188. COLBERT (Napoléon-Joseph). Traditions et souvenirs ou m - Lot 188

188. COLBERT (Napoléon-Joseph). Traditions et souvenirs ou mémoires touchant le temps et la vie du général Auguste Colbert (1793-1809). Paris, Firmin Didot, 1863-1873. 5 vols. fort in-8, v, 413 p., [1] f. (errata) ; 365 p., [1] f. (errata) ; 432 p. ; 492 p. ; 479 p., black morocco with cold decoration and gilt monogram B.S.S. stamped on the first boards (Boyer de Sainte-Suzanne), gilt roulette on the spines, gilt roulette inside, gilt heads. A remarkably well-bound copy with wide margins. The text is illustrated with 16 colored maps, some folded. Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais (1777-1809) was a French brigadier general of the First Empire, renowned for his brilliant military career. He enlisted in 1793 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming aide-de-camp to Grouchy and Murat. He distinguished himself during the Italian and Egyptian campaigns, notably at the battle of Saléhieh and at the siege of Saint-Jean-d'Acre, where he was seriously wounded. Promoted to general in 1805 after distinguishing himself at Austerlitz, he took part in the Prussian, Polish and Spanish campaigns. During the British retreat to La Coruña in 1809, he was killed by a long-range shot from the famous marksman Thomas Plunkett at Cacabelos. His untimely death at the age of 31 marked the loss of a talented officer loyal to Napoleon. Some brown spots.