Document Relating Napoleon (1 results)

4to (195 x 250 mm). 5 pp. on bifolium (red-edged stationery with embossed urns and detailed margins) and a separate sheet. Handwritten account, by an unidentified British hand, of Napoleon's testimony while detained on the Island of Elba. Dated December 6th, the document would have been written at the Villa dei Mulini, one of two residences used by Napoleon during his stay from 3 May 1814 to 26 February 1815. - In his testimony, Napoleon defends himself against a variety of charges brought against him, including a justification of the massacre of Ottoman Turkish soldiers at the Siege of Jaffa in 1799 and the deaths of Royal Navy commanders John Wesley Wright and Jean-Charles Pichegru: "For the last fortnight we had a thousand relations of Bonaparte who seems to be one of the greatest talkers the world has ever known - He pours out all [.] and tells all he knows with as much indifference as if he was talking of the price of corn [.] Bonaparte seems to like the amusement of these audiences for he spins them out sometimes to 3 hours & a half which time he kept Sir Neil Campbell upon his legs the night before last [.] (He says) 'I took a large body of Turks whom I could not feed & when I released them upon a promise of not serving again under pain of being put to death if retaken; a short time after I found the same Turks in possession of Jaffa, which I attacked and took by storm in circumstances which would alone would have authorised their execution. But as it was I did not hesitate a moment in ordering their death to the number of about 2000, having no alternative with persons who had not respected their previous capitulation' [.]". - Some browning and staining; traces of old folds. In good condition. - From the collection of Frederick Lewis Maitland (1777-1839), captain of HMS Bellerophon, to whom Napoleon surrendered in 1815; thence by descent. - Napoleon noted Captain Maitland had shown him and his officers kindness and hospitality aboard HMS Bellerophon; he told Maitland he considered him a man of honour. Maitland rose to the position of Rear Admiral by the time of his death in 1839.