_Disposition of the British Fleet along the Western Coast of France,
in order to prevent Buonaparte's Escape--The Bellerophon off
Rochefort--Orders under which Captain Maitland acted--Plans agitated
for Napoleon's Escape--Savary and Las Cases open a Negotiation with
Captain Maitland--Captain Maitland's Account of what passed at their
Interviews--Las Cases' Account--The Statements compared--Napoleon's
Letter to the Prince Regent--He surrenders himself on board the
Bellerophon, on 15th July--His arrival off Plymouth--All approach to
the Ship prohibited--Final determination of the English Government
that Buonaparte shall be sent to St. Helena--His Protest._
Our history returns to its principal object. Buonaparte arrived at
Rochefort upon the 3d July; so short had been the space between the
bloody cast of the die at Waterloo, and his finding himself an exile.
Yet even this brief space of fifteen days had made his retreat
difficult, if not impracticable. Means, indeed, were provided for his
transportation. The two French frigates, the Saale and the Medusa,
together with the Balladière, a corvette, and the Epervier, a large
brig, waited Buonaparte's presence, and orders to sail for America from
their station under the isle d'Aix. But, as Napoleon himself said
shortly afterwards, wherever there was water to swim a ship, there he
was sure to find the British flag.
[Sidenote: LORD KEITH--CAPTAIN MAITLAND.]
The news of the defeat at Waterloo had been the signal to the Admiralty
to cover the western coast of France with cruisers, in order to prevent
the possibility of Napoleon's escaping by sea from any of the ports in
that direction. Admiral Lord Keith, an officer of great experience and
activity, then commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet, had made a most
judicious disposition of the fleet under his command, by stationing an
inner line of cruisers, of various descriptions, off the principal ports
between Brest and Bayonne, with an exterior line, necessarily more
widely extended, betwixt Ushant and Cape Finisterre. The commanders of
these vessels had the strictest orders to suffer no vessel to pass
unexamined. No less than thirty ships of different descriptions
maintained this blockade. According to this arrangement, the British
line-of-battle ship, the Bellerophon, cruised off Rochefort, with the
occasional assistance of the Slaney, the Phœbe, and other small
vessels, sometimes present, and sometimes detached, as the service might
require. Captain Maitland, who commanded the Bellerophon, is a man of
high character in his profession, of birth, of firmness of mind, and of
the most indisputable honour. It is necessary to mention these
circumstances, because the national character of England herself is
deeply concerned and identified with that of Captain Maitland, in the
narrative which follows.
The several orders under which this officer acted, expressed the utmost
anxiety about intercepting Buonaparte's flight, and canvassed the
different probabilities concerning its direction. His attention was at a
later date particularly directed to the frigates in Aix roads, and the
report concerning their destination. Admiral Hotham writes to Captain
Maitland, 8th July, 1815, the following order:--
"The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having every reason to
believe that Napoleon Buonaparte meditates his escape, with his
family, from France to America, you are hereby required and
directed, in pursuance of orders from their Lordships, signified to
me by Admiral the Right Honourable Viscount Keith, to keep the most
vigilant look-out, for the purpose of intercepting him; and to make
the strictest search of any vessel you may fall in with; and if you
should be so fortunate as to intercept him, you are to transfer him
and his family to the ship you command, and, there keeping him in
careful custody, return to the nearest port in England (going into
Torbay in preference to Plymouth,) with all possible expedition;
and, on your arrival, you are not to permit any communication
whatever with the shore, except as hereinafter directed; and you
will be held responsible for keeping the whole transaction a
profound secret, until you receive their Lordships' further orders.
"In case you should arrive at a port where there is a flag officer,
you are to send to acquaint him with the circumstances, strictly
charging the officer sent on shore with your letter not to divulge
its contents; and if there should be no flag-officer at the port
where you arrive, you are to send one letter express to the
Secretary of the Admiralty, and another to Admiral Lord Keith, with
strict injunctions of secrecy to each officer who may be the bearer
of them."
We give these orders at full length, to show that they left Captain
Maitland no authority to make conditions or stipulations of surrender,
or to treat Napoleon otherwise than as an ordinary prisoner of war.
Captain Maitland proceeded to exercise all the vigilance which an
occasion so interesting demanded; and it was soon evident, that the
presence of the Bellerophon was an absolute bar to Napoleon's escape by
means of the frigates, unless it should be attempted by open force. In
this latter case, the British officer had formed his plan of bearing
down upon and disabling the one vessel, and throwing on board of her a
hundred men selected for the purpose, while the Bellerophon set sail
with all speed in pursuit of her consort, and thus made sure of both. He
had also two small vessels, the Slaney and the Phœbe, which he could
attach to the pursuit of the frigate, so as at least to keep her in
view. This plan might have failed by accident, but it was so judiciously
laid as to have every chance of being successful; and it seems that
Napoleon received no encouragement from the commanders of the frigates
to try the event of a forcible escape.
The scheme of a secret flight was next meditated. A chasse-marée, a
peculiar species of vessel, used only in the coasting trade, was to be
fitted up and manned with young probationers of the navy, equivalent to
our midshipmen. This, it was thought, might elude the vigilance of such
British cruisers as were in shore; but then it must have been a
suspicious object at sea, and the possibility of its being able to make
the voyage to America, was considered as precarious. A Danish corvette
was next purchased, and as, in leaving the harbour, it was certain she
would be brought to and examined by the English, a place of concealment
was contrived, being a cask supplied with air-tubes, to be stowed in the
hold of the vessel, in which it was intended Napoleon should lie
concealed. But the extreme rigour with which the search was likely to be
prosecuted, and the corpulence of Buonaparte, which would not permit him
to remain long in a close or constrained position, made this as well as
other hopeless contrivances be laid aside.[176]
[Sidenote: PROPOSALS FROM THE ARMY.]
There were undoubtedly at this time many proposals made to the
Ex-Emperor by the army, who, compelled to retreat behind the Loire, were
still animated by a thirst of revenge, and a sense of injured honour.
There is no doubt that they would have received Napoleon with
acclamation; but if he could not, or would not, pursue a course so
desperate in 1814, when he had still a considerable army, and a
respectable extent of territory remaining, it must have seemed much more
ineligible in 1815, when his numbers were so much more disproportioned
than they had formerly been, and when his best generals had embraced the
cause of the Bourbons, or fled out of France. Napoleon's condition, had
he embraced this alternative, would have been that of the chief of a
roving tribe of warriors, struggling for existence, with equal misery to
themselves and the countries through which they wandered, until at
length broken down and destroyed by superior force.
Rejecting this expedient, and all others having been found equally
objectionable, the only alternative which remained was to surrender his
person, either to the allied powers as a body, or to any one of them in
particular. The former course would have been difficult, unless Napoleon
had adopted the idea of resorting to it earlier, which, in the view of
his escape by sea, he had omitted to do. Neither had he time to
negotiate with any of the allied sovereigns, or of travelling back to
Paris for the purpose, with any chance of personal safety, for the
Royalists were now every where holding the ascendency, and more than one
of his generals had been attacked and killed by them.
He was cooped up, therefore, in Rochefort,[177] although the white flag
was already about to be hoisted there, and the commandant respectfully
hinted the necessity of his departure. It must have been anticipated by
Napoleon, that he might be soon deprived of the cover of the batteries
of the isle of Aix. The fact is (though we believe not generally known,)
that on the 13th July, Lord Castlereagh wrote to Admiral Sir Henry
Hotham, commanding off Cape Finisterre, suggesting to him the propriety
of attacking, with a part of his force, the two frigates in the roads of
the isle d'Aix, having first informed the commandant that they did so
in the capacity of allies of the King of France, and placing it upon
his responsibility if he fired on them from the batteries. Napoleon
could not, indeed, know for certain that such a plan was actually in
existence, and about to be attempted, but yet must have been aware of
its probability, when the Royalist party were becoming every where
superior, and their emblems were assumed in the neighbouring town of
Rochelle. It is, therefore, in vain to state Buonaparte's subsequent
conduct, as a voluntary confidence reposed by him in the honour of
England. He was precisely in the condition of the commandant of a
besieged town, who has the choice of surrendering, or encountering the
risks of a storm. Neither was it open for him to contend, that he
selected the British, out of all the other allied powers, with whom to
treat upon this occasion. Like the commandant in the case above
supposed, he was under the necessity of surrendering to those who were
the immediate besiegers, and therefore he was compelled to apply for
terms of safety to him who alone possessed the direct power of granting
it, that is, to Captain Frederick Maitland, of the Bellerophon.
[Sidenote: NEGOTIATION WITH MAITLAND.]
Napoleon opened a communication with this officer on the 10th July, by
two of his attendants, General Savary and Count Las Cases, under
pretence of inquiring about a safe-conduct--a passport which Napoleon
pretended to expect from England, and which, he said, had been promised
to him, without stating by whom. Under this round assertion, for which,
there was not the slightest ground, Messrs. Savary and Las Cases desired
to know, whether Captain Maitland would permit the frigates to sail with
him uninterrupted, or at least give him leave to proceed in a neutral
vessel. Captain Maitland, without hesitation, declared that he would not
permit any armed vessel to put to sea from the port of Rochefort. "It
was equally out of his power," he stated, "to allow the Emperor to
proceed in a neutral vessel, without the sanction of Admiral Hotham, his
commanding officer." He offered to write to that officer, however, and
the French gentlemen having assented, he wrote, in their presence, to
the admiral, announcing the communication he had received, and
requesting orders for his guidance. This was all but a prelude to the
real subject of negotiation. The Duke of Rovigo (Savary) and Count Las
Cases remained two or three hours on board, and said all they could to
impress Captain Maitland with the idea, that Napoleon's retirement was a
matter of choice, not of compulsion, and that it was the interest of
Britain to consent to his going to America; a measure, they said, which
was solely dictated to him by humanity, and a desire to save human
blood. Captain Maitland asked the natural question, which we give in his
own words:--
"'Supposing the British government should be induced to grant a
passport for Buonaparte's going to America, what pledge could he
give that he would not return, and put England, as well as all
Europe, to the same expense of blood and treasure that has just been
incurred?'
"General Savary made the following reply:--'When the Emperor first
abdicated the throne of France, his removal was brought about by a
faction, at the head of which was Talleyrand, and the sense of the
nation was not consulted: but in the present instance he has
voluntarily resigned the power. The influence he once had over the
French people is past; a very considerable change has taken place in
their sentiments towards him, since he went to Elba; and he could
never regain the power he had over their minds; therefore, he would
prefer retiring into obscurity, where he might end his days in peace
and tranquillity; and were he solicited to ascend the throne again,
he would decline it.'
"'If that is the case,' said Captain Maitland, 'why not ask an
asylum in England?' Savary answered, 'There are many reasons for his
not wishing to reside in England; the climate is too damp and cold;
it is too near France; he would be, as it were, in the centre of
every change and revolution that might take place there, and would
be subject to suspicion; he has been accustomed to consider the
English as his most inveterate enemies, and they have been induced
to look upon him as a monster, without one of the virtues of a human
being.'"
Captain Knight of the Falmouth was present during the whole of this
conversation, from which Captain Maitland, like an able diplomatist,
drew a conclusion respecting the affairs of Napoleon, exactly opposite
from that which they endeavoured to impress upon him, and concluded that
he must be in extremity.
On the 14th July, Count Las Cases again came on board the Bellerophon,
now attended by General Count Lallemand. The pretext of the visit was,
to learn whether Captain Maitland had received any answer from the
admiral. Captain Maitland observed, the visit on that account was
unnecessary, as he would have forwarded the answer so soon as received;
and added, he did not approve of frequent communication by flags of
truce; thus repelling rather than inviting them. The conference was
resumed after breakfast, Captain Maitland having, in the meantime, sent
for Captain Sartorius of the Slaney, to be witness of what passed. In
this most important conference, we hold it unjust to Captain Maitland to
use any other words than his own, copied from his Journal, the original
of which we have ourselves had the advantage of seeing:--
"When breakfast was over, we retired to the after-cabin. Count Las
Cases then said, 'The Emperor is so anxious to spare the further
effusion of human blood, that he will proceed to America in any way
the British Government chooses to sanction, either in a French ship
of war, a vessel armed _en flute_, a merchant vessel, or even in a
British ship of war.' To this I answered, 'I have no authority to
agree to any arrangement of that sort, nor do I believe my
Government would consent to it; but I think I may venture to receive
him into this ship, and convey him to England; _if however_,' I
added, '_he adopts that plan, I cannot enter into any promise, as to
the reception he may meet with, as, even in the case I have
mentioned, I shall be acting on my own responsibility, and cannot be
sure that it would meet with the approbation of the British
Government_.'
"There was a great deal of conversation on this subject, in the
course of which Lucien Buonaparte's name was mentioned, and the
manner in which he had lived in England alluded to; but I invariably
assured Las Cases most explicitly, that I had no authority to make
conditions of any sort, as to Napoleon's reception in England. In
fact, I could not have done otherwise, since, with the exception of
the order [inserted at page 220,] I had no instructions for my
guidance, and was, of course, in total ignorance of the intention of
his Majesty's ministers as to his future disposal. One of the last
observations Las Cases made, before quitting the ship, was, 'Under
all circumstances, I have little doubt that you will see the Emperor
on board the Bellerophon;' and, in fact, Buonaparte must have
determined on that step before Las Cases came on board, as his
letter to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent is dated the 13th of
July, the day before this conversation."
The Count Las Cases gives nearly a similar detail of circumstances, with
a colouring which is exaggerated, and an arrangement of dates which is
certainly inaccurate. It must be also noticed that Count Las Cases
dissembled his acquaintance with the English language; and therefore, if
any mistake had occurred betwixt him and Captain Maitland, who spoke
French with difficulty, he had himself so far to blame for it.[178] Of
the visit on board the Bellerophon on the 10th, after giving the same
statement as Captain Maitland, concerning the application for the
passports, the count states, "It was suggested to us to go to England,
and we were assured we had no room to fear any bad treatment."[179]
On the 14th, being the date of his second visit, he states that there
was a repetition of the invitation to England, and the terms on which it
was recommended. "Captain Maitland," he says, "told him, that if the
Emperor chose immediately to embark, he had authority to receive him on
board, and conduct him to England." This is so expressed as to lead the
reader to believe that Captain Maitland spoke to the Count of some new
directions or orders which he had received, or pretended to have
received, concerning Buonaparte. Such an inference would be entirely
erroneous; no new or extended authority was received by Captain
Maitland, nor was he capable of insinuating the existence of such. His
sole instructions were contained in the orders of Admiral Hotham, quoted
at p. 220, directing him, should he be so fortunate as to intercept
Buonaparte, to transfer him to the ship he commanded, to make sail for a
British port, and, when arrived there, to communicate instantly with the
port-admiral, or with the Admiralty.
[Sidenote: THE BELLEROPHON.]
Count Las Cases makes Captain Maitland proceed to assure him and Savary,
that, "in his own private opinion, Napoleon would find in England all
the respect and good treatment to which he could make any pretension;
that there, the princes and ministers did not exercise the absolute
authority used on the continent, and that the English people had a
liberality of opinion, and generosity of sentiment, superior to that
entertained by sovereigns." Count Las Cases states himself to have
replied to the panegyric on England, by an oration in praise of
Buonaparte, in which he described him as retiring from a contest which
he had yet the means of supporting, in order that his name and rights
might not serve as a pretext to prolong civil war. The Count, according
to his own narrative, concluded by saying, that, "under all the
circumstances, he thought the Emperor might come on board the
Bellerophon, and go to England with Captain Maitland, for the purpose of
receiving passports for America." Captain Maitland desired it should be
understood, that he by no means warranted that such would be granted.
"At the bottom of my heart," says Las Cases, "I never supposed the
passports would be granted to us; but as the Emperor had resolved to
remain in future a personal stranger to political events, we saw,
without alarm, the probability that we might be prevented from leaving
England; but to that point all our fears and suppositions were limited.
Such, too, was doubtless the belief of Maitland. I do him, as well as
the other officers, the justice to believe, that he was sincere, and of
good faith, in the painting they drew us of the sentiments of the
English nation."[180]
The envoys returned to Napoleon, who held, according to Las Cases, a
sort of council, in which they considered all the chances. The plan of
the Danish vessel, and that of the chasse-marée, were given up as too
perilous; the British cruiser was pronounced too strong to be attacked;
there remained only the alternative of Napoleon's joining the troops,
and renewing the war, or accepting Captain Maitland's offer by going on
board the Bellerophon. The former was rejected; the latter plan adopted,
and "then," says M. Las Cases, "_Napoleon wrote to the Prince
Regent_."[181] The letter follows, but it is remarkable that the date is
omitted. This is probably the reason why Count Las Cases did not
discover that his memory was betraying him, since that date must have
reminded him that the letter was written _before_, not _after_, the
conference of the 14th July.
From this narrative two things are plain; I. That no terms of
capitulation were made with Captain Maitland. II. That it is the object
of Count Las Cases to insinuate the belief, that it was in consequence
of the arguments used by Captain Maitland, supported by the British
officers present, that Las Cases was induced to recommend, and Napoleon
to adopt, the step of surrendering himself on board the Bellerophon. But
this whole inference is disproved by two small ciphers; the date,
namely, of _13th of July_ on the letter addressed to the Prince Regent,
which, therefore, could not, in the nature of things, have been written
in consequence of a conference betwixt Las Cases and Captain Maitland,
and a consultation betwixt Napoleon and his followers; which conference
and consultation did not take place till the _14th of July_. The
resolution was taken, and the letter written, the day before all those
glowing descriptions of the English people put into the mouth of Captain
Maitland; and the faith of Napoleon was grounded upon the impersonal
suggestion to go to England,[182] made to Las Cases and Savary on their
first visit to the Bellerophon. The visit of the 14th, doubtless,
confirmed the resolution which had been adopted the preceding day.
No delay now intervened. On the same 14th of July, General Baron
Gourgaud was sent off with the letter, so often mentioned, addressed to
the Prince Regent, which was in these well-known terms:
"_Rochefort, July 13th, 1815._
"ROYAL HIGHNESS,
"A victim to the factions which distract my country, and to the
enmity of the greatest powers of Europe, I have terminated my
political career, and I come, like Themistocles, to throw myself
upon the hospitality of the British people. I put myself under the
protection of their laws; which I claim from your Royal Highness, as
the most powerful, the most constant, and the most generous of my
enemies.
"NAPOLEON."
Captain Maitland informed Count Las Cases, that he would despatch
General Gourgaud to England, by the Slaney, and himself prepare to
receive Napoleon and his suite. General Gourgaud proposed to write to
Count Bertrand instantly, when, in presence and hearing of his brother
officers, Captains Sartorius and Gambier, Captain Maitland gave another
instance of his anxiety not to be misunderstood on this important
occasion.
"When General Gourgaud was about to write the letter, to prevent any
future misunderstanding, I said, 'M. Las Cases, you will recollect
that I am not authorised to stipulate as to the reception of
Buonaparte in England, but that he must consider himself entirely at
the disposal of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent.' He answered,
'I am perfectly aware of that, and have already acquainted the
Emperor with what you said on the subject.'"
Captain Maitland subjoins the following natural and just remark:--
"It might, perhaps, have been better if this declaration had been
given in an official written form; and could I have foreseen the
discussions which afterwards took place, and which will appear in
the sequel, I undoubtedly should have done so; but as I repeatedly
made it in the presence of witnesses, it did not occur to me as
being necessary; and how could a stronger proof be adduced, that no
stipulations were agreed to respecting the reception of Buonaparte
in England, than the fact of their not being reduced to writing?
which certainly would have been the case had any favourable terms
been demanded on the part of M. Las Cases, and agreed to by me."
To conclude the evidence on this subject, we add Captain Maitland's
letter, addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty on 14th July:
"For the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, I
have to acquaint you that the Count Las Cases and General Lallemand
this day came on board his Majesty's ship under my command, with a
proposal from Count Bertrand for me to receive on board Napoleon
Buonaparte, for the purpose of throwing himself on the generosity of
the Prince Regent. Conceiving myself authorised by their lordships'
secret order, I have acceded to the proposal, and he is to embark on
board this ship to-morrow morning. That no misunderstanding might
arise, I have explicitly and clearly explained to Count Las Cases,
that I have no authority whatever for granting terms of any sort,
but that all I can do is to carry him and his suite to England, to
be received in such manner as his Royal Highness may deem
expedient."
Is it in human nature to suppose, that a British officer, with two
others of the same rank as witnesses of the whole negotiation, would
have expressed himself otherwise than as truth warranted, in a case
which was sure to be so strictly inquired into?
On the 15th July, 1815, Napoleon finally left France, to the history of
which he had added so much of victory, and so much of defeat; the
country which his rise had saved from civil discord and foreign
invasion, and which his fall consigned to both; in a word, that fair
land to which he had been so long as a Deity, and was in future to be of
less import than the meanest peasant on the soil. He was accompanied by
four of his generals--Bertrand, Savary, Lallemand, and Montholon, and by
Count Las Cases, repeatedly mentioned as counsellor of state. Of these,
Bertrand and Montholon had their ladies on board, with three children
belonging to Count Bertrand, and one of Count Montholon's. The son of
Las Cases accompanied the Emperor as a page. There were nine officers of
inferior rank, and thirty-nine domestics. The principal persons were
received on board the Bellerophon, the others in the corvette.
Buonaparte came out of Aix roads on board of the Epervier. Wind and tide
being against the brig, Captain Maitland sent the barge of the
Bellerophon to transport him to that ship. Most of the officers and crew
of the Epervier had tears in their eyes, and they continued to cheer the
Emperor while their voices could be heard. He was received on board the
Bellerophon respectfully, but without any salute or distinguished
honours.[183] As Captain Maitland advanced to meet him on the
quarterdeck, Napoleon pulled off his hat, and, addressing him in a firm
tone of voice, said, "I come to place myself under the protection of
your prince and laws." His manner was uncommonly pleasing, and he
displayed much address in seizing upon opportunities of saying things
flattering to the hearers whom he wished to conciliate.[184]
As when formerly on board Captain Usher's vessel, Buonaparte showed
great curiosity concerning the discipline of the ship, and expressed
considerable surprise that the British vessels should so easily defeat
the French ships, which were heavier, larger, and better manned than
they. Captain Maitland accounted for this by the greater experience of
the men and officers. The Ex-Emperor examined the marines also, and,
pleased with their appearance, said to Bertrand, "How much might be done
with an hundred thousand such men!" In the management of the vessel, he
particularly admired the silence and good order of the crew while going
through their manœuvres, in comparison to a French vessel, "where every
one," he said, "talks and gives orders at once." When about to quit the
Bellerophon, he adverted to the same subject, saying, there had been
less noise on board that vessel, with six hundred men, in the whole
passage from Rochefort, than the crew of the Epervier, with only one
hundred, had contrived to make between the isle d'Aix and Basque roads.
He spoke, too, of the British army in an equal style of praise, and was
joined by his officers in doing so. One of the French officers observing
that the English cavalry were superb, Captain Maitland observed, that in
England, they had a higher opinion of the infantry. "You are right,"
said the French gentleman; "there is none such in the world; there is no
making an impression on them; you might as well attempt to charge
through a wall; and their fire is tremendous." Bertrand reported to
Captain Maitland that Napoleon had communicated to him his opinion of
the Duke of Wellington in the following words:--"The Duke of Wellington,
in the management of an army, is fully equal to myself, with the
advantage of possessing more prudence." This we conceive to be the
genuine unbiassed opinion of one great soldier concerning another. It is
a pity that Napoleon could on other occasions express himself in a
strain of depreciation, which could only lower him who used it, towards
a rival in the art of war.
During the whole passage, notwithstanding his situation, and the painful
uncertainty under which he laboured, Napoleon seemed always tranquil,
and in good temper;[185] at times, he even approached to cheerfulness.
He spoke with tenderness of his wife and family, complained of being
separated from them, and had tears in his eyes when he showed their
portraits to Captain Maitland. His health seemed perfectly good; but he
was occasionally subject to somnolency, proceeding, perhaps, from the
exhaustion of a constitution which had gone through such severe service.
On 23d July, they passed Ushant. Napoleon remained long on deck, and
cast many a melancholy look to the coast of France, but made no
observations. At daybreak on 24th, the Bellerophon was off Dartmouth;
and Buonaparte was struck, first with the boldness of the coast, and
then, as he entered Torbay,[186] with the well-known beauty of the
scenery. "It reminded him," he said, "of Porto Ferrajo, in Elba;" an
association which must at the moment have awakened strange remembrances
in the mind of the deposed Emperor.
[Sidenote: PLYMOUTH SOUND.]
The Bellerophon had hardly anchored, when orders came from the admiral,
Lord Keith, which were soon after seconded by others from the Admiralty,
enjoining that no one, of whatever rank or station, should be permitted
to come on board the Bellerophon, excepting the officers and men
belonging to the ship. On the 26th, the vessel received orders to move
round to Plymouth Sound.
In the meantime, the newspapers which were brought on board tended to
impress anxiety and consternation among the unhappy fugitives. The
report was generally circulated by these periodical publications, that
Buonaparte would not be permitted to land, but would be presently sent
off to St. Helena, as the safest place for detaining him as a prisoner
of war. Napoleon himself became alarmed, and anxiously desirous of
seeing Lord Keith, who had expressed himself sensible of some kindness
which his nephew, Captain Elphinstone of the 7th Hussars, had received
from the Emperor, when wounded and made prisoner at Waterloo. Such an
interview accordingly took place betwixt the noble admiral and the late
Emperor, upon the 28th July, but without any results of importance, as
Lord Keith was not then possessed of the decision of the British
Government.
That frenzy of popular curiosity, which, predominating in all free
states, seems to be carried to the utmost excess by the English nation,
caused such numbers of boats to surround the Bellerophon, that,
notwithstanding the peremptory orders of the Admiralty, and in spite of
the efforts of the man-of-war's boats, which maintained constant guard
round the vessel, it was almost impossible to keep them at the
prescribed distance of a cable's length from the ship. They incurred the
risk of being run down--of being, as they might apprehend, shot (for
muskets were discharged for the purpose of intimidation,) of all the
dangers of a naval combat, rather than lose the opportunity of seeing
the Emperor whom they had heard so much of. When he appeared he was
greeted with huzzas, which he returned with bows, but could not help
expressing his wonder at the eagerness of popular curiosity, which he
was not accustomed to see in such a pitch of excitation.
[Sidenote: SIR HENRY BUNBURY'S MINUTES.]
On the evening of the 30th of July, Major-General Sir Henry Bunbury, one
of the Under Secretaries of State, arrived, bringing with him the final
intentions of the British Government, for the disposal of Buonaparte and
his suite. Upon the 31st, Lord Keith and Sir Henry waited upon the
Ex-Emperor, on board of the Bellerophon, to communicate to him the
unpleasing tidings. They were accompanied by Mr. Meike, the secretary of
Lord Keith, whose presence was deemed necessary as a witness to what
passed. Napoleon received the admiral and under secretary of state with
becoming dignity and calmness. The letter of Lord Melville (First Lord
of the Admiralty) was read to the Ex-Emperor, announcing his future
destination. It stated, that "it would be inconsistent with the duty of
the British ministers to their sovereign and his allies, to leave
_General Buonaparte_ the means or opportunity of again disturbing the
peace of Europe--announced that the island of St. Helena was selected
for his future residence, and selected as such, because its local
situation would permit his enjoying more freedom than could be
compatible with adequate security elsewhere--that, with the exception of
Generals Savary and Lallemand, the General might select three officers,
together with his surgeon, to attend him to St. Helena--that twelve
domestics would also be allowed." The same document stated, that "the
persons who might attend upon him would be liable to a certain degree of
restraint, and could not be permitted to leave the island without the
sanction of the British Government." Lastly, it was announced that
"Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, appointed to the chief command of the
Cape of Good Hope, would be presently ready to sail, for the purpose of
conveying General Buonaparte to St. Helena, and therefore it was
desirable that he should without delay make choice of the persons who
were to form his suite."[187]
The letter was read in French to Buonaparte by Sir Henry Bunbury. He
listened without impatience, interruption, or emotion of any kind. When
he was requested to state if he had any reply, he began, with great
calmness of manner and mildness of countenance, to declare that he
solemnly protested against the orders which had been read--that the
British Ministry had no right to dispose of him in the way
proposed--that he appealed to the British people and the laws--and asked
what was the tribunal which he ought to appeal to. "I am come," he
continued, "voluntarily to throw myself on the hospitality of your
nation--I am not a prisoner of war, and if I was, have a right to be
treated according to the law of nations. But I am come to this country
a passenger on board one of your vessels, after a previous negotiation
with the commander. If he had told me I was to be a prisoner, I would
not have come. I asked him if he was willing to receive me on board, and
convey me to England. _Admiral_ Maitland said he was, having received,
or telling me he had received, special orders of government concerning
me. It was a snare, then, that had been spread for me; I came on board a
British vessel as I would have entered one of their towns--a vessel, a
village, it is the same thing. As for the island of St. Helena, it would
be my sentence of death. I demand to be received as an English citizen.
How many years entitle me to be domiciliated?"
Sir Henry Bunbury answered, that he believed four were necessary. "Well,
then," continued Napoleon, "let the Prince Regent during that time place
me under any superintendence he thinks proper--let me be placed in a
country-house in the centre of the island, thirty leagues from every
seaport--place a commissioned officer about me, to examine my
correspondence and superintend my actions; or if the Prince Regent
should require my word of honour, perhaps I might give it. I might then
enjoy a certain degree of personal liberty, and I should have the
freedom of literature. In St. Helena I could not live three months; to
my habits and constitution it would be death. I am used to ride twenty
miles a-day--what am I to do on that little rock at the end of the
world? No! Botany Bay is better than St. Helena--I prefer death to St.
Helena--And what good is my death to do you? I am no longer a sovereign.
What danger could result from my living as a private person in the heart
of England, and restricted in any way which the Government should think
proper?"
He referred repeatedly to the manner of his coming on board the
Bellerophon, insisting upon his being perfectly free in his choice, and
that he had preferred confiding to the hospitality and generosity of the
British nation.
"Otherwise," he said, "why should I not have gone to my father-in-law,
or to the Emperor Alexander, who is my personal friend? We have become
enemies, because he wanted to annex Poland to his dominions, and my
popularity among the Poles was in his way. But otherwise he was my
friend, and he would not have treated me in this way. If your Government
act thus, it will disgrace you in the eyes of Europe. Even your own
people will blame it. Besides, you do not know the feeling that my death
will create both in France and Italy. There is, at present, a high
opinion of England in these countries. If you kill me, it will be lost,
and the lives of many English will be sacrificed. What was there to
force me to the step I took? The tri-coloured flag was still flying at
Bourdeaux, Nantes, and Rochefort.[188] The army has not even yet
submitted. Or, if I had chosen to remain in France, what was there to
prevent me from remaining concealed for years amongst a people so much
attached to me?"
He then returned to his negotiation with Captain Maitland, and dwelt on
the honours and attentions shown to him personally by that officer and
Admiral Hotham. "And, after all, it was only a snare for me!"[189] He
again enlarged on the disgrace to England which was impending. "I hold
out to the Prince Regent," he said, "the brightest page in his history,
in placing myself at his discretion. I have made war upon you for twenty
years, and I give you the highest proof of confidence by voluntarily
giving myself into the hands of my most inveterate and constant enemies.
Remember," he continued, "what I have been, and how I stood among the
sovereigns of Europe. _This_ courted my protection--_that_ gave me his
daughter--all sought for my friendship. I was Emperor acknowledged by
all the powers in Europe, except Great Britain, and she had acknowledged
me as Chief Consul. Your Government has no right to term me _General
Buonaparte_," he added, pointing with his finger to the offensive
epithet in Lord Melville's letter. "I am Prince, or Consul, and ought to
be treated as such, if treated with at all. When I was at Elba, I was at
least as much a sovereign in that island as Louis on the throne of
France. We had both our respective flags, our ships, our troops--Mine,
to be sure," he said with a smile, "were rather on a small scale--I had
six hundred soldiers, and he had two hundred thousand. At length, I made
war upon him, defeated him, and dethroned him. But there was nothing in
this to deprive me of my rank as one of the sovereigns of Europe."
During this interesting scene, Napoleon spoke with little interruption
from Lord Keith and Sir Henry Bunbury, who declined replying to his
remonstrances, stating themselves to be unauthorised to enter into
discussions, as their only duty was to convey the intentions of
Government to Napoleon, and transmit his answer, if he charged them with
any. He repeated again and again his determination not to go to St.
Helena, and his desire to be suffered to remain in Great Britain.
Sir Henry Bunbury then said, he was certain that St. Helena had been
selected as the place of his residence, because its local situation
allowed freer scope for exercise and indulgence than could have been
permitted in any part of Great Britain.
"No, no," repeated Buonaparte, with animation, "I will not go there--You
would not go there, sir, were it your own case--nor, my Lord, would
you." Lord Keith bowed and answered--"He had been already at St. Helena
four times." Napoleon went on reiterating his protestations against
being imprisoned, or sent to St. Helena. "I _will not_ go thither," he
repeated; "I am not a Hercules," (with a smile,) "but you shall not
conduct me to St. Helena. I prefer death in this place. You found me
free, send me back again; replace me in the condition in which I was, or
permit me to go to America."
He dwelt much on his resolution to die rather than to go to St. Helena;
he had no great reason, he said, to wish for life. He urged the admiral
to take no farther steps to remove him into the Northumberland, before
Government should have been informed of what he had said, and have
signified their final decision. He conjured Sir Henry Bunbury to use no
delay in communicating his answer to Government, and referred himself to
Sir Henry to put it into form. After some cursory questions and pauses,
he again returned to the pressing subject, and urged the same arguments
as before. "He had expected," he said, "to have had liberty to land, and
settle himself in the country, some commissioner being named to attend
him, who would be of great use for a year or two to teach him what he
had to do. You could choose," he said, "some respectable man, for the
English service must have officers distinguished for probity and honour;
and do not put about me an intriguing person, who would only play the
spy, and make cabals." He declared again his determination not to go to
St. Helena; and this interesting interview was concluded.
[Sidenote: INTERVIEW WITH LORD KEITH, ETC.]
After the admiral and Sir Henry Bunbury had left the cabin, Napoleon
recalled Lord Keith, whom, in respect of his former attention to his
lordship's relative, Captain Elphinstone, he might consider as more
favourable to his person.
Napoleon, opened the conversation, by asking Lord Keith's advice how to
conduct himself. Lord Keith replied, that he was an officer, and had
discharged his duty, and left with him the heads of his instructions. If
he considered it necessary to renew the discussion, Sir Henry Bunbury
must be called in. Buonaparte said that was unnecessary. "Can you," said
he, "after what is passed, detain me until I hear from London?" Lord
Keith replied, that must depend on the instructions brought by the other
admiral, with which he was unacquainted. "Was there any tribunal," he
asked, "to which he could apply?" Lord Keith answered, that he was no
civilian, but believed that there was none whatever. He added, that he
was satisfied there was every disposition on the part of the British
Government to render his situation as comfortable as prudence would
permit. "How so?" said Napoleon, lifting the paper from the table, and
speaking with animation. Upon Lord Keith's observing, that it was surely
preferable to being confined to a smaller space in England, or being
sent to France, or perhaps to Russia. "Russia!" exclaimed Buonaparte,
"God preserve me from it!"[190]
During this remarkable scene, Napoleon's manner was perfectly calm and
collected, his voice equal and firm, his tones very pleasing. Once or
twice only he spoke more rapidly, and in a harsher key. He used little
gesticulation, and his attitudes were ungraceful; but the action of the
head was dignified, and the countenance remarkably soft and placid,
without any marks of severity. He seemed to have made up his mind,
anticipating what was to be announced, and perfectly prepared to reply.
In expressing his positive determination not to go to St. Helena, he
left it to his hearers to infer, whether he meant to prevent his removal
by suicide, or to resist it by force.[191]
FOOTNOTES:
[176] Savary, tom. iv., p. 149; Las Cases, tom. i., pp. 24-27.
[177] "At Rochefort, the Emperor lived at the prefecture: numbers were
constantly grouped round the house; and acclamations continued to be
frequently repeated. He leads the same sort of life as if at the
Tuileries: we do not approach his person more frequently; he scarcely
receives any persons but Bertrand and Savary."--LAS CASES, tom. i., p.
24.
[178] "Our situation was quite sufficient to remove any scruples I might
otherwise have entertained, and rendered this little deception
pardonable."--LAS CASES, tom. i., p. 26.
[179] "Il nous fut suggéré de nous rendre en Angleterre, et affirmé
qu'on ne pouvait y craindre aucun mauvais traitement."--_Journal de Las
Cases_, tom. i., part i., p. 28.--S.
[180] Las Cases, tom. i., p. 29.
[181] "_Alors_ Napoléon écrivitu Prince Régent."--_Journal_, tom. i., p.
33.--S.
[182] See p. 224, where Las Cases says, "_It was suggested_ to us to go
to England."--S.
[183] "Buonaparte's dress was an olive-coloured great coat over a green
uniform, with scarlet cape and cuffs, green lapels turned back and edged
with scarlet, skirts hooked back with bugle horns embroidered in gold,
plain sugar-loaf buttons and gold epaulettes; being the uniform of
_chasseur à cheval_ of the imperial guard. He wore the star, or grand
cross of the legion of honour, and the small cross of that order; the
iron crown; and the union, appended to the button-hole of his left
lapel. He had a small cocked hat, with a tri-coloured cockade, plain
gold-hilted sword, military boots, and white waistcoat and breeches. The
following day he appeared in shoes, with gold buckles, and silk
stockings--the dress he always wore afterwards while with
me."--MAITLAND, p. 66.
[184] "Rear-Admiral Hotham came to visit the Emperor, and remained to
dinner. From the questions asked by Napoleon relative to his ship, he
expressed a wish to know whether his Majesty would condescend to go on
board the following day; upon which the Emperor said he would breakfast
with the admiral, accompanied by all his attendants. On the 16th, I
attended him on board the Superb: all the honours, except those of
firing cannon, were liberally done; we went round the ship, and examined
the most trifling objects: every thing seemed to be in admirable order.
Admiral Hotham evinced, throughout, all the refinement and grace of a
man of rank and education. On our leaving the Bellerophon in the morning
to visit the Superb, Napoleon stopped short in front of the guard drawn
up on the quarterdeck to salute him. He made them perform several
movements, giving them the word of command himself; having desired them
to charge bayonets, and perceiving this motion was not performed
altogether in the French manner, he advanced into the midst of the
soldiers, put the weapons aside with his hands, and seized a musket from
one of the rear rank, with which he went through the exercise himself,
according to our method."--LAS CASES, tom. i., p. 35.
[185] Some of the London newspapers having represented Napoleon "as
taking possession of the chief cabin in a most brutal way, saying '_Tout
ou rien pour moi_.'"--Captain Maitland makes this declaration--"I here,
once for all, beg to state most distinctly, that from the time of his
coming on board my ship, to the period of his quitting her, his conduct
was invariably that of a gentleman; and in no instance do I recollect
him to have made use of a rude expression, or to have been guilty of any
kind of ill-breeding."--_Narrative_, p. 72.
[186] "July 24, we anchored at Torbay about eight in the morning:
Napoleon had risen at six, and went on the poop, whence he surveyed the
coast and anchorage. I remained by his side to give the explanations he
required."--_Las Cases_, tom. i., p. 41.
[187] Las Cases, tom. i., p. 50.
[188] The white flag was flying at Rochelle and the isle of Oleron. It
was hoisted on the 12th, and hauled down afterwards; again hoisted on
the 13th July, to the final exclusion of the three-coloured ensign.--S.
[189] Admiral Hotham and Captain Maitland had no particular orders how
this uncommon person was to be treated, and were naturally desirous of
showing respect under misfortunes to one who had been so great. Their
civilities went no farther than manning the yards when he entered the
Superb on a breakfast visit, and when he returned to the Bellerophon on
the same occasion. Captain Maitland also permitted Napoleon to lead the
way into the dining cabin, and seat himself in the centre of the table;
an honour which it would have been both ungracious and uncalled for to
have disputed. Even these civilities could not have been a portion of
the snare of which Napoleon complains, or have had the least effect in
inducing him to take his resolution of surrendering to the English, as
the argument in the text infers; for that resolution had been taken, and
the surrender made, before the attentions Napoleon founds upon could
have been offered and received. This tends to confirm the opinion of
Nelson, that the French, when treated with ceremonial politeness, are
apt to form pretensions upon the concessions made to them in ordinary
courtesy.--S.
[190] Russie!--Dieu m'en garde.--S.
[191] Having had the inestimable advantage of comparing Sir Henry
Bunbury's Minutes of this striking transaction with those of Mr. Meike,
who accompanied Lord Keith in the capacity of secretary, the Author has
been enabled to lay before the public the most ample and exact account
of the interview of 31st July which has yet appeared.--S.