Author: [MANUSCRIPT - MORLOT DE WENGI, Alcibiade].
Title: Etude de diverses parties de l'art de la Guerre[France], January 1820. Small 4to (ca. 20.5 x 16 cm). With 6 hand-coloured folding illustrations, 3 full-page plates (on pp. 36, 57, and 83), 1 half-page plate (on p. 79), and numerous smaller mathematical figures, tables, and other illustrations in the text, most with grey washes and some in colour. The work is written in French in a very neat cursive hand. Contemporary half green painted sheepskin, red sprinkled paper sides.
Description: 151, [152-155 blank] pp.Striking early-19th-century manuscript study of a selection of important aspects of warfare, including fortifications, written by a French sub-lieutenant with the General Staff of the French army during the Second Bourbon Restauration under King Louis XVIII (1755-1824), serving in January 1802 as "aide major" to the second regiment of mounted grenadiers of the guard. The author of the present manuscript was most likely Alcibiade Morlot de Wengi. He was born in Dijon in 1799 and in 1834 he married Augustine Françoise Smith (1805-1858), with whom he had a son called Ulric Napoléon (1835-1890). Furthermore, it is known that he was a "Colonel d'état-major" in 1853 and he died in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1857.As aide major to the second regiment of mounted grenadiers, Morlot de Wengi was responsible for supporting the major of a heavy cavalry regiment, the specially trained horse-mounted soldiers who led vanguard assaults such as storming fortifications in the course of siege warfare. Thus, it was essential that he had expert knowledge of all aspects of warfare and especially of military engineering. It is not surprising that these subjects make up the majority of the contents of the present manuscript. The first chapter on general principles and definitions is followed by sections on fortification, the workings of a compass, general principles of mechanics and its military use, military hydrostatics, including the construction of a "flying" or floating bridge (pont volant), constructing a balloon, cosmography and geography, and artillery and the path of the projectiles.With a small contemporary inscription on the front pastedown ("Auguste l'ami du cour[!] ..."), the title has been written on the recto of the first free flyleaf along with the following note about the author: "de Wengy S. lieutenant au Corps Royal d'Etat-major aide Major au 2eme Régiment de Grenadiers à cheval de la garde. Janvier 1820". The edges and corners of the boards are worn, the boards are rubbed and slightly stained, the front hinge and joint are weakened without any loss. Internally fine and clean. A very neat and beautifully illustrated manuscript fortification study by a 19th-century French officer.l Cf. for the author see: https://gw.geneanet.org/pierfit?lang=en&p=alcibiade&n=morlot+de+wengi.

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