French│Empire Collection
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A small private Napoleonic collection in Sydney, Australia
Documents
29th Bulletin of the Grand Army - Russia 1812
29e Bulletin de la Grande Armée - Russie 1812
29th Bulletin -
Molodetschino, December 3, 1812
Napoleon's army was in retreat and nearly three weeks
had passed since the last bulletin had been issued. Little, if any, information of
the true state of the army and the terrible losses suffered had reached Paris and
the Empire. Suddenly the curtain was pulled aside and the truth (but not the complete
truth) exposed. The situation was very grave and could not be hidden. Napoleon tried
to put the best spin on the state of affairs as possible. The last sentence was added
due to the Malet affair in which the Emperor had been declared dead and where some
in the government had been quick to abandon his cause!
