Southern pioneer, and Carroll, Choctaw and Tallahatchie Counties advertiser. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1841-02-20
CARROLLToN MISSISSIPPI, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 90 ls4l


was raised by means of crane, and lodged or
the edge of the tomb
As soon as the coffin was visible, all present
uncovered their heads and the Able Coqueran
sprlnkled holy water and recited the De pro-
funds. The commissioners then deScen ed
10 inspect the coffin, which they found well
preserved, but a small portion of the lower
part, which, although ii was on a strong slab
that rested on blocks of stone, was slightly
decayed. Some sanitary precautions having
been again taken by the surgeon, an express
was sent off TO his eXcellency the governor, to
INFORM him OF the progress OF the operation, and
the coffin was drawn up by hooks and cords,
and carefully transported beneath tent raised
for its reception. Atthis moment, the aImoner
received the body according to the rites of the
Catholic church. The commissioners then in
spected the sarcophagus, which was certified
to be IN proper state OF preservation, and
entirely coniOrmable to the official descriptions
of the burial. Toward IL, the French Com
missioner had assured himself that the gov
ernor had authorised the opening OF the cot
I'm. COni0rmably TO the arrangements made,
we removed with precautOn the first coffin, in
which we fund coffin III lead in good pre-
servation, which we placed in that which had
been sent ON France. His Excellency the
! Governor, accompanied by lis staff, Lieuten-
ant Middlemore his aid-de-camp and secreta-
| ry, and Capt. Barnes, major of the place, en-
tered the tent to be present at the opening of
the inner collins.
The upper art of the leadean coffin was
then out and raised with the greatest precau-
| ton; within it was found coffin of wood, in
very good state, and corresponding TO the
descriptions and recolectionS of the persons
present who had assisted al the burial. The
lid OF the third coffin having been raised, there
was found lining of tin slightly oxydised,
which having also been cut through and raised
allowed us to see sheet of white satin; this
sheet was raised with the greatest precaution
| by the hands of the doctor only, and the entire
| body OF Napoleon appeared. The features
had suffered little as to be Immediately re,
cognsed. The different objects deposited in
the coffin were remarked In the exact posi-
tons where they had been placed, t. hands
were snguIary well preserved; the uniform,
the orders, the hat, but little changed-the
whole person, in fact, seemed to indicate =,
recent 1nnumauon. ne BODY remained ex-
posed to the air for only, at most, the two
minutes necessary for the surgeon to take the
measures prescribed by his instructions, in
order to preserve it from all further altera-
| ton.
The last, and of the most interesting of the
documents, is the process verbal o. the open
ing OF the collins, drawn up by DR.. Guard,
Sur2eon-major ofthe Belle Poue. T is report,
after relating the precautions mentioned above
which were taken IN opening the lids OF the
several collins, continues a follows:
"5omething white, which appeared TO have
become detached from the lining, covered, as
if with thin gauze, all that the coffin contain
| ed. TIE Uranium and forehead, which ad-
hered strongly to tn satin were particularly
stained with it, ut very little was seen on
the lower part of the face, on the hands, or
on the toes. The body of the Emperor was
in an easy position, as when it was placed in
the coffin, the upper members were laid at
length, the left arm "t.t hand resting on the
left thigh the Iowerllmb> were slightly bent.
! The head little raised, rested on a cushion.
The voIumnionS sknii. tho hi"h and hroa1