Page 26 - Delcampe Collections classiques EN-004

Stamps

In his book, among the very beautiful viated form, failing which an unequi-
letters featured, Maurice Boule pre- vocal term (for example “troops” in the
sents the army postmarks. Netherlands) was used to inform the
During the Italian campaign, the postal and other services which speci-
General-in-Chief organised how the post fic military tariffs were applicable. Post-
office was run down to the smallest de- marks were also used to show where
tails, which revealed his innate sense of they were added and in order to differen-
organisation in all fields, as evidenced tiate between them, if necessary (mana-
during the consular and imperial pe- gement of returns, déboursés and ac-
riods. counting, etc.). Each office was unique.
The First Consul created the In order to identify it with certainty, large
“Government Couriers” on 12 October armies could mention the number of a
1802, which were reserved for official corps, division, etc. This was no longer
correspondence only and replaced by the case in the Grande Armée or other
the “Estafettes” who travelled across armies, where numbers seem to have
Europe from Lisbon to Moscow during been randomly allocated. In principle,
the 10 years of the Empire. each office had three postmarks:
There were two types of mail: stan- • One for ports dus (PD, postage due);
dard and special mail. The first cate- • One for ports payés (PP, postage paid);
gory included all routine letters. The • One for déboursés (DB).
second category (special delivery) was On page 96, this letter bears the army
primarily used by army staff, generals, postmark.
intendants-general and commissaires- Mainz, 25 November 1806, pos-
ordonnateurs for service letters… tage paid. Letter from Christiana
In line with civilian post office practices, Destournelles to her husband, lieute-
origin, postage due and postage paid nant of the guides-interpreters at the
marks were marked exclusively on the Emperor’s headquarters. (Philatelic col-
front of letters. They almost always in- lection of H.S.H Prince Albert II of Mo-
clude the word “Army” in full or abbre- naco)

26 Delcampe Magazine