Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
Napoleon spoke in terms of high praise of the marines on duty in the
Bellerophon, and on going through their ranks exclaimed to Bertrand,
"How much might be done with a hundred thousand such soldiers as these!"
In putting them through their exercise he drew a contrast between
the charge of the bayonet as made by the English and the French, and
observed that the English method of fixing the bayonet was faulty, as
it might easily be twisted off when in close action. In visiting
Admiral Hotham's flag-ship, the 'Superb', he manifested the same active
curiosity as in former instances, and made the same minute inquiries
into everything by which he was surrounded. During breakfast one of
Napoleon's suite, Colonel Planat, was much affected, and even wept, on
witnessing the humiliation of his Master.
On the return of Bonaparte from the Superb to the 'Bellerophon' the
latter ship was got under weigh and made sail for England. When passing
within a cable's length of the 'Superb' Napoleon inquired of Captain
Maitland if he thought that distance was sufficient for action. The
reply of the English officer was characteristic; he told the Emperor
that half the distance, or even less, would suit much better. Speaking
of Sir Sidney Smith, Bonaparte repeated the anecdote connected with his
quarrel at St. Jean d'Acre with that officer, which has already been
related in one of the notes earlier in these volumes. Patting Captain
Maitland on the shoulder, he observed, that had it not been for the
English navy he would have been Emperor of the East, but that wherever
he went he was sure to find English ships in the way.
The 'Bellerophon', with Bonaparte on board, sighted the coast of England
on Sunday, the 23d of July 1815, and at daybreak on the 24th the vessel
approached Dartmouth. No sooner had the ship anchored than an order from
Loral Keith was delivered to Captain Maitland, from which the following
is an extract:
Extract of an Order from Admiral Viscount Keith, G. C. B., addressed
to Captain Maitland, of H. M. S. "Bellerophon," dated Ville de
Paris, Hamoaze, 23d July 1815.
Captain Sartorius, of His Majesty's ship 'Slaney', delivered to me
last night, at eleven o'clock, your despatch of the 14th instant,
acquainting me that Bonaparte had proposed to embark on board the
ship you command, and that you had acceded thereto, with the
intention of proceeding to Torbay, there to wait for further orders.
I lost no time in forwarding your letter by Captain Sartorius to the
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, in order that their Lordships
might, through him, be acquainted with every circumstance that had
occurred on an occasion of so much importance; and you may expect
orders from their Lordships for your further guidance. You are to
remain in Torbay until you receive such orders; and in the meantime,
in addition to the directions already in your possession, you are
most positively ordered to prevent every person whatever from coming
on board the ship you command, except the officers and men who
compose her crew; nor is any person whatever, whether in His
Majesty's service or not, who does not belong, to the ship, to be
suffered to come on board, either for the purpose of visiting the
officers, or on any pretence whatever, without express permission
either from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty or from me. As
I understand from Captain Sartorius that General Gourgaud refused to
deliver the letter with which he was charged for the Prince Regent
to any person except His Royal Highness, you are to take him out of
the 'Slaney' into the ship you command, until you receive directions
from the Admiralty on the subject, and order that ship back to
Plymouth Sound, when Captain Sartorius returns from London.
It was stated about this time, in some of the English newspapers, that
St. Helena would be the place of exile of the ex-Emperor, the bare
report of which evidently caused great pain to Napoleon and his suite.
General Gourgaud was obliged to return to the 'Bellerophon', not having
been suffered to go on shore to deliver the letter from Bonaparte to the
Prince Regent with which he had been entrusted. The ship which bore the
modern Alexander soon became a natural object of attraction to the
whole neighbourhood, and was constantly surrounded by crowds of boats.
Napoleon frequently showed himself to the people from shore with a
view of gratifying their curiosity. On the 25th of July the number of
guard-boats which surrounded the vessel was greatly increased; and the
alarm of the captives became greater as the report was strengthened as
to the intention of conveying Bonaparte to St. Helena.
In conversation with Captain Maitland, Napoleon, who seemed to be aware
that the English fishermen united the occupation of smugglers to their
usual trade; stated that many of them had been bribed by him, and
had assisted in the escape of French prisoners of war. They had even
proposed to deliver Louis XVIII. into his power, but as they would .not
answer for the safety of his life, Napoleon refused the offer. Upon the
arrival of despatches from London the 'Bellerophon' got under weigh for
Plymouth Sound on the 26th of July. This movement tended still
further to disconcert the ex-Emperor and his followers. In passing the
breakwater Bonaparte could not withhold his admiration of that work,
which he considered highly honourable to the public spirit of the
nation, and, alluding to his own improvements at Cherbourg, expressed
his apprehensions that they would now be suffered to fall into decay.
Captain Maitland was directed by Lord Keith to observe the utmost
vigilance to prevent the escape of his prisoners, and with this view
no boat was permitted to approach the Bellerophon; the 'Liffey' and
'Eurotas' were ordered to take up an anchorage on each side of the ship,
and further precautions were adopted at night.
On the 27th of July Captain Maitland proceeded to Lord Keith, taking
with him Bonaparte's original letter to the Prince Regent, which,
as General Gourgaud had not been permitted to deliver it personally,
Napoleon now desired to be transmitted through the hands of the Admiral.
As Lord Keith had now received instructions from his Government as
to the manner in which Napoleon was to be treated, he lost no time in
paying his respects to the fallen chief.
On the 31st of July the anxiously-expected order of the English
Government arrived. In this document, wherein the ex-Emperor was styled
"General Bonaparte," it was notified that he was to be exiled to St.
Helena, the place of all others most dreaded by him and his devoted
adherents. It was, moreover, specified that he might be allowed to take
with him three officers, and his surgeon, and twelve servants. To his
own selection was conceded the choice of these followers, with the
exclusion, however, of Savary and Lallemand, who were on no account to
be permitted any further to share his fortunes. This prohibition gave
considerable alarm to those individuals, who became excessively anxious
as to their future disposal, and declared that to deliver them up to the
vengeance of the Bourbons would be a violation of faith and honour.
Napoleon himself complained bitterly on the subject of his destination,
and said, "The idea, of it is horrible to me. To be placed for life on
an island within the tropics, at an immense distance from any land, cut
off from all communication with the world, and everything that I hold
dear in it!--c'est pis que la cage de fer de Tamerlan. I would prefer
being delivered up to the Bourbons. Among other insults," said he,--"but
that is a mere bagatelle, a very secondary consideration--they style
me General! They can have no right to call me General; they may as well
call me 'Archbishop,' for I was Head of the Church as well as of the
Army. If they do not acknowledge me as Emperor they ought as First
Counsul; they have sent ambassadors to me as such; and your King, in
his letters, styled me 'Brother.' Had they confined me in the Tower of
London, or one of the fortresses in England (though not what I had hoped
from the generosity of the English people), I should not have so much
cause of complaint; but to banish me to an island within the tropics!
They might as well have signed my death-warrant at once, for it is
impossible a man of my habit of body can live long in such a climate."
Having so expressed himself, he wrote a second letter to the Prince
Regent, which was forwarded through Lord Keith. It was the opinion of
Generals Montholon and Gourgaud that Bonaparte would sooner kill himself
than go to St. Helena. This idea arose from his having been heard
emphatically to exclaim, "I will not go to St. Helena!" The generals,
indeed, declared that were he to give his own consent to be so exiled
they would themselves prevent him. In consequence of this threat Captain
Maitland was instructed by Lord Keith to tell those gentlemen that as
the English law awarded death to murderers, the crime they meditated
would inevitably conduct them to the gallows.
Early on the morning of the 4th of August the 'Bellerophon' was ordered
to be ready at a moment's notice for sea. The reason of this was
traced to a circumstance which is conspicuous among the many remarkable
incidents by which Bonaparte's arrival near the English coast was
characterised. A rumour reached Lord Keith that a 'habeas corpus' had
been procured with a view of delivering Napoleon from the custody he was
then in. This, however, turned out to be a subpoena for Bonaparte as a
witness at a trial in the Court of King's Bench; and, indeed, a person
attempted to get on board the Bellerophon to serve the document; but
he was foiled in his intention; though, had he succeeded, the subpoena
would, in the situation wherein the ex-Emperor then stood, have been
without avail.
On the 5th Captain Maitland, having been summoned to the flag-ship of
Lord Keith, acquainted General Bertrand that he would convey to the
Admiral anything which Bonaparte (who had expressed an urgent wish to
see his lordship) might desire to say to him. Bertrand requested the
captain to delay his departure until a document, then in preparation,
should be completed: the "PROTEST OF HIS MAJESTY THE LATE EMPEROR OF THE
FRENCH, ETC."
Captain Maitland denied that any snare was laid for Bonaparte, either
by himself or by the English Government, and stated that the precautions
for preventing the escape of Napoleon from Rochefort were so well
ordered that it was impossible to evade them; and that the fugitive was
compelled to surrender himself to the English ship.
On the 7th of August Bonaparte, with the suite he had selected, was
transferred from the 'Bellerophon' to the 'Northumberland'. Lord Keith's
barge was prepared for his conveyance to the latter vessel, and his
lordship was present on the occasion. A captain's guard was turned out,
and as Napoleon left the 'Bellerophon' the marines presented arms, and
the drum was beaten as usual in saluting a general officer. When he
arrived on board the Northumberland the squadron got under weigh, and
Napoleon sailed for the place of his final exile and grave.'
--[For the continuation of Napoleon's voyage see Chapter XIII.]--
CHAPTER XI.
1815.
My departure from Hamburg-The King at St. Denis--Fouché appointed
Minister of the Police--Delay of the King's entrance into Paris--
Effect of that delay--Fouché's nomination due to the Duke of
Wellington--Impossibility of resuming my post--Fouché's language
with respect to the Bourbons--His famous postscript--Character of
Fouché--Discussion respecting the two cockades--Manifestations of