"THE EMPEROR DOES NOT LIKE HIS GENERALS-IN-CHIEF TO MAKE THESE KINDS OF REQUESTS...". DAVOUT (Louis-Nicolas). Autograph letter signed to his wife Aimée Leclerc. Skierniewice [between Łódź and Warsaw], 1 March [1808] with date stamp of 15 March 1808. 2 pp. in-4, address on back, remnant of red wax seal on shield bearing his initials placed on marshal's batons, red postal mark "n° 43. grande-armée"; 2 tears with missing pieces on address leaf due to opening without affecting text. "I had asked General Hullin [Pierre-Augustin Hulin, commander of Berlin] to send you from Berlin two trunks, two small boxes, all containing maps. This general informed me at the time that he had sent you everything as well as a trunk of maps belonging to Alexandre [General Alexandre Davout, brother and aide-de-camp of the Marshal]. You did not... let me know if you had received these objects. If they have not reached you, as there are some very precious maps, I would ask you to speak to General Hulin so that he can make enquiries and claim these boxes wherever they can be found. I received your little letter of the 16th this morning, my dear Aimée. You will have seen from my letters, which predate even the reply you were impatiently awaiting, that I wanted our reunion no less than you did. Now that the reasons preventing it no longer exist, I would ask you to ask the Emperor for leave... I hope you did not wait for my reply to your letter of the 15th to make this request. I would point out to you, my very good friend, that it is more appropriate for you to ask for this leave yourself. The Emperor does not like his generals-in-chief to make these kinds of requests. I beg you, my dear friend, not to give in to discouragement and not to be guilty of doubting my feelings, they are as strong as they have ever been and only my esteem has increased and may increase with time, but not my feelings which will never change. Take care of your health, it is precious to me. With the cold we've been having for the last fortnight, I don't regret having prevented you from making the trip. How would you stand a cold of -24 degrees Réaumur [30 degrees Celsius below zero]? How would our Joséphine [their eldest daughter, born in 1804] stand it? I am in perfect health and fear neither cold nor heat. A thousand caresses to our little ones, a thousand and one kisses to their excellent and beautiful mother. All yours for life. Your good husband Louis Davout". The Skierniewice palace was part of the majorate that Marshal Davout had received from Napoleon I over the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, based on the property of the former principality of Łowicz. On Marshal Davout's role in Poland and Aimée Leclerc, see no. 218 above.