Autograph Note in the Third Person, to Charles James Napier.

12mo. one-page with conjugate address leaf. (seal gone with loss from blank portion of cover). NEY, Michel, Duc d'Elchingen, Prince de la Moskowa [1769-1815] [Marshal of France, Military Commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars]. Autograph Note, unsigned, in the third person, dated March 4, 1809, to Mr. Napier, Major of the 50th English regiment of foot, at Coruña. Ney invites Napier to dine with him: "Mr. le Maréchal, Duc d'Elchingen prie Monsieur le Major Napier de lui faire l'honneur de venir diner chez lui demain 5 mars à 5 heures." Marshal Ney took part in the Peninsular War from 1808 to 1811, commanding his corps in Napoleon's own operations of 1808-09, in irregular operations in Galicia 1809-10, and under Masséna in the invasion of Portugal in 1810-11. Sir Charles James Napier [1782-1853] commanded the 50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot during the Peninsular War in Iberia. At the time of this note, he was recuperating from injuries as a prisoner-of-war near Ney's headquarters at Coruña. He had been left for dead on the battlefield having been five times wounded: "his leg was broken by a musket shot, he received a sabre cut on the head, a bayonet wound in the back, severe contusions from the butt end of a musket, and his ribs were broken by a gunshot." (DNB) He was first brought to the quarters of Marshal Soult, who was succeeded in command at Coruña by Ney. On March 20, sixteen days following the date of this dinner invitation, Ney allowed Napier to return home on parole to convalesce, on the condition that he return on the 1st of July 1809. However, it was not until January 1810 that an exchange was effected, and Napier was able to rejoin his regiment. Napier was awarded an Army Gold Medal for his service at Coruña.…