The Escape from Napoleon

THE ESCAPE FROM NAPOLEON

On February 16, 1815, Napoleon wrote to General Douot: Give the order for the Brig to enter the dock and turn it around on its keel, shine it, seal the water ways, resurface the careening and everything else necessary for taking it to the sea. Have it painted as an English Brig. Everything shall be done in anticipation as if I were to arrive tomorrow. You will supply the Brig with biscuits, rise, legumes, cheese, half of the provisions in aquavit and the other half in wine, and enough water for 120 men for three weeks. As much salted meat to last for 15 days. You will ensure enough wood and that there is absolutely nothing lacking. I wish that from the 24th to the 25th of this month that everything will be as I have asked and ready at the anchorage. Napoleon then left secretly on February 26th after a Carnival Ball held at the Teatro dei Vigilanti that was created out of the deconsecrated church of Carmine and which still remains on Elba today. With English surveillance lapsing due to the absence of Colonel Campbell who had left for Livorno, the Brig Incostant, under the command of Captain Chautard set sail with Napoleon on board. It was armed with 18 canons. Normally it would have had a crew of 64, but given the circumstance, it had much less. The small fleet also included two schooners and a French two-masted sailing ship. 400 grenadiers were aboard the Incostant, 200 on the �Etoille� and the cavalry was aboard the Saint-Esprit, and 40 artillerymen and 300 Corsican hunters followed on other ships. One of the schooners acted as lookout. Out of precaution the destination was secret. The warships head separately towards the west so as not to look like a convoy. Campbell was none the wiser as he left the following day from Livorno on his way to Elba.