Eylau: Precis Des Travaux de la Grande Armée
Capitulation of Breslau: January 5, 1807
Articles for the capitulation of Breslau, agreed between Mr. the major general Hédouville, senator, first chamberlain of H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon, head of staff of the allies, grand-officer of the Legion of honor, and decorated with the grand-ribbon of Bade, and Mr. the major general Vandamme, grand-officer, decorated with the grand-ribbon of the Legion of honor; both provided with full-authority of H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon, commanding as head of the allied troops of H. M. the Emperor Napoleon, on the one hand;
And H. Exc. Mr. the lieutenant-General von Thile, governor of Breslau, head of a regiment of infantry and knight of the Order of Merit, and Mr. major general von Krafft, commander of Breslau, on the other.
Art. 1st. The place of Breslau will be surrendered to the French and allied troops of H. M. the Emperor Napoleon, the day after tomorrow the 6th of the current.
II. All that belongs to the fortress, artillery ammunition of war, weapons, plans and stores of any species, will accurately be given into the hands of the officers that H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon will indicate to come to take possession of it, and to draw up an oral report of them.
III. The garrison will be captive of war; it will defile in front of the troops of the siege, the 7th, at ten oclock in the morning, flags deployed, lit wick, and will lay down their weapons in front of them; the non-commissioned officers and soldiers will preserve their haversacks.
IV. The foresters and gamekeepers who were summoned to provide their service in the place of chasseurs will obtain permission to return to their premises, provided that they give their word to no longer take up weapons against the troops of H. M. the Emperor and his allies. The supervisors of the workmen employed within the fortifications will remain temporarily in their positions.
V. The officers will preserve their swords, horses and luggage, and will be free to withdraw themselves to where it will seem good to them, after however having signed their word of honor not to serve against the troops of H. M. the Emperor Napoleon or his allies, until peace or their exchange; the same favor will be granted the sergeant-majors, to color-bearers and sergeants of the cavalry. It moreover will be granted to the officers a soldier for each one of themto act as servant, and finally they will be treated just like the officers included in the capitulation of Magdeburg.
VI. The married non-commissioned officers and soldier, as well as the invalids, will have permission to return to their premises with their families, and will also be treated in accordance with article VIII of the capitulation of Magdeburg.
VII. H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon promises protection, in the name of his sovereign, to any species of religion, which the habitants can profess, owners and tenants of Breslau, of the whole safety for their people and particular properties of the aforesaid habitants.
The civil magistrates and employees will preserve temporarily their employment; and if they would give their resignation, they would be free to remain in the city or to go where it will seem good to them, and in this case, they will be issued passports to be able to travel in safety with their families and their effects.
The royal coffers will be given to a military or civil officer, that H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon will indicate; this officer will distribute them. The magistrates will remain agents of the amounts pertaining to private individuals.
X. The casualties and patients will be treated carefully, and the surgeons who were in charge until now, will be able to continue to remain close to them.
XI. All the ecclesiastical chapters without exception, just as all the religious and pious foundations, of whatever religion they might be, will enjoy their privileges and will be protected, even provided with safeguards if they wish some; the donation boxes belonging to the minor orphans or infants, will be also respected.
XII. H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon promises safety and protection at the university of Breslau, just as at the observatory. Its instruments both mathematical and astronomical, as well as the libraries, will be also respected.
XIII. The office of finances, like that of the regency, will be free from military billeting.
XIV. The royal buildings of the mines will remain occupied, as they are. The civil officers of this department will preserve their employment and will remain agents responsible for the two named allotments bergbau-casse and knapschatfs-casse; the first being formed by the shareholders of the mines for the maintenance of the miners, and the second, being a retirement for the same miners, to assist with their widows and orphans.
XV. H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon promises safety and protection to the general direction of all the offices established for the tickets of credit, based on the grounds of the owners of Silesia, so that their operations can continue according to their regulations.
XVI. Mr. the governor will allow for two senior officers of the engineers and artillery, indicated by H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon, to enter downtown the 6th in the morning, in order to draw up a report, jointly with the officers of the engineers and artillery of the place, of the arsenals and all the objects belonging to the fortress.
XVII. The Saint Nicolas’s gate and that at the head of the bridge of the Oder will be turned over to the allied troops of H. M. the Emperor Napoleon, the 7th, at eight o’clock in the morning.
XVIII. The city having suffered much from the bombardment, H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon promises to decrease, as much as possible, its garrison.
XIX. It will be granted to Mr. the governor a passport for his aide-de-camp, who will not be treated as a prisoner of war, so to carry the present capitulation to H. M. the king of Prussia.
XX. For all the articles not envisaged, or which could have a double interpretation, Mr. the governor can entirely rest on the generosity and the character of justice well known of H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon.
Made in duplicate, at Breslau, January 5, 1807.
Signed, VON THILE, lieutenant-General in the service of H. M. the king of Prussia, vice-governor of Breslau and knight of Merit.
Singed, KRAFFT, major general and commander, And LINDEN, major general, inspector of all the royal fortresses in Silesia and knight of the order of Merit.
Signed, D. VANDAMME, major general, grand-officer decorated with the grand-ribbon of the Legion of honor; And HÉDOUVILLE, major general, senator, first chamberlain of H. A. I. prince Jerome-Napoleon, head of staff of the army of the allies, grand-officer of the Legion of honor, and decorated with the grand-ribbon of Bade.
Certified as copy,
The major general, D. VANDAMME.
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