Napoleon at St. Helena Volume 1 of 2

NAPOLEON AT ST. HELENA VOLUME 1 OF 2

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Barry O’Meara

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE COMPANIONS OF NAPOLEON

IN HIS CAPTIVITY

CHAPTER I.1815

CHAPTER II.1816

CHAPTER III.1817

Napoleon at St. Helena Volume 1 of 2

By Barry O’Meara

THE COMPANIONS OF NAPOLEON

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IN HIS CAPTIVITY

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IT MAY BE INTERESTING TO prefix to these volumes a very brief account of the antecedents of the men with whom Napoleon was brought into daily and intimate intercourse over several years, and had it been possible one could have wished to have supplemented it by some account of their personal characteristics.

It was fitting that the Emperor should have around him companions who had shared in nearly all his campaigns, and many must have been the reminiscences of the past recalled at table. First in alphabetical order is

Henri Gratien BERTRAND General and Count

born at Chateauroux (Indre) March 28, 1773, defended Louis XVI. as one of the National Guard on August 10, 1792, went to Egypt in 1798, took part subsequently in the battles of Austerlitz, Friedland, Wagram, the vicissitudes of the Russian Campaign, succeeded Duroc as Grand Marshal of the Palace, was present at Leipsic and during the arduous campaign of France in the following year. Attended the Emperor to Elba in 1814, and again to St. Helena in 1815. In apparent forgetfulness of his services in 1792 he was condemned to death by the Bourbons in 1816, but received permission in 1821, after closing the eyes of Napoleon, to return to France, and was ultimately reinstated in his rank. Bertrand died January 31, 1844. Napoleon dictated to him when at St. Helena the Campagne d’Egypte et Syrie, which was published after Count Bertrand’s death by his sons in 1847. One is able to infer one phase of Bertrand’s character from a passage in the Biog. Univer., ‘Le Baron Gourgaud n’avait pas, il est vrai, la modestie de Bertrand, et faisait assez grand bruit de sa fidelity’—and his disinterestedness from his loyalty to two monarchs in their misfortunes.

Gaspard gourgaud General and Baron

just alluded to, follows next. His claims for services and his double rescue of the Emperor’s life redeem him from the charge of gasconading. He was born at Versailles September 14, 1783, and entered the artillery school at Chalons at the age of fifteen. He was first attached to the camp at Boulogne, and was initiated into actual warfare under the dashing and gallant Lannes. He distinguished himself at the passage of the Bridge of Thabor, at Austerlitz, Friedland, the investment of Saragossa, Eckmuhl, Essling, and Wagrani. In the Russian Campaign he was directly under the superintendence of .Napoleon, il n’agissait que par ordre, et sous les yeux de I’Empereur, and though he was wounded at Smolensko, he did not return to France, but was present at the burning of Moscow, where he helped to save the Emperor’s life imperiled by the explosion of a magazine, and to mitigate, however slightly, the horrors of the French retreat from Russia by plunging on horseback into the icy waves of the Beresina to seek a ford for the troops. General Gourgaud was present with the Eagles also at Lutzen, Bautzen, and Wurzchen, and by his reconnoitering contributed valuable information to Napoleon leading to the victory at Dresden. In the campaign of 1814 he saved the Emperor’s life when attacked by Cossacks, and received as his guerdon no less heirloom than the sword worn by Napoleon at Areola, Lodi, and Rivoli. He was well received on account of his brilliant career by Louis XVIII in 1814, but shared the fortunes of his former master at Fleurus and Waterloo in 1815, and accompanied him to St. Helena in the same year. He returned to France March 20, 1821, just before the Emperor’s death, and subsequently co-operated with Montholon in the publication of Memoirs of France under Napoleon. In 1822 he married a daughter of Count Roederer, in 1825 fought a duel with Count Segur, and in 1827 he was engaged in an animated controversy with Sir Walter Scott. He died July 25, 1852.

Emmanuel Augustin Dieudonn Martin Joseph, LAS CASES, Count and Marquis

was born at Chateau Las Cases in 1766, and was educated at Vendome College. He entered the Royal Navy, was present at the siege of Gibraltar and the naval combat at Cadiz in 1782, and saw many parts of the world during his services afloat. After the outbreak of the great revolution he emigrated to England in 1790, and took part in the Royalist expeditions to Quiberon, etc. In 1802 he published under the nom-de-guerre of Le Sage his celebrated Atlas. He came back to France at the time of the Amnesty, and in 1808 was made one of the Chamberlains to Napoleon. In 1809 he served as a Volunteer at Flushing, when Antwerp was threatened by the English, and in the following year was placed in charge of Maritime affairs in the Kingdom of Holland. In 1811 the finances of Illyria and control of the Public Debt were entrusted to him. The Battle of Paris in 1814 found him enrolled among the National Guard, and in the same year he again returned to England. Present in France during the Cent Jours, he accompanied Napoleon to St. Helena. He was arrested there by Sir Hudson Lowe, November 27, 1816, and detained a prisoner for eight months at the Cape of Good Hope. He afterwards returned to Europe, and was placed for some time under surveillance at Frankfurt on Main. He died May 15, 1842. His son, Emmanuel Pons Dieudonn Las Cases, born June 8, 1800, was at St. Helena with Napoleon and his father, and returned there in 1840 with the Prince de Joinville when the body of the Emperor was brought back to France. He took part in politics and matters affecting the Colonies and Marine, and is chiefly remembered by his attack upon Sir Hudson Lowe in London. He died July 8, 1854.

Charles Tristan MONTHOLON, General, Count, AND Marquis

was born at Paris July 21, 1783, entered the Royal Army in a dragoon regiment, but, on the outbreak of the Revolution, was transferred to the Navy. Took part in the Expedition to Sardinia in 1797, after which he reverted to his former profession and was posted to an engineer corps. He served under General Championnet, took share in the campaigns of Italy and Holland, and afterwards made aide-de-camp to Generals Augereau and Macdonald. Montholon was present in the battles in Germany and in Poland in 1805, 1806, 1807, and was dangerously wounded at Jena. In 1808 he was sent to Spain, but in 1809 he was engaged at Eckmuhl and Wagram, and in 1814 was on service in the Campaign of France. In 1811 he was employed by Napoleon as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Grand Duke of Wurzburg for several years. He was aide-de-camp to the Emperor in the Waterloo Campaign, and accompanied him to St. Helena, and was appointed one of Napoleon’s executors. He published in 1823 and succeeding years a History of France under Napoleon, and renewed later on his allegiance to Prince Louis Napoleon, whom he accompanied to Boulogne and Strasbourg, and whose captivity he shared at Ham.

In later years he is said to have dissipated the fortune left to him by the terms of Napoleon’s will, and he died on August 22, 1853.

DR. O’MEARA’S DIARY

CHAPTER I.1815

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IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE RESOLUTION adopted by the British Government to send the former Sovereign of France to a distant settlement/ the Emperor Napoleon, accompanied by such of his suite as were permitted by our Government, was removed on the 7th of August 1815 from the Bellerophon to the Northumberland, Captain Ross.

The latter vessel bore the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, G.C.B., who was entrusted with the charge of conveying Napoleon to St. Helena, and of regulating all measures necessary to the security of his personal detention after his arrival at the place of his confinement. Out of the suite that had followed his fortunes on board of the globe I had served? I mentioned several, and amongst others, Egypt. At the word Egypt he commenced a series of questions, which I answered to the best of my ability. I mentioned to him that the corps of officers to which I then belonged messed in a house that had formerly served as a stable for his horses. He laughed at this, and ever afterwards noticed me when walking on deck, and occasionally called me to interpret or explain. On the passage from Rochefort to Torbay, Colonel Planat, one of his orderly officers, was taken very ill, and attended by me, as M. Maingaud was incapable, through sea-sickness, of offering any assistance. During the period of his illness. Napoleon frequently asked about him, and conversed with me on the nature of his malady and the mode of cure. After our arrival at Plymouth, General Gourgaud also was very unwell, and did me the honor to have recourse to me for advice.

All those circumstances had the effect of bringing me more in contact with Napoleon than any other officer in the ship, with the exception of Captain Maitland; and the day before the Bellerophon left Torbay, the Duke of Rovigo (Savary), with whom I was frequently in the habit of conversing, asked me if I were willing to accompany Napoleon to St. Helena as surgeon, adding, that if I were, I should receive a communication to that effect from Count Bertrand, the Grand Marechal. I replied that I had no objection, provided the British Government and my captain were willing to permit me, and also under certain conditions. I communicated this immediately to Captain Maitland, who was good enough to favor me with his advice and opinion, which were, that I ought to accept the offer, provided the sanction of Admiral Lord Keith and of the English Government could be obtained, adding, that he would mention the matter to his lordship. On our arrival at Torbay, Count Bertrand made the proposal to Captain Maitland and to myself, which was immediately communicated to Lord Keith. His lordship sent for me on board the Tonnant, and after some preliminary conversation, in which I explained the nature of the stipulations I was desirous of making, did me the honor to recommend me in strong terms to accept the situation, adding, that he could not order me to do so, as it was foreign to the naval service, and a business altogether extraordinary; but that he expressed his conviction that Government would feel obliged to me, as they were very anxious that Napoleon should be accompanied by a surgeon of his own choice. His lordship added, that it was an employment perfectly consistent with my honor, and with the duty I owed to my country and my sovereign.

Feeling highly gratified that the step which I had in contemplation had met with the approbation of characters so distinguished in the service as Admiral Lord Keith and Captain Maitland, I accepted the situation, and proceeded on board the Northumberland, stipulating, however, by letter to his lordship, that I should be always considered as a British officer, and upon the list of naval surgeons on full pay, paid by the British Government, and that I should be at liberty to quit so peculiar a service, should I find it not to be consonant with my wishes.

During the voyage, which lasted about ten weeks. Napoleon did not suffer much from seasickness after the first week. He rarely made his appearance on deck until after dinner. He breakfasted in his own cabin a la fourchette at ten or eleven o’clock, and spent a considerable portion of the day in writing and reading. Before he sat down to dinner he generally played a game at chess, and remained at that meal, in compliment to the Admiral, about an hour; at which time coffee was brought to him, and he left the company to take a walk upon deck, accompanied by Counts Bertrand or Las Cases, while the Admiral and the rest continued at table for an hour or two longer. While walking the quarterdeck, he frequently spoke to such of the officers as could understand and converse with him; and often asked Mr. Warden (the surgeon of the Northumberland) questions touching the prevailing complaints and mode of treatment of the sick. He occasionally played a game at whist, but generally retired to his cabin at nine or ten o’clock. Such was the uniform course of his life during the voyage.

The Northumberland how to off Funchal, and the Havannah frigate was sent in to procure refreshments. During the time we were off the anchorage a violent scirocco levatte prevailed, which did great mischief to the grapes. We were informed that some of the ignorant and superstitious inhabitants attributed it to the presence of Napoleon. Fourteen or fifteen hundred volumes of books were ordered from England for Napoleon’s use by Count Bertrand.

We arrived at St. Helena on the 15th of October. Nothing can be more desolate than the appearance of the exterior of the island. When we had anchored, it was expected that Napoleon would have been invited to stop at Plantation House, the country-seat of the Governor, until a house could have been got ready for him, as heretofore passengers of distinction had invariably been asked to pass the time they remained on the island there.

On the evening of the 17th, about seven o’clock, Napoleon landed at Jamestown, accompanied by the Admiral, Count and Countess Bertrand, Las Cases, Count and Countess Montholon, etc., and proceeded to a house belonging to a gentleman named Porteous, which had been taken for that purpose by the Admiral, and was one of the best in the town. It was not, however, free from inconvenience, as Napoleon could not make his appearance at the windows, or even descend from his bedchamber, without being exposed to the rude and ardent gaze of those who wished to gratify their curiosity with a sight of the imperial captive. There was no house in the town at all calculated for privacy, except the Governor’s, to which there belonged a court, and in front there was a walk upon the ramparts facing the sea, and overlooking the Marina, which proximity to the ocean probably was the cause of its not having been selected for him.

The inhabitants of the island were in very anxious expectation during the greatest part of the day to obtain a sight of the exiled Ruler when he should make his enter to the place of his confinement. Numbers of persons of every description crowded the Marina, the street, and the houses by which he was to pass, in the eager hope of catching a glimpse of him. The expectations of most of them were, however, disappointed, as he did not land till after sunset, at which time the majority of the islanders, tired of waiting, and supposing that his landing was deferred until the following morning, had retired to their homes. It was also at this time nearly impossible to recognize his person in the dusk.

Counts Bertrand and Montholon, with their ladies. Count Las Cases and son, General Gourgaud, and myself, were also accommodated in Mr. Porteous’s house.

The Briars is the name of an estate picturesquely situated about a mile and a half from Jamestown, comprising a few acres of highly-cultivated land, excellent fruit and kitchen-gardens, plentifully supplied with water, adorned with many delightful shady walks, and long celebrated for the genuine old English hospitality of the proprietor, Mr. Balcombe. About twenty yards from the dwelling-house stood a little pavilion, consisting of one good room on the ground-floor and two garrets, which Napoleon, not willing to cause any inconvenience to the family of his host, selected for his abode. In the lower room his camp-bed was put up, and in this room he ate, slept, read, and also dictated the records of a portion of his eventful life. Las Cases and his son were accommodated in one of the garrets above, and Napoleon’s premier valet de chamber and others of his household slept in the other and upon the floor in the little hall opposite the entrance of the lower room. At first his dinner was sent ready cooked from the town, but afterwards Mr. Balcombe found means to get a kitchen fitted up for his use. The accommodation was so insufficient that Napoleon frequently good-naturedly walked out after he had finished his dinner, in order to allow his domestics an opportunity of eating theirs in the room which he had just quitted.

Mr. Balcombe’s family consisted of his wife, two daughters, one about twelve and the other fifteen years of age, and two boys of five or six. The young ladies spoke French fluently, and Napoleon frequently drop in to play a rubber of whist or hold a little conversazione. On one occasion he indulged them by participating in a game of blind man’s-buff, very much to the amusement of the young ladies. Nothing was left undone by this worthy family that could contribute to lessen the inconveniences of his situation. A Captain of Artillery resided at the Briars as orderly officer; and at first a Sergeant and some soldiers were also stationed there as