Lady Fitzgerald stood still on the quay in the port of Plymouth. With bated breath she watched Napoleon, who had just boarded an English frigate Northumberland. Emperor pinched the ear straightened like a string guard, went to Sir George Cockburn and bluntly stated:
“Here I am, Admiral, at your orders.”
9 August 1815 years Lady Charlotte Fitzgerald personally convinced “that Bonaparte has no horns or hooves “, and worse, discovered this the ” ordinary people “, she wrote to Gen. Charles Hastings. On the way to the Island of St. Helena , Napoleon so charmed the Englishmen that in the ports of Torbay and Plymouth Ballerophon swims to the ship on which he was imprisoned, to see him and pay him my respects . Emperor graciously appeared on board , willing to satisfying their curiosity .
That infatuation with Napoleon was dangerous and could concern the English authorities. Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson , second Earl of Liverpool, explained the Minister of Foreign Affairs : ” … now would be [ Napoleon ] object of interest , and within a few months, maybe even compassion … the circumstances of his residence here , or indeed anywhere in Europe , contribute to support unrest in France … Saint Helena is well suited to jail for such a person . ” Prince Regent himself , but did not agree to stay Napoleon in England, he was captivated by his letter in this case. And lady Charlotte confided to continue Hastings , that Napoleon is impressive, ” like an ordinary human tenderness had no access to him , like human suffering – even though it is wonderful … ” .
Bonaparte with dignity endured over a two-month journey ocean , despite the problems plaguing it . His attitude aroused the admiration of the English crew sir Cockburn . He had to put up with the fate of the outlaw , but not the fact deprive him of his imperial dignity . On board the Northumberland adopted him as Lieutenant-General , and as it were the former monarch , although he was allowed to take the court , of course, limited to a few people. Almost all of them left the memories , publishing them after the wave of posthumous popularity of the emperor. Emmanuel Augustin Count de Las Cases, Napoleon’s secretary at St. Helena , wrote down his memories and thoughts . Developed by Count Memorial of Saint Helena , published in 1823 , became a bestseller nineteenth century.
Napoleon valued highly educated and talented Las Cases . Eventually, he was an excellent propagandist and probably predicted that the count will consolidate its legend. Historians are of the opinion that the memorial should be compared with other relationships , because Las Cases ” completed ” the work of information from different sources. With even more cautious approach must be to witness the cunning of General Charles de montholon who wrote Memoires ( Memoirs ) in cooperation with other courtier of Napoleon, quarrelsome and impertinent General Gaspard Gourgaud . interesting , balanced relationship left the Count Henri – Gratien Bertrand , grand marshal of the imperial court . His Cahiers ( Notebooks ) , which barely gave to read , contain perhaps the most faithful characterization of the Emperor .
Unforgettable sights on the island provide outlaws two temperamental , rival generals Fanny de Bertrand and Albina de Montholon . Both ladies in horror adopted a message that they go into exile . Ms. Bertrand learned about the trip only in Plymouth and immediately arranged a Napoleon wild brawl . Then , to the delight of the entire crew , she tried to jump into the sea from the deck of Northumberland. Fortunately, this did not allow her conscious spouse who at the last moment caught unruly lady. Bonaparte hated . It was said that on St. Helena rejected his advances . Its continuing late and rushed after leaving the company shared meals irritated the Emperor , which required compliance with court etiquette.
Romance attitude to life Albina de Montholon liked Napoleon , though perhaps not as much as the young English lieutenants . She also wrote Memoirs of Saint Helena , which appeared only in 1901. Ladies in free time were engaged in their children. This ” concern ” about not become the Marquise de Montholon excuse to leave the island early . Napoleon took it into exile a few of his servants, handsome boys , whom she has always liked to surround . Did not hide his affection for Louis Marchand , calling him often ” Ms. Marchand . ” He wrote in his will, a lot of money and had to marry a relative of łub of affinity of one of the old soldiers of the Imperial Guard . We valet done meticulously Monk’s command , and after his return to France he married the daughter of one of the troops the generals. Of course, he also left memoirs .
October 16, 1815 year dignified company arrived at the Island of St. Helena , which is on the high volcanic massif of black basalt . This godforsaken place served the East India Company ships to obtain supplies of fresh water . Bertrand general’s once said in a fit of ill-humor , that the devil had this island ” shit , when flown from one end of the world to the other .” 1 but the lady is not fitting so to speak , you have to admit that she was right. Jamestown, and also the only port city , You flooded closely adjacent buildings. modest homes barely stood out from the gloomy rocks, reaching as gloomy sky. emperor , when he saw it , fell into the minor mood. He descended the gangway , instinctively wrapped his cloak and lakes marched down the ranks , accompanied by Admiral Cockburn and General Bertrand . In December 1804, shortly after his coronation , Napoleon said: ” Death is nothing, but to live defeated and is no glory , that is to die every day.” October 16, 1815 year started slow death ” god of war ” .
Napoleon felt worse and worse. No help work in the garden, have lost the sense of long walks , memories and flirty . This ” body of steel “, as he used to say about himself , really went wide variety of diseases such as insomnia , headache, constipation , vomiting, periodontal disease , syphilis , and epilepsy . In 1961, Swedish dentist , Sven Forshufvud , issued a sensational book entitled . Was Napoleon was poisoned ? preached in it , supposedly on St. Helena poisoning the emperor arsenic and mercury. claimed that won the strands of his hair , which came from a decrease in the Marchandzie . then sent them to the Department of Forensic Medicine in Glasgow. the local expert , Dr. Hamilton Smith made the hair analysis , which concluded that the owner has been subjected to high amounts of arsenic . Forshufvud also pointed killer Napoleon : he had to be one of General Montholon . In the media storm broke . Prominent historians napoleonist immediately protested , disagreeing with a version of the Emperor’s death . Journalists Antommarchi report compared the autopsy of another , drawn by five British doctors present during the surgery. It turned out that everyone unanimously said the death of natural causes.
Major Lachouque , the owner of the lock , he swore that he gave Forshufvud authentic hair Bonaparte. Although it demanded a re- exhumation of the emperor. Fortunately, the authorities of Paris without their consent. Great Mausoleum sarcophagus in the Invalides , where in 1840 the remains were buried Napoleon brought from St. Helena , remained untouched .
