Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-03-14
NAPOLEON THE GREAT.
Interesting Account of his First
Exile.


that extraordinary man, and the manu-
script has recently been published. Hav-
ing been chosen to accompany the En-
, peror in his retreat to Elba, Sir Neil
reached the palace in Foutainebleau in
April, 1914 We quote his description
of the impression Napoleon left in their
first interview:
at was a strange feeling that came
over me when the aide-de- camp, after
announcing my name, retired, shutting
the door, and found myself suddenly
clOseted with that extraordinary man,
whose name had been for so many years
the touchstone of my professional and
national feelings, and whose appearance
had been presented to my Imagination in
every form that exaggeration and carl
cature could render impressive Gen.
Roller (tbe Austrian Commissioner had
described him as appearing in the most
perturbed and distressed state of mind,
sometimes rubbing his forehead with his
hands, then stufing part of his fingers
into his mouth and gnawing the ends Of
them in the most agitated and excited
manner | saw before me . stout, ac-
tive-looking man, who was rapidly pac-
ing the length of his apartment, like
some wild animal in his cell He was
dressed in an old green uniform, with
gold epaulets, blue pantaloons, and red
top boots, unshaven, uneombed, with the
fallen particles of snuff scattered profuse-
ly upon his upper lip and breast. Upon
his becoming aware of my presence he
turned quickly toward me, and salgted
me with courteous smile, evidently en-
1 deavoring to conceal his anxiety and
agitation by an assumed plaeidity of
manner
| Sir Neil Campbell witnessed most of
the scenes which at this time occurred at
| Fontainebleau-the celebrated farewell
to the Old Guard, and the faithful defec-
ton of almost all the dependents and
eourtiers of the fallen chief Napoleon
was always much more courteous to him
than to the Commissioners of the allies
who had also arrived at the palace, and
he often spoke in the highest terms of
England, Wellington, and the British
army. In manner he was usually cap
tious and disdainful, complaining bitter
ly of his principal officers, of Marmont
especially, and of the Senate, and in
tensely jealous on the point of military
honor; on the whole, thinking a great
deal about himself and little ef the fu-
ture destiny of France. To Sir Neil be
seemed to be playing theatrieally the
part of hero, yet occasionally he would
speak with natural emotion of the forced
absence of his wife and child aud he
was evidently intensely solicitous about
his personal safety.
During the Gpst few months Napoleon
was popular with the inhabitants of Eiba,
and he treated his visitor with the most
friendly courtesy. With his Woated ac-
tivity, he set on foot works and improve
ments of many kinds, employing his
little army in these tasks, and he re-
ceived Sir Neil, as he said, sen sollat"
On these occasions he would often de-
bate on his marvellous career and con-
temporary events, taking care, however,
usually to say that he looked at these
subjects as though he were dead, " as a
player who had quilted the stage for
ever" He repeatedly dwelt on his mil
itary triunphs, on the humiliation of
France and the supremacy Of England
he spoke with bitter contempt of the
Bourbons, and of the treachery which
caused his fall, when, as he insisted, he
was on the eve of success; he glanced
keenly at the affairs of the Continent,
and he debated war and politics eagerly.
Notwithstanding his professions, Sir
Neil Campbell feared from the first that
he might yet undertake, in his ambitious
mood, some hazardous enterprise.
a have never seen a man in any sit
uation Of life with so much personal ae
tivity and restless perseverance. He
appears to take so much pleasure in per-
petual movement and in seeing those
who accompany him sink under fatigue,
as has been the case on several occasions
when | have accompanied him. | DO
not think it possible for him to sit down
to study, or any pursuit of retirement,
as proclaimed by him to be his inten-
tion, so long as his state of health per-
mits corporal exercise. These details
show that if opportunities for warfare
upon a great scale and for important OBJ
ieets do not present themselves, he is
likely to avail himself of any others, in
order to indulge the passion from mere
reeklessness. His thoughts seem to dwell
perpetually upon the operations Of war.
He always persisted that, up to the
last moment, the campaign of 1914
would have ended in his favor but for
the treachery of the Senate and Mar
mont.
20 He was confident of success. The
army was burning with desire to attack
the enemy and drive them out of , the
capital. He knew well the composition
Of the allied army as compared with his
own, and that SchWartzenberg would
never hazard battle with Paris in his
rear, but would take up defensive posi-
ton on the other side. He would have
engaged the enemy at various points
for two or three hours, and then have
marched with his thirty battalions of
Guards and the eighty pieces of cannon
upon one part of their line. Nothing
could withstand that attack"
He dwelt proudly on the uperiority
of his troops, and Sir Neil Campbell
confirmed the remark
In remarking on his confidence in
his own troops, particularly his old
Guards, and the inefhcieney of the allies,
he referred to me to say candidly if it
was not so. Tell me, Campbell, frank
ly, is it not true?' l told him it was
tt at when with the allies l never yet
saw considerable portion Of his army,
but every one spoke of the Emperor
and his Guards as if there was some
thing in them more than human to be
dreaded that the inferiority which he
conceived of Schwartzenberg's army was
Justly founded. There was no conf
dence in themselves or in their allies.
Each party thought he did too much,
and his allies too little, and thus were
q L L A. Il II