is written in French.
Volume 9 (MA 1266) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 1266.1-61).
The last page of the letter is written in French.
Volume 9 (MA 1266) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 1266.1-61).
Provenance
Purchased from the Ford Collection of manuscripts.
Summary
Summarizing recent military activity and commenting on the good fortune the forces have encountered against the French; saying "The defeat of the Prince of Wirtemberg on the Lawn; The Arch Duke [illegible] to reinforce a beaten army, whilst Jourdan went to strengthen a victory one were circumstances so inauspicious that they might easily have destroyed every hope; yet the event proved in our favour, and no sooner were we relieved from this great anxiety, but the French army of the Upper Rhine, [illegible] made good their passage of the Rhine, with a considerable force. Old Wurmser according to banefull practice during the whole war had left his army Scattered in Small posts from Manheim to Basle, Guarding nothing, by attempting to guard everything - A Surprise across a great River became a new phenomenon in Military history,and if they had in the three first days had resolution, or perhaps the means to attack the Austrians, from their Superiority in numbers, they may have carried very thing before them; but it so happened that the great exertions were made to gather a force at Rastadt - The Archduke himself went there the day before yesterday, and I am at present only afraid that the French will not stand and attack - From all our dangers and troubles we Shall probably reap the benefit of been forced into the necessity of Concentrating; detailing the numbers and positions of where he will place his men; saying that he hopes he thinks he has been "an able and prudent general;" commenting on the abilities of the Archduke, saying "Tous est changé dans le armée par son arivée - La prudence Son courage inspirent la confiance. Son Habilité gagne tous les coeurs;" sending his regards to Lady Bath.
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