The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-05
NAPOLEON AT ST. HELENA.
RecollectiOns of One of the EmperOr's Guards
Incidents of His Life Upon the Island.

ReeoIleetions of One of the EmperOr's Guards
Incidents of His Life Upon the Island.
Battle Creek Correspondence Detroit Post.
Your correspondent to-day paid avisit to VIM.
U, Palmer, who, so far as he knows, is the last
one living of the soldiers stationed on the Island
of st. Helena at the time of NapoleOns DEATH
The white-haired veteran, now grown quite deaf
had just returned home from a long walk to
await the coming of friends to celebrate this his
eighty fourth birthday. With evident satsfac
ton he gave a narrative in substance as follows:
AT the age of eighteen he enlisted in the Brit
isb army in England; in 1919 he was sent to St
Helena. where he landed in August after a vOy-
age of four months. This island is ten and one
half miles long by six and one-half broad, and
save a small arabic plain at the top, is almost
a solid rock. There were 5000 troops on the
island. one regiment to guard Napoleon being
Quartered at Longwood, on the heights and an
other regiment remaining in the village of James
town. five miles distant These regiments chang
ed quarters annually probably through fear of
their coming too much under the influence of the
fallen Emperor. A man-of-war with seventy
four guns, cruised about the island. additional
security against escape. The regiment on the
heights divided into squads of fifty, which
acted in turn as the special guards of Napoleon.
During the day and until o'clock in the even
ing these guards remained outside the house in
closure. but at that hour they moved inside and
surrounded the house till daylight. This house
was a story and Il half, with wings to it, and had
formerly been farm dwelling. In 1920 the
British government built him, a stone house;
but he vowed he never would occupy it, and did
not. Along with Napoleon the house was
occupied by an English captain, the
French field-marshal General Bertrand and
his wife son and daughter, with some other
members Of Napoleon's personal staff and several
servants. The soldiers did his gardening, but,
says Mr. Palmer, frequently saw him spading
himself in a loose yellow coat. Many times
have watched him walking to and fro stand
ing in deep meditation, as though rejecting on
the wonderful events of his life. Although he
4.1f z laaaza
fulness and of resignation to his fate, yet few
times | observed him when he appeared to be
In the very deeps of sorrow. An instance Of this
kind can never be erased from memory have
a most vivid impression of seeing him one No
Vember day, toward evening, leaning against the
side of the house, and gazing fiXedly at piece of
paper upon the ground in profound sadness
Ever and anon he would pass his hand over his
forehead, as though he would wipe out all recol-
lection of the past, as if realizing the vanity
of all earthly glory
learned afte1ward that on that day British
lieutenant. who, among other accomplishments,
could speak and write French, had thrown i'll
his way translation which he had made of the
graye-diggng scene in Shakspeares Hamlet
and that stanza from Grays Elegy, which reads
thus:
The boast of heradry. the pemp of power
And all that beauty, ali that wealth Ger gave,
Await alike the inevitable hour;
The paths of glory Lead but to the grave.
Governor Sir Hudson Lowe was very severe
an ms tlSclpQe Tor rear some gap IllSlb Dt ietb
open by which the prisoner could escape. On
the first Christmas day | there Napoleon
wanted to give a Christmas dinner to all the
soldiers in the guard regiment, but Governor
Lowe would not permit it. 1t was said at the
time that Napoleon, learning this. remarked
with sad smile playing over his face, ~, Eng
hand! has it come 30 such apass, that cannot be
allowed even to do good to my enemiesl'
The guard was not permitted to hold any con-
versation with him. Sometimes, however he
would walk back and forth and exchange a few
words with soldiers who could reply in French.
10 one he said one day in passing, Soldier you
and both viii one day serve as meal for
worms to feed upon To another Perform
your duty faithfully in this world and you may
hope much from the hereafter as Governor
Lowe AT the time quite number of serious
and sportive remarks OF his were current among
the soldiers, who felt towards him deep sym
patty and a strong attraction
heard it talked among the residents, who
were Of many nationalities, that Napoeons
friends planned i.is escape on a French ship but
neither the British officers nor soldiers took
much stock in that. At the time of NapOeon's
death. at six in the evening on May 5, 1921, l
was stationed in the village, and believe was
the first there to get the news, because was on
picket and the messenger had to give me the
password. When | challenged he replied: Il
have good answer for you. old Napoleon is
dead The messenger expressed the feeling of
relief which prevailed among the British officers
especially. The death message was signaled to
Governor Lowe by means of flags. This kind of
tfegraphing is done by raising different flag
for each letter in the alphabet. A salute of
txenty-one guns was fred which was the high
est salute fired upon the death of any British
officer. Napoleon was buried in place selected
by himself four years before On shipboard,
coming home, in 1921 comrade and myself
composed song. one stanza of which alludes to
this incident, as follows:
There is one thing more I say,
And that before die
That down in Foxs Valley
NY body it may lie
All underneath those willow trees,
Where water is pure
/ chose the ground four years ago.
So, Where NAV Law secure