WAR OF 1870. Manuscript, Campagne 70-71. Notes et souvenirs (suite), 1871; notebook, in-12 (16.3x10.3cm), 123pages, dark green basane binding (boards slightly rubbed). Interesting diary of an anonymous soldier. It begins on December 7, 1870, at the bivouac in Argent-sur-Sauldre (Cher), and ends on January 14, 1871, on arrival at Saulnot (Haute-Saône). The text, in cursive but legible handwriting, has been crossed out in blue pencil up to p. 85. Each page contains a short summary that has been overwritten, perpendicular to the text. The author describes his regiment's departure from Argent-sur-Sauldre, then the journey to Bourges (Cher), with reconnaissance at Presly-le-Chétif. Arrival in Bourges on the 8th, followed by a camp at Allogny, a few kilometers to the north. On the 14th, the narrator leaves his regiment to join the staff of the 20th Corps under General Crouzat (immediately replaced by General Clinchant), as part of the Army of the East commanded by General Bourbaki. The 20th Corps left Bourges the following day. Arriving in Nevers (Nièvre) on December 20, the author travels by train with the troops, arriving the next day in Chalon-sur-Saône (Saône-et-Loire), then Dole (Jura) on December 31 and Besançon (Doubs) on January 3, 1871. The army then moved on to Vesoul, and on January 9, 1871, faced Prussian troops at Villersexel (Haute-Saône). This battle, won by the French, is described on pp. 98-111. The next stages are Saint-Ferjeux on January 11, Vellechevreux on January 13 and Saulnot the following day. The story ends on January 14, shortly before the battle of Héricourt (Haute-Saône), which takes place from January 15 to 17. We quote two excerpts: "In the morning, we set off with the general, the provost marshal, Varaigne, etc. The weather is superb. The weather was superb. We walk along the column. We pass in the middle of the 3rd Zouaves during the halt. Clinchant stopped and chatted cheerfully with several of the former Zouaves who had known him as a colonel in Mexico [...] I was taken on a few errands along the column. I join the general, and after passing a village, we see an officer from the Vosges who had stopped in the village, letting his company go without him. The general had his name taken by the provost marshal, and gave him a severe reprimand on the road [...] On arriving at Avord, Colonel Varaigne sent me to carry an order to General de Polignac, telling him to billet himself if necessary in a small village near Avord, and in a château not far away" (Entre Bourges et Nevers, December 18, 1870, pp. 33-34). "I ride with General [Billot]. We pass through 2 villages, and on the road to Esprels, the engineer commander stops, and sees an imperceptible white smoke ahead of us: everyone stops; I can't see a thing, but all trained eyes say it's cannon smoke: Billot agrees, and jabs his head in the air, saying: it's Clinchant who's engaged, at last! [...]. After a few kilometers, the sound of cannon fire becomes perceptible. We arrive at Esprels, where we have guns firing, 2000 m from the village [...] On the right, we hear cannon and see smoke in the direction of Villersexel [...] I see a few shells being fired at Prussians ahead of us on the left, and they disappear. The fighting continues on the Villersexel side. On the right, we see our skirmishers moving forward, and the shooting begins"... (near Villersexel, January 9 1871, pp. 99-103). [Formed in Bourges in December 1870, the Army of the East's objective was to liberate Belfort, where Colonel Denfert-Rochereau and his troops were trapped. This attempt failed, and in February 1871, after laying down their arms, the Armée de l'Est was interned in Switzerland].