Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-30
Louis NapOleOn's Own story OF His
Escape from the Fortress of Ham
In IS46. NI ..iH ttitNt

1915.
The following is translation of a
hitherto unpublished letter written by
Louis Napoleon just after his escape
from the Fortress of Ham, to the editor
of newspaper to which he had contrib
uted during his imprisonment In q GER
tain poverty and awkwardness of diction
il is faithful to the original, which was
evidently not intended for publication /:
MY DEAR Mr.. DEGoRGE: The desire
of once more seeing my father in this life
has made me attempt the boldest under
taking that / have ever attempted, and
for which / needed more firmness and
courage than at Strasbourg and Boulogne,
for was resolved not to endure the ridi-
cule tnat fastens on those who are ar
rested under q disguise, and failure
would have been no longer endurable.
But to come to the particulars OF my
escape.
You know the ford was guarded by
four hundred men, who furnished daily
guard of sixty soldiers, whe were on duty
within and wishout the fort; furthermore,
the door of the prison was guarded by
three jailers, two of whom were always
on duty. 1t were necessary, therefore,
in the first place, to pass before them,
then to traverse all the inner court before
the windows of the commandant; having
reached there, it was necessary to pass
through the gate where were an orderly
and a sergeant gate keeper, sentinel,
and finally post of thirty men.
Not having been willing to establish
any communication with a corruptible
jailer or SOY, disguise was, of course,
necessary. Now as several rooms of the
building / inhabited were undergoing re-
pairs, il was easy to take the costupe Of
workman. Ny good and faithful
Charles TheIin procured blouse and
wooden shoes. ! cut off my mustache
and took board on my shoulders.
Monday morning / saw the workmen
come in az halfpast six o'clock. When
thew were at work Charles took some
drink to them in q room, so as to get them
out Of my way be was also to call one
keeper up stairs, while Doctor was talk
ing with the others.
Meanwhile, | was hardly out Of my
room when / was accosted by workman
who followed me, taking me for one o.
| his comrades; at the foot Of the staircase
l found myself front to front with q
keeper. Luckily / put the board before
his face and reached the court, always
holding the board between myself anc
the sentinel and those whom l met
When passing before the Hrst sentinel
| let fall my pipe, but stopped to pick
nm the pieces. Then l met the officer o.
the guard, but he was reading letter
and did not notice me. The soldiers ol
the post at the gate seemed TO wonder a.
nv dress; the drummer in particular
turned several times to look.
Meanwhile, the orderlies opened the
door and found myself outside the
fortress; there / met two workmen, who
were coming toward me, and looked O.
me attentively. then turned the board
on their side, but they appeared so In
ouisitive that / thought could not escape
them. when heard them exclaim:
"Ohl ii is Berthoud."
Once on the outside, walked rapidly
toward the St. Quentin road.
A little later, Charles, who had en-
esged q carriage for himself the preced
| ing day, overlook me, and we reached
ST Quentin. -f--L
| / passed through the town on foot, Afsei
taking Of my blouse.
Charles had procured post carriag'
under pretence Of going TO the races q
Canbrai We reached Valencienne
without difficulty, where took the rail
ihAd obtained q Belgian passport, bu