Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
'I believe it also; but go and make the last effort with the Minister
of Marine.' I went off immediately to M. Decres. He was in bed, and
listened to me with an indifference that made my blood boil. He said to
me, 'I am only a Minister. Go to Fouché; speak to the Government. As for
me, I can do nothing. Good-night.' And so saying he covered himself up
again in his blankets. I left him; but I could not succeed in speaking
either to Fouché or to any of the others. It was two o'clock in the
morning when I returned to Malmaison; the Emperor was in bed. I was
admitted to his chamber, where I gave him an account of the result of
my mission, and renewed my entreaties. He listened to me, but made no
answer. He got up, however, and spent a part of the night in walking up
and down the room.
"The following day was the last of that sad drama. The Emperor had gone
to bed again, and slept a few hours. I entered his cabinet at about
twelve o'clock. 'If I had known you were here,' he said, 'I would have
had you called in.' He then gave me, on a subject that interested him
personally, some instructions which it is needless for me to repeat.
Soon after I left him, full of anxiety respecting his fate, my heart
oppressed with grief, but still far from suspecting the extent to which
both the rigour of fortune and the cruelty of his enemies would be
carried."
All the morning of the 29th of June the great road from St. Germain
rung with the cries of "Vive l'Empereur!" proceeding from the troops who
passed under the walls of Malmaison. About mid-day General Becker, sent
by the Provisional Government, arrived. He had been appointed to attend
Napoleon. Fouché knew that General Becker had grievances against the
Emperor, and thought to find in him willing agent. He was greatly
deceived, for the General paid to the Emperor a degree of respect highly
to his honour. Time now became pressing. The Emperor, at the moment of
departure, sent a message by General Becker himself to the Provisional
Government, offering to march as a private citizen at the head of the
troops. He promised to repulse Blücher, and afterwards to continue
his route. Upon the refusal of the Provisional Government he quitted
Malmaison on the 29th. Napoleon and part of his suite took the road to
Rochefort. He slept at Rambouillet on the 29th of June, on the 30th at
Tours, on the 1st of July he arrived at Niort, and on the 3d reached
Rochefort, on the western coast of France, with the intention of
escaping to America; but the whole western seaboard was so vigilantly
watched by British men-of-war that, after various plans and devices,
he was obliged to abandon the attempt in despair. He was lodged at the
house of the prefect, at the balcony of which he occasionally showed
himself to acknowledge the acclamations of the people.
During his stay here a French naval officer, commanding a Danish
merchant vessel, generously offered to some of Napoleon's adherents to
further his escape. He proposed to take Napoleon alone, and undertook
to conceal his person so effectually as to defy the most rigid scrutiny,
and offered to sail immediately to the United States of America. He
required no other compensation than a small sum to indemnify the owners
of his ship for the loss this enterprise might occasion them. This was
agreed to by Bertrand upon certain stipulations.
On the evening of the 8th of July Napoleon reached Fouras, receiving
everywhere testimonies of attachment. He proceeded on board the Saale,
one of the two frigates appointed by the Provisional Government to
convey him to the United States, and slept on board that night. Very
early on the following morning he visited the fortifications of that
place, and returned to the frigate for dinner. On the evening of the
9th of July he despatched Count Las Cases and the Duke of Rovigo to
the commander of the English squadron, for the purpose of ascertaining
whether the passports promised by the Provisional Government to enable
him to proceed to America had been received. A negative answer was
returned; it was at the same time signified that the Emperor would be
attacked by the English squadron if he attempted to sail under a flag of
truce, and it was intimated that every neutral vessel would be examined,
and probably sent into an English port. Las Cases affirms that Napoleon
was recommended to proceed to England by Captain Maitland, who assured
him that he would experience no ill-treatment there. The English ship
'Bellerophon' then anchored in the Basque roads, within sight of the
French vessels of war. The coast being, as we have stated, entirely
blockaded by the English squadron, the Emperor was undecided as to the
course he should pursue. Neutral vessels and 'chasse-marees', manned by
young naval officers, were proposed, and many other plans were devised.
Napoleon disembarked on the 12th at the Isle of Aix with acclamations
ringing on every side. He had quitted the frigates because they refused
to sail, owing either to the weakness of character of the commandant,
or in consequence of his receiving fresh orders from the Provisional
Government. Many persons thought that the enterprise might be undertaken
with some probability of success; the wind, however, remained constantly
in the wrong quarter.
Las Cases returned to the Bellerophon at four o'clock in the morning
of the 14th, to inquire whether any reply had been received to the
communication made by Napoleon. Captain Maitland stated that he expected
to receive it every moment, and added that, if the Emperor would then
embark for England, he was authorized to convey him thither. He added,
moreover, that in his own opinion, and many other officers present
concurred with him, he had no doubt Napoleon would be treated in England
with all-possible attention and respect; that in England neither
the King nor Ministers exercised the same arbitrary power as on the
Continent; that the English indeed possessed generosity of sentiment and
a liberality of opinions superior even to those of the King. Las Cases
replied that he would make Napoleon acquainted with Captain Maitland's
offer, and added, that he thought the Emperor would not hesitate to
proceed to England, so as to be able to continue his voyage to the
United States. He described France, south of the Loire, to be in
commotion, the hopes of the people resting on Napoleon as long as he was
present; the propositions everywhere made to him, and at every moment;
his decided resolution not to become the pretext of a civil war; the
generosity he had exhibited in abdicating, in order to render the
conclusion of a peace more practicable; and his settled determination
to banish himself, in order to render that peace more prompt and more
lasting.
The messengers returned to their Master, who, after some doubt and
hesitation, despatched General Gourgaud with the following well-known
letter to the Prince Regent:--
ROCHEFORT, 13th July 1815.
ROYAL HIGHNESS--A victim to the factions which divide my country,
and to the hostility of the greatest Powers of Europe, I have
terminated my political career, and come, like Themistocles, to
share the hospitality of the British people. I place myself under
the protection of their laws, and I claim that from your Royal
Highness as the most powerful, the most constant, and the most
generous of my enemies.
(Signed) NAPOLEON.
About four P.M. Las Cases and Savory returned to the 'Bellerophon',
where they had a long conversation with Captain Maitland, in the
presence of Captains Sartorius and Gambler, who both declare that
Maitland repeatedly warned Napoleon's adherents not to entertain the
remotest idea that he was enabled to offer any pledge whatever to their
Master beyond the simple assurance that he would convey him in safety
to the English coast, there to await the determination of the British
Government.
Napoleon had begun to prepare for his embarkation before daylight on the
15th. It was time that he did so, for a messenger charged with orders to
arrest him had already arrived at Rochefort from the new Government. The
execution of this order was delayed by General Becker for a few hours
in order to allow Napoleon sufficient time to escape. At daybreak, he
quitted the 'Epervier', and was enthusiastically cheered by the ship's
company so long as the boat was within hearing. Soon after six he was
received on board the 'Bellerophon' with respectful silence, but without
those honours generally paid to persons of high rank. Bonaparte was
dressed in the uniform of the 'chasseurs a cheval' of the Imperial
Guard, and wore the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour.
On entering the vessel he took off his hat, and addressing Captain
Maitland, said, "I am come to throw myself on the protection of the laws
of England." Napoleon's manner was well calculated to make a favourable
impression on those with whom he conversed. He requested to be
introduced to the officers of the ship, and put various questions to
each. He then went round the ship, although he was informed that the men
were cleaning and scouring, and remarked upon anything which struck
him as differing from what he had seen on French vessels. The clean
appearance of the men surprised him. "He then observed," says Captain
Maitland, to whose interesting narrative we refer, "'I can see no
sufficient reason why your ships should beat the French ones with so
much ease. The finest men-of-war in your service are French; a French
ship is heavier in every respect than one of yours; she carries more
guns, and those guns are of a larger calibre, and she has a great
many more men.'" His inquiries, which were minute, proved that he had
directed much attention to the French navy.
On the first morning Napoleon took breakfast in the English fashion,
but observing that his distinguished prisoner did not eat much, Captain
Maitland gave direction that for the future a hot breakfast should be
served up after the French manner. 'The Superb', the Admiral's ship,
which had been seen in the morning, was now approaching. Immediately on
her anchoring Captain Maitland went on board to give an account of all
that had happened, and received the Admiral's approbation of what he
had done. In the afternoon Admiral Sir Henry Hotham was introduced to
Napoleon, and invited by him to dinner. This was arranged, in order to
make it more agreeable to him, by Bonaparte's maitre d'hotel. On dinner
being announced Napoleon led the way, and seated himself in the centre
at one side of the table, desiring Sir Henry Hotham to take the seat
on his right, and Madame Bertrand that on his left hand. On this day
Captain Maitland took his seat at the end of the table, but on the
following day, by Napoleon's request, he placed himself on his right
hand, whilst General Bertrand took the top. Two of the ship's officers
dined with the Emperor daily, by express invitation. The conversation
of Napoleon was animated. He made many inquiries as to the family and
connections of Captain Maitland, and in alluding to Lord Lauderdale, who
was sent as ambassador to Paris during the administration of Mr. Fox,
paid that nobleman some compliments and said of the then Premier, "Had
Mr. Fox lived it never would have come to this; but his death put an end
to all hopes of peace."
On one occasion he ordered his camp-bed to be displayed for the
inspection of the English officers. In two small leather packages were
comprised the couch of the once mighty ruler of the Continent. The steel
bedstead which, when folded up, was only two feet long, and eighteen
inches wide, occupied one case, while the other contained the mattress
and curtains. The whole was so contrived as to be ready for use in three
minutes.