France - Lot 357

France Very interesting handwritten notebook of the memoirs of Second Empire soldier Pierre Nicolas of the 6th Infantry Regiment, recounting the Italian campaign of 1859. Leaving Lyon on May 1, 1859, he headed for Italy via Chambéry, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Turin, Alexandria and all the way to Tessin and Magenta "forte bataille", then Solférino "La plus forte bataille"... Account of the campaign. Contains an amusing "brevet de pochard" of the accomplished drunkard: "(...) Forehead as high as a stile, eyes as sparkling as Champagne, face as puffy as a bottle's belly, nose like a tap, mouth like a funnel, (...)" with even a summary of the campaigns and wounds received in the "campaign of soulography in the Grande Armée". And a speech by Emperor Napoleon III on July 12, 1859: "Soldiers, you will soon return to France, gratitude will welcome (...) be proud to be the beloved children of this France, which will always be the Great Nation as long as it has a heart to understand noble causes and men like you to defend them". Other speeches included those by Marshal Noël and other generals, and others by the Emperor. "Passing through Mondovi, Marengo, Lodi, Castiglione, Arcole, Rivoli, you walk in another sacred way amidst these Glorious Memories." Leather cover (worn), H. 7 cm - L. 11.5 cm 82 pages