Blücher's letter to Davoust, 1 July 1815

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Blücher's letter to Davoust, 1 July (1815)
by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
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A reply to Davous's letter to Wellington and Blücher, 30 June 1815

Prince Blücher, who entertained a great contempt for diplomacy, attributing as he did the cause of the renewal of the war to the ill concocted schemes to which that war had given birth, had hitherto refrained from either receiving in person, or noticing in writing, any communication addressed to him by the French authorities. He applied himself solely to the military solution to the defeat of Napoleon and the restoration of the Louis VIII.

Upon this occasion, however, tempted probably by the opportunity which was offered to him of sharply retorting upon the Marshal, under whose government of Hamburg the greatest excesses had been committed upon his countrymen; he was induced to reply, in his native German, as if to evince both his disdain of the usual diplomatic mode of communication (French being the lingua franca of the day), and his dislike of even the very language of the country he so thoroughly detested.

1819832Blücher's letter to Davoust, 1 July1815Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher

To the French General Davoust,

Headquarters, July 1, 1816.

Marshal,

It is not conformable to truth that, because Napoleon has abdicated the throne, there exists no further motive for War between the Allied Powers and France. His abdication is conditional; that is, in favour of his son: but a Decree of the Allied Powers excludes not only Napoleon, but every member of his Family, from the Throne.

If General Frimont has considered himself authorised to conclude an Armistice with your General opposed to him, that is no motive for us to do the same. We shall pursue our victory. God has given us strength and resolution to do so. Beware, Marshal, of what you do; and forbear devoting another city to destruction! for you know what liberties the exasperated soldiers would take, should your capital be carried by storm. Do you solicit the maledictions of Paris, in addition to those of Hamburg?

We shall enter Paris to protect the respectable inhabitants against the mob, by whom they are threatened with pillage. An Armistice can be made with security nowhere but in Paris. This, our relative position towards your Nation, be pleased. Marshal, not to mistake!

Let me finally observe to you, Marshal, if you mean to negotiate with us, it is matter of surprise that, in defiance of the Law of Nations, you detain our Officers dispatched with Letters and Orders.

In the usual form of conventional civility, I have the honour to be,

Marshal,
Your obedient servant,
Blücher.
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