Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, Volume V.Scott, Walter
History
Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, Volume V.
Scott, Walter
France -- History -- 1789-1815; Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821
[183] "Buonaparte's dress was an olive-coloured great coat over a green
uniform, with scarlet cape and cuffs, green lapels turned back and edged
with scarlet, skirts hooked back with bugle horns embroidered in gold,
plain sugar-loaf buttons and gold epaulettes; being the uniform of
_chasseur à cheval_ of the imperial guard. He wore the star, or grand
cross of the legion of honour, and the small cross of that order; the
iron crown; and the union, appended to the button-hole of his left
lapel. He had a small cocked hat, with a tri-coloured cockade, plain
gold-hilted sword, military boots, and white waistcoat and breeches. The
following day he appeared in shoes, with gold buckles, and silk
stockings--the dress he always wore afterwards while with
me."--MAITLAND, p. 66.
[184] "Rear-Admiral Hotham came to visit the Emperor, and remained to
dinner. From the questions asked by Napoleon relative to his ship, he
expressed a wish to know whether his Majesty would condescend to go on
board the following day; upon which the Emperor said he would breakfast
with the admiral, accompanied by all his attendants. On the 16th, I
attended him on board the Superb: all the honours, except those of
firing cannon, were liberally done; we went round the ship, and examined
the most trifling objects: every thing seemed to be in admirable order.
Admiral Hotham evinced, throughout, all the refinement and grace of a
man of rank and education. On our leaving the Bellerophon in the morning
to visit the Superb, Napoleon stopped short in front of the guard drawn
up on the quarterdeck to salute him. He made them perform several
movements, giving them the word of command himself; having desired them
to charge bayonets, and perceiving this motion was not performed
altogether in the French manner, he advanced into the midst of the
soldiers, put the weapons aside with his hands, and seized a musket from
one of the rear rank, with which he went through the exercise himself,
according to our method."--LAS CASES, tom. i., p. 35.
[185] Some of the London newspapers having represented Napoleon "as
taking possession of the chief cabin in a most brutal way, saying '_Tout
ou rien pour moi_.'"--Captain Maitland makes this declaration--"I here,
once for all, beg to state most distinctly, that from the time of his
coming on board my ship, to the period of his quitting her, his conduct
was invariably that of a gentleman; and in no instance do I recollect
him to have made use of a rude expression, or to have been guilty of any
kind of ill-breeding."--_Narrative_, p. 72.
[186] "July 24, we anchored at Torbay about eight in the morning:
Napoleon had risen at six, and went on the poop, whence he surveyed the
coast and anchorage. I remained by his side to give the explanations he
required."--_Las Cases_, tom. i., p. 41.
[187] Las Cases, tom. i., p. 50.
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