LANNES JEAN: (1769-1809) Marshal of France. Duc de Montebello. One of Napoleon's most daring ...

LANNES JEAN: (1769-1809) Marshal of France. Duc de Montebello. One of Napoleon's most daring and talented generals and personal friend of the Emperor. Rare A.L.S., `Lannes´, two pages, 4to, Lisbon, 19th July 1803, to Citizen Guéhéneuc, his father-in-law, General Administrator of the Forests, in Paris, in French. Lannes regrets that his previous letter reached his correspondent so late, stating in part `…que vous n´ayez reçu que bien tard les lettres de change, ma lettre et le paquet étaient dans un adréssé au Ministre des Relations… je suis impatient d´avoir une réponse de vous à cet égard…´ (Translation: "…that you have only received very late the letters of exchange, my letter and parcel were addressed to the Minister… I am impatient of receiving a response regarding this matter…") Lannes further refers to his pregnant wife, saying `…nous n´avons pas reçu de lettre de vous ni de Madame Guéhéneuc par ce courier…. Louise est prête à accoucher, je cherche une campagne aux environs de Lisbonne, à cause de la chaleur excessive de la capitale…´ (Translation: "…we have not received any letter from you nor from Madame Guéhéneuc… Louis is about to give birth, and I look for a countryside place in the surroundings of Lisbonne, because of the excessive heat at the capital…") With address leaf, bearing remnants of former seals. Overall creasing with small area of paper loss to the address leaf as a result of the letter opening. G

François Scholastique (1759-1840) Count of Guéhéneuc. He was Lannes´ father-in-law.

Louise Guéheneuc (1782-1856) Duchess of Montebello. Second wife of Marshal Lannes. On 20^th July 1803, the day after the present letter was written, the Duchess gave birth in Lisbonne to their third son, Ernest (1803-1882)