21 - GOURGAUD (Gaspard, General)

GOURGAUD (Gaspard, General) Frankfurt, March 1, 1821. Autograph letter signed “Gourgaud” to John Jackson. 3 pages in-4, address with postmarks on the fourth page, remnants of a wax seal. The harsh exile of a hero of the Grande Armée. In this letter written two months before the Emperor’s death, Gourgaud pours out his heart to his English friend, John Jackson, who was living in Hamburg: “If I do not write to you more often, look for the reason only in the fear that every unfortunate person has of boring others with the tale of his sorrows and griefs. […] If I die here of boredom and sadness, it is at least a consolation for me to see that my friends in Hamburg are enjoying themselves. So let us speak of your pleasures. You tell me that you are constantly attending parties, balls, and all that. That’s very well—life is short, and one must enjoy it as much as one can.” He does, however, reproach him for engaging in criticism of Mr. Méliles. Referring to his own activities, he notes: “I am also working on a book that I will title *Military Memoirs of St. Helena*. As soon as I decide to publish it, I will be sure to send you a few copies.” Finally, his situation as an exile may not find a favorable resolution in the immediate future. He has, in fact, “had my petition sent to the Chamber of Deputies by my elderly mother. The composition of the tribunal that must decide the matter does not give me much hope. […] If I cannot yet return to France, I do not know where I will settle, but I assure you that I will leave Frankfurt; I am too bored there, and the inhabitants are too “Frankfurtian”—that is to say, selfish, petty, foolish, and shallow.” General Gourgaud put his devotion to the Emperor into action by following him into exile on Saint Helena. Unfortunately, this life in exile—which clashed with his temperament as a man of action—as well as the forced interactions with others close to the Emperor (notably Las Cases) did not suit him. He resolved to leave the island on March 14, 1818, and, barred from returning to France, took refuge in England and began writing his memoirs. Those written with Montholon were published in 1822. He remained loyal to the Emperor, despite the Emperor’s very harsh words toward him (“He’s a madman. He was in love with me. For heaven’s sake! I’m not his wife and can’t sleep with him”), he sent a petition to the Chamber of Deputies demanding that England return Napoleon’s remains. Nearly twenty years later, he accompanied the Prince of Joinville to Saint Helena to ensure the return of Napoleon’s ashes. Paper slightly browned; tear with a gap obscuring about ten words. Provenance Jean A. Bonna Library (auction in Paris, Pierre Bergé et Associés, April 26, 2017, lot 177). Bibliography Bondeson, Lars; *Napoleons sista strid - Fångenskapen på St. Helena* [Napoleon’s Last Battle – Exile on St. Helena], BoD, Sweden, 2022, p. 213.