The Orders of June 8

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June 8 - The Orders of June 8

June 8 was largely uneventful.  That evening, Soult left for Lille.

What does uneventful mean?

Bertrand recorded sending 49 letters.  Many deal with appointments to positions, and money.  Throughout Bertrand’s registry and notes are mentions of Theaters and their budgets with reports to Napoleon.  With campaign preparations under way, it appears Bertrand was hustling to tie up loose ends.

Before Soult traveled, he was likewise very active.

From Mouvement des Troupes, over 20 letters are recorded:

Soult – 261 to Grouchy: 15th Regiment ordered to Beauvais
Soult – 262 to Rogniat: Neigre to go to Soissons, attached to IG
Soult – 263 to Vandamme: 6th Division sending detachment to Avesnes
Soult – 264 to Grouchy: Exchange of 6th Chasseurs
Soult – 265 to Vandamme: Exchange of 6th Chasseurs
Soult – 266 to Reille: Exchange of 6th Chasseurs
Soult – 267 to Davout: Exchange of 6th Chasseurs
Soult – 268 to d’Erlon: Detachment from 85th depot to Valenciennes
Soult – 269 to Bonnemains: Condition of carabiners; 4th regiment dragoons exchanged rifles
Soult – 270 to Ruty: Execute new organization of the artillery
Soult – 271 to Davout: Communicate itineraries for modifications as needed
Soult – 272 to Davout:Letter from Puthod, uniforms needed
Soult – 273 to Lobau: 9th company arrived in Laon; 4th Battalion to [Corbeil]
Soult – 274 to Vandamme: 3 companies 28th line to Corbeil
Soult – 275 to Reille: 2nd line to join 5th; 8th to join 6th; 11th to remain with 7th
Soult – 276 to Daure, Ruty, Rogniat, Radel, Dentzel, Lebel: At reception of letter, GHQ to leave Laon and go to Avesnes
Soult – 277 to Caulaincourt: Excesses of Prussian cavalry on the frontier
Soult – 278 to Ruty: Triquenot to dispatch artillery park to Avesnes
Soult – 279 to Triquenot: Dispatch artillery park at La Fère to Avesnes
Soult – 280 to Commander of bridge crews: Leave Guise on 12th to go to Avesnes
Soult – 281 to Neigre: To leave La Fère; contact Minister of War on subject
Soult – 282 to Davout: Neigre and bridge crew to leave for Avesnes
Soult – 283 to Ruty: Arming irregularity of 6th division National Guard
Soult – 284 to Reille: All communications to be intercepted

Another Soult Registry that exists is called Enrégistrement de la Correspondance (Administration and Comptabilité)

Presumably, this may have messages to Daure the Intendant General, or Davout, and deal with non military matters.  It has 125 entries, starting May 15 and ending on June 16, and could fill in important details about decisions or itineraries.  It was sold at Auction on November 28, 2006.  Consider – this registry exists, in a private collection, and has content that ends after combat operations have begun.

Soult sent the following letters that we have copies of but have not identified a recorded entry in a registry include:

Soult to Davout:  Conflicts between divisions,  troops must be moved
Soult to Ruty: Increase artillery attached to the cavalry
Soult to Rogniat: Marlaincourt goes to the Armée des Alpes
Soult to Rogniat: The Quartier général to leave for Avesnes, which is interesting and should be remembered.
Soult to Gressot: Order from Napoleon: collect info from Armée du Rhin

 

June 8 was not a dramatic day, but we still found over 100 letters dealing with the Armée du Nord‘s operations for the upcoming campaign.  The archives have many more pieces of correspondence dealing with other matters, and there were other theaters and armies as well.