Napoleonic War 1808 MDS Containing Conscripted French Soldier's Service Record, With Touching Note to His Father!

A military document in French, being the "Certificat d'Existance" [literally "certificate of existence"] or service record, of a French soldier in Napoleon Bonaparte's Grande Armée named Jean-Baptiste Magot, a fusilier in the 85th Line Infantry Regiment, 3rd Corps, 3rd Division. June 16, 1808. Königsberg, Prussia [present day Kaliningrad, Russia].Expected wear including gentle folds and wrinkles. A small break in the document center corresponds with one of the seals. Light weathering and soiling, else very legible and near fine. 13.75" x 8.375."

The 1p manuscript document is signed by no fewer than ten individuals including military personnel and town officials, but also by the soldier himself, who has included a touching autograph note signed and addressed to his father, to whom the service record was sent. On laid paper with an integral address leaf and numerous dockets verso. Bearing three hand-stamps including a regimental stamp, and embossed red wax seal remnants. 

Accompanying the document are two handsome engravings, the first, "Napoleon I Meditating on the Eve of the Battle of Austerlitz," 8.675" x 6.675"; and the second, "Marie Louise (Empress of France)," 4.675" x 7." Isolated water stains, else near fine.

Translated in part, with punctuation added for clarity:

"85th Line Infantry Regiment
Battalions of Wars
Certificate of Existence

We, members comprising the administrative Counsel of the 85th Line Infantry Regiment, certify that the Named Magot Jn baptiste native of Bailleia sur Terrein [present day Bailleul-sur-Thérain, France], Nivillers canton, l'oise department, entered into service 4 November by Conscription of 1806 signaled in the National Register under the No. 4276. Serving as a fusilier in the 1st Compy. of the 3rd Battalion of the said Regiment…

Konigsberg the 16 June 1808."

Signers include the Commander of the Company, one Rouan, whose signature is prominent at lower right recto. A docket found at left recto indicates that officials from Magot's hometown reviewed the document on August 15, 1808, and a docket found verso in the hand of the Prefect of Oise indicates that Magot was still in the army on April 17, 1809. The integral address leaf indicates that the service record was sent to Jean-Baptiste Magot's father, Pierre Magot, a carpenter. The soldier has penned a brief and loving note to his parents on the reverse of the document, as: "Mon chere pere je vous soite un si que mammen le Bon jour réponce si [illegible] present réçû. Magot Jean Baptiste votre fit" [trans: "My dear father I wish you as well as mama greeting. Respond if [you] receive this. Magot Jean Baptiste your son."]

The 85th Line Infantry Regiment was part of the 3rd Corps of the Grande Armée, commanded by Louis-Nicolas Davout, one of Napoleon's ablest military commanders, from 1805-1809. Magot's military service began in November 1806 while the War of the Fourth Coalition was ongoing. Magot narrowly missed participating in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt, a triumphant French victory against allied forces on October 14, 1806, but probably saw action at the 1807 Battles of Eylau and Friedland. Napoleon's empire-building in present day Austria, Germany, and Poland occupied much of the Grande Armée during this time.

Not much is known about Jean-Baptiste Magot. We know that he could read and write, though literacy often meant relying on very creative and mostly phonetic spelling during this time. Magot was from the town of Bailleul-sur-Thérain, in the department of Oise, located approximately 16 km southeast of Beauvais in northern France. As a conscript of the levee of 1806, we can assume that Magot was a young man, probably in his early 20s. Napoleon's August 6, 1806 levee requested 50,000 soldiers from various French departments and an additional 30,000 soldiers in reserve. Of the 4,600 men eligible for conscription in Oise, records indicate that 800 were called up in 1806.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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