1860 (24 Sep) cover to Captain Canel of Voltigeurs 1st Battalion,
102me Infantry Ligne, Corp Expedition de Chine The cover was sent
from
1860 (24 Sep) cover to Captain Canel of Voltigeurs 1st Battalion,
102me Infantry Ligne, Corp Expedition de Chine The cover was sent
from Nantes, France to Monsieur Canel, Captain of the 1st Field
Battalion of 102 Regiment Infantry of French Expeditionary Force in
China. The French 102 Regiment Infantry has participated in the
important Third Battle of Taku Forts and Battle of Palikao 八里橋之戰in
Aug – Sept 1860, which determined direct penetration to Beijing. At
the time of sending this cover, it was right about the time of the
Battle of Palikao (21 Sept 1860) and the Imperial forces were
defeated by the Anglo-French expeditions, forcing the Imperial
Government to sign the Convention of Peking when the cover arrived
in China in Nov 1860. Route: Nantes, France to Voltigeurs 1
Battalion 102me Infantry Ligne / Corp Exp. Chine via Marseilles
Rate: France Napoleon 20c x 2 canceled by lozange chiffre Marking:
Nantes cds (24 Sept 1860), Lyon A Marseilles cds (26 Sept 1860),
boxed “PD” in red color
1860年9月24日 法國南特寄往中國法軍遠征隊第102步兵團之信封 寄至中國參與八里橋戰役及攻入北京的法軍主力部隊軍官 Canel
上尉。此信於1860年9月24日由法國南特（Nantes）寄出，收件人為Canel
上尉，隸屬於法國遠征軍第102步兵團第一野戰營（Voltigeurs）。該部隊為第二次鴉片戰爭期間法軍核心作戰單位，參與了1860年8月的第三次大沽口戰役與9月21日的八里橋戰役（Battle
of Palikao），兩役皆為聯軍攻佔北京的關鍵戰事。
此信寄出時正值八里橋戰役爆發之際，當信件於11月抵達中國時，清廷已於聯軍壓境下簽署《北京條約》，結束第二次鴉片戰爭。歷史與郵政意義在於（1）此件郵品與第二次鴉片戰爭最關鍵戰役時點同步，直接對應聯軍取勝與清廷議和之重要歷史節點。（2）寄往駐中法軍的實戰部隊軍官（Canel上尉），反映戰時郵政網絡與法軍戰地通訊真實情境。（3）為研究法軍在華軍事部署、作戰節奏與戰地郵件運作的稀有郵品。本封信寄達正值中法英三方重新劃定外交與通商條件之歷史時刻，具高度象徵意義。
