The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-11-20
ON THE BELLEROPHON,

In Fulton County, Ga, there is now
living an Old man who enjoys the distinc-
ton of having guarded the great Napo-
leon during his short captivity on the
Bellerophon, previous to his departure
for st. Helena. Mr.. Gregg, for that is
the name of the old man, is now So years
of age, but is still in the enjoyment of
good health, and his memory seems to
be unimpaired. In the course OF con-
versation with the veteran some time ago
a few facts were elected which will
doubtless be of interest to the many ad-
mirers OF the great French Emperor.
Gregg, according to his statement was
one of the British marines on the Beller-
ophon. After the Emperor Napoleon,
or General Bonaparte, as he was studious-
ly called by the officers OF the vessel,
came on board and surrendered himself
to Captain Maitland, claiming the hospi-
tality of England, he was assigned cab
in and one of the marines always on duty
at the door. This post fell to Gregg's
lot number of times, and he soon began
to feel friendly interest in the illustri-
ous prisoner.
"How did Bonaparte look and act ?'' /
asked.
HE was the grandest looking man /
ever saw" replied Gregg. "He had
splendid head, dark-brown hair, and
face like marble. His eyes were light
blue, and when IN high spirits his smile
was the sweetest imaginable"
''He was cheerful at all times was he ?"
''Oh, yes; sometimes he would speak
to NE and to the common sailors as
pleasantly as you please. He would ut
ter few words of English, and then ask
if what he said WAS correct, and when we
would point ont his mistakes as well as
we could, he would laugh like boy;
and then he would turn the tables by
picking flaws in or French. Oh, he
was rare one sir"
'Always in good humor, then"
swell, no, sir. Sometimes he was
very blue, and then again he wouId get
mad, aud, Lord, sir, how he would
swear"
''Swear. The great Napoleon, swear!"
eyes, sir, that he did. He would
swear by the hour at anybody or any
thing that crossed his path.
"How did he pass his time ?" l quer-
led.
Gle read some, and talked with the
officers q good deal, and then he was
very fond OF pacing the deck. Some
times he would shut himself up in his
onlain 81 10y, bri generally he walk
ing about, noticing everything. Nothing
seemed to escape him, and he was in the
main very willing to talk TO anybody
that came along. Sometimes he was un-
assuming, and then again considering
his position as prisoner, and all that, it
did look as if he was little too haugh
ty."
''Did he ever appear at all cowed ?"
"Cowedl Not bit of it ! Why, sir,
he walked the deck as though he owned
the ship, and everybody on it. He
would get blue and mad, as I said before
but he always carried himself grandly,
and everybody from the captain down,
showed him the greatest possible respect.
In fact, we all took q liking to him, and
that's the truth about it.
"What was Napoleon's height, as near
as you could guess ?"
"Well," replied old Gregg, medita-
lively, ''they tell me that he was a little
man, but did not think so when I saw
him. 1t was because 1 was a raw youth,
suppose. and the sight of the greatest
man in the worlds history dazzled me.
But, then his manner was always SO dig
nified and impressive that we never
thought of his small stature"
"What was the opinion of those on
board the Bellerophon in regard to the
Emperor's future2"
"Why, sir, we all thought that he
would be received as England's guest,
aud by some provision in the treaty be
allowed pension, on condition of not
again taking up arms. We had no idea
Of anything else, and, sir, our men shed
tears of humiliation when they learned
that Bonaparte was not to be permitted
to land on English soil-they did strand
our officers too, were great deal ruffied
and they felt that the British govern
ment was doing something that was mean,
petty and malicious ="