ANTILLES ST. DOMINGUE – Au nom de l’empereur des français. Brevet de Lieutenant.

Printed form from the ‘Armée de Saint-Domingue’, granting ‘in the name of the Emperor of the French’ the brevet of Lieutenant to Achille Coquerel, giving details of his services, campaigns, actions and injuries.

Achille Coquerel was born on 15 January 1779 in Gournai (Seine et Oise) and joined the Hussar regiment on 18 August 1798 (1 Fructidor year 6) where he made a career and obtained this promotion to the rank of second lieutenant on 1 January 1809. He took part in the Italian campaigns and was stationed in Saint-Domingue from year 10 (1801) onwards where he was wounded by a rifle shot ‘at the Morne Noir affair’. The word ‘morne’ is a Creole word from the French West Indies and means ‘hill’.

The brevet is signed ‘Barquer’ and dated 1 February 1809, specifying that Achille Coquerel replaced Lieutenant Docet, who had been promoted to the rank of Adjudant Major. The document was must registered in Santo Domingo on 26 February 1809 by the ‘Commissaire de Marine’ Bailly.

Fine condition.