Hundred Days and 1815 - Moselle. Gal Mériage.... - Lot 349 - Conan Belleville Hôtel d'Ainay

Hundred Days and 1815 - Moselle. Gal Mériage. 13 L.A.S. to his wife Esther at the château de la Maisonfort in Genouilly near Vierzon (Cher). Metz and Forbach (the last two from Paris), April-October 1815. 26 pp. in-4 and in-8. Addresses and postmarks on the back. Returning from Russia in July 1814, General Mériage was employed in the organization of the national guards in the 3rd military division on April 7, 1815; he organized a corps of partisans in Lorraine, then provisionally commanded the department of Moselle on August 27, before being put out of action the following October 20. Very interesting correspondence on the last battles of the Empire around Metz. He recalls his journey and his arrival in Metz under a very harsh cold. April 20, 1815. "There is in all this country a great attachment for the Emperor, one is very exact and the National Guards are getting organized, they seem willing to fight. The enemy is not ready to attack, the Austrians leave Luxembourg, Trier, Coblenz []". Forbach, 3 June 1815. "If you go to the Strong House, my dear friend, observe carefully not to manifest political opinions, and see everyone as before; the Emperor at this time has great forces, it would take extraordinary events to overthrow him, but in this century of revolutions, one should not be surprised by anything and as far as possible expect everything; two or three victories can consolidate the present state of things, a great defeat could also overthrow him. The mass of the forces raised is immense, and the public mind is generally disposed to resist foreign enterprise, and that is all we see here, and all that gives hope of success.... Account of the fighting after Waterloo: "At the headquarters in front of Metz, route de Sarlouis and Sarguemines 27 June 1815": After leaving Saarbrücken and Sarguemines on the 23rd, I returned to Forbach where I slept; the next day at St Avold and Longeville, the surlendem