To James Madison from John M. Forbes, 18 October 1806 (Abstract)
From John M. Forbes, 18 October 1806 (Abstract)
§ From John M. Forbes. 18 October 1806. “Inclosed is a Copy of my last Respects,1 Since which hostilities have commenced between France & Prussia. In the inclosed French Gazette of Yesterday You will find an incompleat translation of the King of Prussia’s manifesto against France. As far as we have here any Accounts of the different affairs, which have taken place, their Success has been various. The first was of a very trifling importance, the second was between the French and the Saxons, in which it is believed that 2000 of the latter were killed and a like number severely wounded. The Prince Louis Ferdinand, Nephew of the King, an Officer of great merit fell in this affair—a third action is reported to have taken place between Prince Hohenloe’s Army and the avant guard of Marshall Bernadotte’s Army commanded by Marshall Soult, in which the latter are believed to have been totally defeated with the loss of 14,000 Prisoners and 6000 killed, but we have not yet any official reports of either of these affairs, and therefore I can only give them as rumours, generally thought to be correct.2 I inclose a correct Copy of the Manifesto in the German language in which it was originally published.3”
RC, two copies (DNA: RG 59, CD, Hamburg, vol. 1). First RC in a clerk’s hand, signed by Forbes; docketed by Wagner.
2. Louis Ferdinand of Prussia was killed in the Battle of Saalfeld on 10 Oct. 1806. The Battle of Jena-Auerstedt followed on 14 Oct., but it was the Prussians who were decisively defeated there, not the French as Forbes reported (F. Loraine Petre, Napoleon’s Conquest of Prussia—1806 [London, 1907], 6, 92–97; Connelly et al., Historical Dictionary of Napoleonic France, 264).
3. The enclosures have not been found, but an English translation of the 9 Oct. 1806 manifesto issued by Frederick William III was published in several U.S. newspapers, including the National Intelligencer on 17, 19, and 22 Dec. 1806.