Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-01-01
On the Bcllcrophon.

In Fulton county, Ga, there is now living
an old man who enjoys the distinction of
having guarded the great Napoleon during
his short captivity on the Bellerophon, pre-
vious to his departure for ST. Helena, Mr.
Gregg, for that is the name of the old man,
is now eighty-hve years of age, but is still
in the enjoyment of good health, and his
memory seems TO be unimpaired In the
| course of conversation with the veteran
some time ago, few facts were elected
which will doubtless be of interest To the
many admirers of the French Emperor.
Gregg, according to his statement, was
one of the British marines on the Bellero
phou. After the Emperor Napoleon, or
General Bonaparte, rs he was studiously
called by the officers of the vessel, came on
board and surrendered himself TO Captain
Maitland, claiming the hospitality of Eng
land, he was assigned cabin 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 20 feel Il friendly
interest in the illustrious prisone"
''How did Bonaparte look and act?
asked.
''ue was the grandest looking man ever
saw, replied Gregg ale had splendid
head, dark k-brown hair, and a face like mar
bic. His eyes were n light blue, and when
in high spirits his smile was the sweetest
imaginable"
''He was cheerful at all tunes, was he ?"
''Oh, yes; sometimes he would speak TO
me and to the common sailors as pleasantly
as you please. He would utter few words
of English, and then ask if what he said
was correct, and when we would point out
his mistakes us we'll rs we could, he would
laugh like boy; and then he would turn
the tables by picking flaws in our French.
oh, he was rare one, sir,
"Always in good humor, then?"
''Well, no, sir. Sometimes he was very
blue, and then again he would get mad,
and, Lord, sir, how he would swear"
''Swear The great Napoleon swear"
"Yes, sir, that he did. He would swear
by the hour at anybody or anything that
crossed his path,
''lIow did he pass his time" | queried.
''lIe read some, and talked with the Off
GERS a good deal, and then he was very fond
of pacing the deck. Sometimes he would
shut himself up in his cabin all day, but
generally he was was walking about motto
ing everything. Nothing seemed to escape
him, and he was in the main very willing
to talk to anybody that came along Some
times he was unassuming, and then again,
considering his position as prisoner, and
all that, it did look rs if he was little too
naughty"
did he ever appear at all cowed ?"
'Cowed. Not bit of it Why, sir
he walked the deck as though he owned the
vessel and everybody on it. He would get
blue and mad, as l said before. but he al
ways carried himself grandly, and every
body, 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, meditatively,
they tell me that he was little man, but
did not think so when | saw him. 1t was
because | was raw youth, l suppose, and
the sight of the greatest man in the worlds
history dazzled me. But, then, his man.
ner was always so dignitied and impressive
that we never thought of his small
stature"
"What was the opinion of those on the
Bellerophon in regard to the Emperor's fu
ture?'
why, sir, we all thought that he would
be received as Englands guest, and 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,
sir, and our officers, too, were great deal
ruffled-and they felt that the British Go
vernment was doing something that was
mean, petty and n alicious."