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Bulletin - Bulletin  
        
   
      
    THIS MONTH'S ARTICLE
The First Italian Campaign: Act One
Jacques Jourquin, editor of the Revue du Souvenir Napoléonien, brings us a detailed description of Bonaparte's military genius through his fascinating account of the beginning of the First Italian Campaign.

TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
20 October, An XI (28 Vendémiaire, An XI), Hawkesbury received a note from Talleyrand summarily demanding that England leave the island of Malta, as per the Treaty of Amiens.
 
20 October, An XI (28 Vendémiaire, An XI), the bankruptcy of the Cohen Brothers, whom Bourrienne had supported in their bid to supply the cavalry with equipment, led directly to dismissal from his post as Napoleon's secretary.
Born in 1769, Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne was a school mate of Napoleon's at Brienne. Abandoning the idea of a military career, he travelled in Europe, studying languages and working for the embassies in VIenna and Stuttgart. He subsequently became Bonaparte's secretary and confidant in 1797, following him to Italy and Egypt, and giving him unconditional support during the coup d'etat of 18 Brumaire.
 
22 October, 1802 (30 Vendémiaire, An XI), a bill was passed which sipulated that every two years, four history paintings and two statues should be done, "on behalf of and funded by the government".
 
22 October, 1802 (30 Vendémiaire, An XI), the consuls passed a series of bills concerning the recognition and qualification of schools:
"The Consuls of the République, in view of the law of 11 Floréal, An X, the bill of 4 Messidor, the minutes of the visit, and the general state of the schools in the department of l'Escaut which the Préfet judged fit to be declared Secondary Schools, after the report of the minister, have laid down as follows:
Art. 1. The school of Citizen Henri-Louis, in Ghent, (1st arrondissement)
That of Citizen Dessauw, in Melle (same arrondissement)
That of Citizen  Deschamps, in Wichelin (3rd arrondissement)
And that of Citizen Corael, in Aalst (same arrondissement), are to be made Secondary Schools.
From this year on, pupils there will be allowed to compete for free places in the Lycées."
All the departments were similarly reviewed.
 
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!

Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor



  
      THIS WEEK:
Snippets
Napomania


Press Review
Two books reviews in the recent number of French History

Just published
The Peninsular War - Charles Esdaile
French Wars 1792-1815 - Charles Esdaile

Web sites
- Marmont's pyramid, Holland
Go to the Napoleonic Directory
and search Web sites, 'History'
- Folk Music of England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and America: Songs of the Napoleonic era on the web
Go to the Napoleonic Directory 
and search Web sites, 'Other'

What's on
- Association: Annual General Meeting of the Nelson Society

- Conference: Napoleonic association, UK
- Exhibition: Nelson & Emma, Personal Pots and Lasting Mementos
- Exhibition: Seat of Empire

The monthly titles
- Book of the Month: Seven Ages of Paris: Portrait of a City, by Alistair Horne

- This month's picture, The Immortality of Nelson (1807), by Benjamin West
- Article of the Month, The First Italian Campaign: Act One, by Jacques Jourquin
- In the Collectors Corner, The Roi de Rome's cradle


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