Description
########### This item is now Sold ############# June 2021
After the painting by Sir William Quiller Orchardson RA. which hangs in the Tate Gallery, London. This image is published by the Berlin Photographic Co. London Ca.1910.
The caption below the image reads : “ On the fifteenth of July 1815, Twenty seven days after the battle of Waterloo and seven days after Louis XVIII had re-entered Paris as King of France, Napoleon, despairing to escape to America, surrendered to Great Britain and went on board the ‘Bellerophon’.
He is seen looking across the sea to the French coast. A voyage to Plymouth and thence to St. Helena were to conclude the mortal wanderings of the dictator of Europe.”
45.4 x 61.3 cm
The events were recorded by the Captain of HMS Bellerophon, Sir Frederick Lewis Maitland:
At break of day, on the 15th of July, 1815, l’Épervier French brig of war was discovered under sail, standing out towards the ship, with a flag of truce up; and at the same time the Superb, bearing Sir Henry Hotham’s flag, was seen in the offing. By half-past five the ebb-tide failed, the wind was blowing right in, and the brig, which was within a mile of us, made no further progress; while the Superb was advancing with the wind and tide in her favour. Thus situated, and being most anxious to terminate the affair I had brought so near a conclusion, previous to the Admiral’s arrival, I sent off Mr Mott, the First Lieutenant, in the barge, who returned soon after six o’clock, bringing Napoleon with him.
On coming on board the Bellerophon, he was received without any of the honours generally paid to persons of high rank; the guard was drawn out on the break of the poop, but did not present arms. His Majesty’s Government had merely given directions, in the event of his being captured, for his being removed into any one of his Majesty’s ships that might fall in with him; but no instructions had been given as to the light in which he was to be viewed. As it is not customary, however, on board a British ship of war, to pay any such honours before the colours are hoisted at eight o’clock in the morning, or after sunset, I made the early hour an excuse for withholding them upon this occasion.
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 the 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 on 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.
On leaving the Épervier, he was cheered by her ship’s company as long as the boat was within hearing; and Mr Mott informed me that most of the officers and men had tears in their eyes.
General Bertrand came first up the ship’s side, and said to me, “The Emperor is in the boat.” He then ascended, and, when he came on the quarter-deck, pulled off his hat, and, addressing me in a firm tone of voice, said, “I am come to throw myself on the protection of your Prince and laws.”
The senior ship’s surgeon was Barry Edward O’Meara, an Irish doctor, who accompanied Napoleon into exile as his personal physician.
On Board the Poop deck of the ‘Bellerophon’ may be seen members of Napoleon’s entourage (Left to Right) Col. Planat de Fraye:- aide-de-camp & oderly officer; Maj-Gen. Count Charles – Tristan de Montholon (1783 -1853):-Napoleon’s poisoner ; Pierre Maingaut; Count Emmanuel Marquis de Las Cases (1766 – 1842):-Napoleon’s Biographer ; General Anne-Jean-Marie-René Savary, Duke de Rovigo (1774 -1832):- aide-de-Camp and Chief of Police; General Charles Lallemand; Count Henri-Gratien Bertrand (1773 – 1844): Military Engineer, and young Emmanuel Las Cases:- son of above; while off to the right, brooding upon the state of his circumstances, General Bonaparte is depicted wearing the small cocked hat, with a tri-coloured cockade; an olive green great coat covering the green uniform of a ‘chasseur a cheval’ of the Imperial Guard and his plain gold-hilted sword, military boots, white waistcoat and breeches that he wore when he boarded. On the quarterdeck below, may be seen a marine guard and two of ship’s officers of the watch.
