Summary

Medal Levee du Camp de Boulogne, 'Camp at Boulogne Raised', Issued by France, 1805
Artist: Jean Pierre Droz and Nicholas Guy Antoine Brenet
Minted by Paris Mint

Obverse Description

Laureate head of Napoleon facing right, around, NAPOLEON EMP. ET ROI.; on neck truncation in small lettering, ANDRIEU F.

Reverse Description

Grand chair of state, over which lies the imperial robe; the French eagle stands in the front, and the sceptre of royalty reclines on the arm of the chair; above, the forked thunderbolt of Jove; around, L'EMPEREUR COMMANDE LA GRANDE ARMEE.; in exergue, LEVEE DU CAMP DE BOULOGNE LE XXIV. / AQUT MDCCCV. / PASSAGE DU RHIN LE XXV SEPERE. / MDCCCV; on exergue line, BRENET.F DENON D.

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

"Napoleon, after the grand exhibition at Boulogne, which the medal, No. XXXV, commemorates, found it necessary to transfer the camps from the sea to the banks of the Rhine, the Inn, and the Danube, and the camp of the grand army, designated of England, consisting of above 200,000 men, which were to be transported over to England in one night, by means of a flotilla of 1500 vessels, escorted by sixty ships of the line, were now destined to other quarters; on the 4th of August, orders were issued for the camp to break up ; and on the 25th of September following, they passed the Rhine in six divisions, rapidly advancing towards the scene of action. On the 30th of September, the park of artillery passed the Rhine at Khel, and advanced towards Heilbrun. The main body being on the German side of the Rhine, Napoleon issued a proclamation to the troops, in which he says that the Austrians have passed the Inn, and driven his ally from his capital: that they have passed the Rhine, and will not again make peace without a sufficient guarantee. Their Emperor is in the midst of them, they are only the advanced guard of a great people, who, if it were necessary, would all rise at his voice to dissolve this new league; they have much to do, but they will take no rest till they have planted their eagles on the territories of their enemies.
In a note of Talleyrand to the Count Cobentzel, he says that his Majesty hoped that Austria would observe the strictest neutrality; but that the movements of troops, and other hostile dispositions, make him demand a speedy explanation. He is compelled to postpone his projects against England; and thus Austria had made a great diversion in favour of that kingdom." Laskey p. 93-94

Note: Originally this issue seems to have been produced with the obverse die by Droz. However that die cracked (visable on this medal) and was replaced by an obverse by Andrieu which was the medal described by Laskey.

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