Lot 312

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Description:

ARTHUR WELLESLEY WELLINGTON
(1769 - 1852) British general and statesman, called the "Iron Duke", he crushed French forces under Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo. Fine content A.L.S. "Wellington", 2pp. 4to., Paris, Feb. 7, 1816, in French to Prussian General (and later Field Marshal) Hans Ernst Count von Zieten, commander in chief of the Prussian Occupation Forces in France. Zieten's Army Corps was involved in the relief of Wellington at Waterloo and was the first coalition force to enter and occupy Paris. Wellington writes to his fellow conqueror eight months after the battle at Waterloo and four months after Napoleon's arrival on St. Helena, in part: "...I received your official letter of the 3rd. When the Duke of Richelieu wrote me about the fortresses of Mezieres and Sedan the question of their condition became a diplomatic issue and I sent the Duke's letter to the Count de Goltz, Minister of His Majesty [the King of Prussia] to the King of France. The Duke's letter was sent on my behalf to the commissioners at Mezieres, transmitted by General Murray. And those gentleman similarly transmitted it to the Commissioners on behalf of Commander in Chief of the Prussian Army, and the French Government. I hope that this question will soon be settled...". Armand du Plessis, Duke de Richelieu was the chief minister to Louis XVIII, while August Ferdinand Count von der Goltz was foreign minister of Prussia from 1806-1814. Lieutenant General Sir George Murray was Wellington's quartermaster and close friend. According to the Treaty of Paris signed by Wellington, Castlereagh and Richelieu on Nov. 20, 1815, the fortresses of Mezieres, Sedan and others were to be occupied for five years to protect France's neighbors from further aggression. In the Franco-Prussian War, Napoleon III was captured at Sedan and the Prussian victory at Sedan-Mezieres proved decisive. Fine condition. Napoleonic War content letters by Wellington are rare.

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March 30, 2011 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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