A superb military study manuscript entitled "Winter Work of the Officers of the 3rd Battalion – Marching Tactics ," produced within the 161st Infantry Regiment in Saint-Mihiel between 1898 and 1899. This large-format register, entirely handwritten in black and red ink, presents the theoretical works and practical applications written by three officers: Captain Gervraud, Lieutenant Boyé, and Second Lieutenant Hostalot. It contains a methodical study of the principles of field tactics, column protection, the conduct of advance guards, and battalion maneuvers. The handwriting, remarkably regular, demonstrates an almost academic rigor. Bound in two-tone yellow and ivory cardboard, with a contemporary handwritten label on the front cover.
✦ Provenance: 161st Infantry Regiment, France ✦ Estimated period: 1898–1899 ✦ Dimensions: 33.5 × 22.5 cm ✦ Contents: 47 handwritten pages in black and red ink ✦ Material: cloth-backed register, original cover ✦ Condition: Good overall condition, rubbed corners, minor wear to the spine, clean and legible interior
A fine example of late 19th-century military teaching – ideal for a collector of military manuscripts, a museum or library of strategic history.
