The Washington herald., 1910-12-18
NEAR-DELIVERY
OF NAPOLEON /
FROM ST. HELENA

eiie fNei NeAieu uy court caS an iSialQ near
the west coast Of Africa and to bring
their beloved chieftain 10 America.
1t is even related that~these men had
reached the place and had scaled the
eliffs which overhang the coast of 81.
Helena and. under cover of an excep-
uonally dark and stormy night. actually
had surrounded the house at lockwood
where the British kept their former En-
peror in durance. but that a glimpse
through the shutters Of one OF the win
dows had convinced them that they had
come too late and that their beloved
master was dead. The conqueror OF Eu-
rope had Just died and his body lay stu
but majestic on a temporary catafaique.
The sadly disappointed expedition fit
ted away like a ghostly visitation.
The historical fact is extant, however,
by both oral and written proofs, that
carefully laid plan by citizens OF New
Orleans was not carried out because
three days before the departure of the
rescung expedition from this port the
news was received that Napoleon had
died on the 5th OF May. 1921
Nicholas Girod. former mayor OF New
Orleans; Capt. Boissiere, a retired sea
farer, and a number OF prominent citi-
Zens Of New Orleans and OF Charleston
contributed 10 a fund for the building OF
a fast yacht and for the construction OF
fine house in this city The object was
10 mt out an armed and fully equipped
vessel and make a daring attempt 10
spirit away the illustriOus prisoner from
his British jailers, convey him to New
Orleans, and install him I'm the residence
specially erected for his domicile at the
corner OF Chartres and St Louis streets.
Of
Secret information had been impaired
to the Emperor, and it was said that he
was willing to conhde himself to the
care OF his admirers at New Orleans.
While the preparations were under way
and the yacht was being built not a word
was said 10 any one Of the plan except
10 those who were known to be stanch
supporters of Napoleon and who were
10 be members of the expedition. To
prevent suspicion, the Seraphine. q beau
tifully. strongly built, and fast vessel,
was put in commission under command
of Capt Boissiere ostensibIy for pleas
ure cruises in the Gulf of Mexico, but in
reality 10 await sailing orders as soon as
all arrangements had been cOnsurnmated
for the hazardous trip to St Helena.
The crew was engaged, picked sailors
and desperate men, all ardent syulpa-
thizers with the exiled Emperor: and
Capt BOissiere, who was TO head the ex-
petition was provided with maps and
plans OF the harbor and fortihcations OF
St Helena and had accurate information
as to the stations and ornaments Of the
British men-of-war guarding the island:
also with regard 10 the number OF sol
diers composing the garrison.
IRON the Historical Sketch Book OF
New Orleans" published b. VIII II. Cole
man CNew York, 1880, the following ac-
count OF the affair is here given:
THE plot was well laid Several old
French residents of New Orleans engag-
ed warmly in IT, Among them was Mich
olas Girod, mayor of the city for several
terms. the same who received Jackson on
his entrance into the city in 1874, and OF
whose gallantry and efficiency Jackson
bore eloquent testimony in his general
orders. He was a sturdy. patriotic, phi
lanthropic old gentleman. and at his
death made the handsome bequest to the
city known as the Girod legacy
Mr.. Girod was an intense and devoted
friend and admirer OF the great Napo-
leon. He never tired in his denunciation
of the brutality OF 1mprisOning so illus
trious a man on that miserable island,
and, with other admirers OF Napoleon,
was constantly devising plans for his es-
cape and never lost faith in his eventual
and safe transportation to New Orleans.
1T was in cooperation with him and
other old Napoleonists in this city and
Charleston that Boissiere proceeded with
great energy in constructing and equip
ping his clipper, When completed she
proved TO be a beauty, model of fast
sailing and strong clipper of about 200
tons.
Son of n Revolutionary Hero.
''Boissiere's whole soul was in this en-
terprise- He was a Frenchman by de-
scent. His father was an officer in the
army of Count Rochambeau, which CO.
operated with Washington's army in the
siege OF Yorktown, and led the French
force which. with a column of Americans
under Col Alexander Hamilton, escalad-
ed the principal fort defending the posi-
tion OF Lord CORVALLIS. Boissiere's
mother, too, was Of French descent, from
the island of Santo Domingo.
"His one desire in life seemed to be to
scale the cliffs of St. Helena, with his
cutlass between his teeth and his brace
of pistols in his belt. and. followed by
his band of bravadoes. breaking into Ma
poleOn's chamber, after securing the
guard, place the Emperor into a chair
connected with rope and tackle and TO
lower him upon the deck of the Sera-
phine, which, taking advantage of the
stormy night, had eiuded the war ships
in the harbor and crept into a position
below the house at Lockwood, which
had been assigned her in a carefully
drawn plan
when once deposited on the deck Of
the Seraphine he could trust to her heels
and defy pursuit by the whole British
navy. This was the plan which for
months engaged the thoughts and facul-
ties of Boissiere and was rehearsed by
him every night before going TO bed and
again before rising in the morning.
Napoleon Was Dead.
Alas Man proposes, God dfsposes.
Three days before that which had been
fixed for the departure OF the Seraphine
the news reached America of the death
OF the great Napoleon on the 9Th Of May,
1921. Never was man stricken with more
poignant grief and disappointment than
Boissiere by this soTrowful intelligence.
That the plot which we have describ-
ed was known to. and authorized by, Ma
pOleons stan at ST Helena was long aft
erward acknowledged by DIR. Antomarchi
and Marshal Bertrand. who visited New
Orleans some years after the death of
their chief. Dr. Antomarchi testified his
appreciation of the generous impulses
and sentiments of the people OF New Or
leans by presenting a marble bust or
cast, OF Napoleon after his DEATH which
was long preserved in the old city hall