Original Department of War vellum document, signed ‘Bonaparte’, as First Consul of the French Republic, appointing Armand Philippon Chef de 87ieme demi Brigade infanterie. Dated St Cloud, 12 vendemiaire de l’an Douze (5 October 1803)

Autograph signature on Department of War vellum document, signed ‘Bonaparte’, as First Consul of the French Republic, appointing Armand Philippon Chef de 87ieme demi Brigade infanterie. St Cloud, 12 vendemiaire de l’an Douze (5 October 1803). 40 x 27 cm. Printed document, engraved vignette completed in manuscript, paper seal, ink faded, signed by Bonaparte, Minister of War Alexander Berthier and by Secretary of State Hughes Joseph Maret. With extensive details of Philippon’s service and injuires. Having enlisted as a private soldier, Philippon was transferred to the Army of the West in Year IV (1795-1796), then posted to the Army of the Danube in Year VII (1798-1799). * Charles Mullié in his 1851 Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850 states that Phillipon was given command of the 87th demi-Brigade in the Year VII and the years IX-XI (1800-1803) were spent campaigning in Grisons, Valais, Switzerland and Italy, and that in October 1803 he became Colonel of the 54th Line regiment. * Our document, however, clearly shows that Philippon did not officially become ‘Chef de demi-Brigade’ until 1803. Philippon rose to the rank of Général de Division during the Peninsular War. He was created a Baron in 1809.