Napoleon Bonaparte surrendered his 2 pistols
to First Lieutenant Andrew Mott
The family of Andrew Mott (Snr):
Records to support the research
Andrew Mott and Jane Radford married 30 September 1784
Peers Humphreys Mott born 26 July 1789 and baptised 4 September 1789
Note the headings on page 300 as they help to explain page 301.
Eliza Mott - born 1793 at Liverpool, Lancashire
Eliza was all class with a sense of humor. All of her children’s names had to start with E.
Eliza was born to Lieutenant Andrew Mott and Esther Humphreys at Liverpool, Lancashire on 25 April 1793 and baptised on 25 April 1794 at St Nicholas, Liverpool, the same Chapel where her parents were married in 1788. The record shows Esther was deceased by 25 April 1794, Andrew was living at Islington Row and a Lieutenant in the Navy. Eliza was 3rd in seniority hence why 3 on the record.
Her father Andrew was a Navy man and would make
a name for himself in 1797 on the ship HMS Sandwich off
Eliza had an older half brother Andrew born
in 1786 to a previous marriage of her father.
Brother Andrew was in the Royal Navy at an early age being promoted to First Lieutenant in 1805 aged 19. Her brother would also make a name for himself in 1815 on the ship HMS Bellerophon nicknamed by the crew as the “Billy Ruffian” He was the Lieutenant Andrew Mott who would take Napoleon into custody.
Eliza had one other brother Pierce H Mott
born in 1792 to Andrew and Esther. Pierce also joined the Navy at a young age.
In 1801 her father at the age of 49 married for the fourth time to Catherine
Pemberton in
In 1809
Eliza Mott married Edward Clark at Sculcoates Hull in
Her first child was Eliza born in 1813 at
Sadly Eliza’s brother Captain Andrew Mott
was injured early in his career and passed away aged 32 in 1818 at Sculcoates, Hull. Her father also a Captain Andrew Mott passed away the following year at
By 1841 Eliza had relocated to Doyle Street Snaith in
In 1849 at Hook in
By 1874 they had once again moved and were
residing at
This is not the end of Eliza’s story, her son Edward Pierce Humphrey Clark will continue the families connection with the Sea as a Master Mariner.
Edward first married Hannah Wilson in 1835
at Hook in
Rose Hutchings was baptized 10 Jan 1836 to
a John and Louisa. In 1841 she was living with her parents and her siblings James 15,
Henry 14, Elizabeth 11, Emily 10, William 8, George 3 and Francis 0. By 1851
Edward P H Clark and Rosa started their
married life together at
By 1871 Edward had relocated his family to
Charlton in
Note: In the 19th century
Monkwearmouth in
Note: Edward named a second son Edward in 1874. Did his first son of 1837 have a mishap at sea?
Note: Compiled by Glen Petfield 2020
fflintstone787@gmail.com
By today the descendants of Eliza Mott will be many as indicated by these census records of only 2 of her descendants.
Census 1891 at Woolwich,
George Clark 32
Head born Co Durham, occupation Stoker, Mary Ann Clark 27 Wife born
Census 1911
George Alfred Clark 52 Head born Sunderland,
Census 1891 Plumstead,
Alexander Clark 29 Head born Old Hartlepool
Yorkshire Railway Engine Stoker, Bertie Clark 6 Son born
Census 1901 Charlton Woolwich
Alexander Clark 39 Head born
Census 1911
Alexander Clark
50 Head born Hartley Pool, Durham Labourer, Rebbeca Clark 49 Wife born
Note: Spellings and places of birth are as
they appear in the records.
Note: Compiled by Glen Petfield 2020
fflintstone787@gmail.com
Glen Petfield has contributed his thoughts in 2022.
Arthur Petfield's mother Florence Jane Mott descends from a Thomas Mott 1757-1832. This Thomas may have been a brother to that Andrew Mott's father however there is no positive record and my DNA research with a descendant of that Andrew Mott senior 1752-1819 indicates no blood relationship.
My research shows that Andrew Luther Mott (a great great uncle to Arthur Petfield) was wealthy and I believe that he may have purchased the pistols from a cash strapped cousin. Andrew Luther Mott died in 1904 and it was his wife Mary who gave the pistols to the Australian WW1 hero John Wesley Mott (cousin to Florence Petfield) about 1918. Andrew L and Mary had no children. Mary believed John W and his brother William T were worthy of the family heirlooms.
"Memorial" of Pierce Humphreys Mott 1792-1843
Glen Petfield has contributed his thoughts in 2022.
Arthur Petfield's mother Florence Jane Mott descends from a Thomas Mott 1757-1832. This Thomas may have been a brother to that Andrew Mott's father however there is no positive record and my DNA research with a descendant of that Andrew Mott senior 1752-1819 indicates no blood relationship.
My research shows that Andrew Luther Mott (a great great uncle to Arthur Petfield) was wealthy and I believe that he may have purchased the pistols from a cash strapped cousin. Andrew Luther Mott died in 1904 and it was his wife Mary who gave the pistols to the Australian WW1 hero John Wesley Mott (cousin to Florence Petfield) about 1918. Andrew L and Mary had no children. Mary believed John W and his brother William T were worthy of the family heirlooms.
Copy of Memorial to His Royal Highness The Lord High Admiral, etc, etc, etc.
The Memorial of Pierce Humphrey Mott, A Lieutenant in the Royal Navy.
Most humbly showeth
That the father and brother of your Royal Highnesses memorialist were both Captains in the Royal Navy, and are now dead.
That your memorialist's father served his Sovereign faithfully during a period of more than fifty years. That in the course of that service, and while Lieut. of His Majesty's ship "Sandwich", in the year 1797, he rendered to his Country most important service by seizing and securing the person of the mutineer Parker, this leading to his conviction and punishment, and to the suppression of a spirit of insubordination which threatened to alienate the loyalty of the whole Body of seamen of His Majesty's Navy, to the great terror of His Majestie's peaceable subjects and to the imminent danger of the Nation, and thereby lending principally to the restoration of order in the British Fleet and of confidence and tranquillity in the Country. That so greatly importante did the Government consider that seizure that it had previously issued a Proclamation of a promised pecuniary reward to any Person that would perform it, but that Your memorialist's Father did not receive the pecuniary reward in consequence of his holding a commission in His Majesty's Navy at the time of the achievement. That Your memorialist's Father was Senior Lieutenant on board the "Ardent" under the orders of the late Lord Nelson at the Action of Copenhagen, in which action Your memorialist's Father received a severe injury of Hernia which accelerated his death.
That Your memorialist's Brother was upwards of twenty years in constant active service in His Majesty's Navy, and that he was distinguished alike for his abilities as an officer, as by his cool and determined courage on detached and other hazardous enterprise. That Your memorialist's Brother while mate of His Majesty's ship "Alemere" in 1804 volunteered and with six other volunteers in the cutter of that ship. Assisted only by one other boat, succeeded in saving the crew of His Majesty's ship "Severn" when wrecked on the Island of Guernsey. [sic. it was actually Jersey]. For which service Your memorialist's Brother received the most flattering acknowledgement of the Commander in Chief (Sir James Saumarez) and was promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant in consequence. That Your memorialist's Brother while Senior Lieutenant of His Majesty's ship "Bellerophon" was the officer appointed to receive and conduct on board that ship Napoleon Buonaparte, on which occasion he was promoted to the Rank of Commander, but that Your memorialist's Brother did not long enjoy the honor thus conferred upon him, having been brought to premature grave by the effect of a severe hurt on the head received in the early part of his servitude in His Majesty's Navy.
Your memorialist most humbly solicits permission to state to Your Royal Highness that he has served His Majesty's Navy nearly twenty three years, upwards of thirteen of which he has had the honor to hold a commission as Lieutenant, and that previous to his promotion Your memorialist served as acting Lieutenant three years. That Your memorialist has been engaged in the most active service. In 1811 whilst serving as Sub-Lieutenant in His Majesty's Brig "Pioneer", in an action with the enemy in Basque Roads, Your memorialist received a severe hurt of Hernia. Your memorialist further respectfully states to Your Royal Highness, that he has served in the Coast Blockade nearly six years, that from the arduous duties he has had to perform with repeated attacks of Fever and Ague his health has so materially suffered as to prevent his continuing those duties.
And your memorialist with
every sentiment of profound respect, most humbly but fervently hopes that Your
Royal Highness will graciously condescend to give the claims of his family and
himself your Royal Highnesses favourable consideration, and that as Your
memorialist is now the only remaining
branch of a family who have with pride (and Your memorialist begs
permission to say) faithfully served their Sovereign. Your memorialist venture
to cherish a hope that Your Royal Highness will be pleased to fulfill the
prayer of this humble petition by granting him that promotion the attainment of
which is the proudest object Your memorialist has in this world.
And your memorialist as in Duty bound shall ever pray."
Last Will and Testament of Andrew Mott (Snr)
Here lies an honest man
Inside Old Clee Church, on the North side of the tower, is a memorial tablet fixed to the wall.
Carved into the stonework are
the following words:
Here lies an honest man,
the noblest gift of God,
Andrew Mott,
Post Captain of His Majesty’s
Navy,
Died 12th
November 1819,
aged 67 years.
Behind this modest announcement lies an interesting
story of British naval history, or what is known in the records as the Nore
Mutiny.
The year 1797 was a difficult one for the British
Government, due to a severe shortage of cash, and as a result paper money had
to be introduced. During this time of
financial difficulties our seamen were miserably paid and abominably treated in
many ways. They could only be compelled
into service by the odious operation of the press gangs.
Prize money was also unfairly distributed by the chief
officers. Their treatment on board ship
was often barbarous, unfeeling and degrading.
Thieving contractors of food and other supplies and equally rascalled
Navy Commissioners robbed the ordinary seamen of many of their rights.
On the 16th April 1797 matters came to a
head and the fleet mutineed and raised the red flag at every ships mast.
At first members of the Admiralty took little notice of the men's demands, but they
soon realised the seamen were not to be fooled any longer so after several days
the Government eventually passed a Bill through Parliament granting all the men
a pardon and at the same time accepting all their demands.
While the fleet at Portsmouth agreed to accept the
settlement, the men of the Nore Fleet, off the mouth of the Thames, refused to
do so and led by an agitator, Richard Parker, they not only demanded more money
and better conditions but also changes in the Articles of War.
Meanwhile the men had placed their war ship across the
mouth of the Thames, thus stopping river traffic completely.
The Admiralty flatly refused the demands of the men of
the Nore Fleet and immediately pulled up all the buoys at the mouth of the
river and at the same time started to erect batteries of cannon to fire red hot
balls at the ships. They declared the
Nore fleet was in a state of rebellion.
This prompt action on the part of the Admiralty broke
down the men’s resistance. Fourth Lieutenant Andrew Mott was released from the
cabin where he had been detained, and carried a message to the Admiralty,
indicating that the seamen of the Nore Fleet would return to normal duties if a
free pardon was granted. Andrew Mott
returned with a satisfactory reply and the men in return pulled down the red
flag and fired a royal salute in honour of the King’s birthday as a sign of
loyalty.
One by one the ships pulled out of the mouth of the
Thames, and finally the war ship “Sandwich” on which Lieutenant Mott served,
which also had on board the agitator Richard Parker, followed the same
example. The Captain of the “Sandwich”
was somewhat worried at Parker, the ringleader, still being free to roam the
ship, arranged with Lieutenant Mott that he should be arrested, placed in irons
and locked up in a cabin.
Richard Parker was tried and eventually hung at the
yard-arm of his old ship. Some of the other delegates of the mutineers were
also executed and others were imprisoned in ships hulks.
Andrew Mott later became a Post Captain, meaning that
he had charge of a warship possessing 20 or more guns.
Later is is said Captain Andrew Mott’s son was in
charge of the warship which took Napoleon Bonaparte to exile in St Helena.
There is an oval watercolour miniature in
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.
Andrew Mott - Snr or Jnr?!!
(Updated July 2014) Oval miniature in watercolour, in a slightly worn gilt metal oval suspension locket with a loose metal
ring fitted in the fixed loop at the top. The back is glazed and holds a finely
plaited layer of brown, almost auburn, hair. The sitter is shown bust-length
turned partly to his left but looking out at the viewer. He wears a dark blue
coat, open over a blue-spotted white
waistcoat with a double row of white or silver buttons, a white neckcloth, and
has dark natural hair, curled above his ears and with short sideburns. His eyes
are a mid-brown. He is shown against a shoreline background, with a lightly
clouded blue sky above, low vegetation to the left, and beach and sea to the
right, with the stern of an anchored ship bearing what appears to be a
post-1801 red ensign from a staff. The ship is a small one (single deck) and is
unrealistic in that a mizzen mast and spars ought to be visible from what is
shown of the hull but are not present. The miniature was purchased and
presented to the Museum in 1935 as of 'Captain Andrew de la Motte' by 'Paul
Jean'. Subsequent correspondence in 1956 with W.H. Hoult, a descendant of the
sitter, suggests that he is probably more correctly Andrew Mott, born in 1752,
who became a Royal Naval lieutenant in January 1783. He was first lieutenant of
the 'Ardent' at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, after which he was promoted
commander (27 April 1801). As such he commanded the hired armed ship 'Prince
William' (14 guns) between at least 1807 and 1810, in which on 23 August 1807
he captured the 'St. Jurgen' and on 19 June 1810, the Danish privateer
'Swalen'. He became a post-captain in August 1812, died aged 67 on 19 November
1819 at Grimsby, and was buried there at Clee Church, New Grimsby. While the
stern of the ship shown in the miniature is non-specific it could be a vessel
of the 'Prince William's' size. Daphne Foskett's 'Dictionary of British
Miniature Painters' (1972) only lists the well-known Philip - or Phillipe - Jean
(1755-1802) and his pupil and son, Roger (c.1783-1828), who also practised in
London and, from 1813, in Norwich. This item certainly has similarity to Philip
Jean's work, though not of his best quality, while the two examples of Roger's
reproduced by Foskett (vol 2, pl.187) are of such different subjects as to
exclude meaningful comparison. It may be that - as apparently with 'de la
Motte' - 'Paul' is simply an old mistake for one or the other. If by Philip,
however, this item would have to be very late since he died in 1802. A follower
or pupil may then be more likely. The curious element is that naval officers
are usually depicted in uniform, so the sitter identification also has to
remain provisional.
Date made circa 1801-1810?
Artist/Maker Jean, Paul
Credit National
Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection
Materials glass;
gilt metal; human hair
Measurements Overall:
71 x 61 mm
Parts
Captain Andrew Mott [or de la Motte]
Further detective work found Walter Hartmann Hoult was indeed a descendant of Andrew Mott (born 26 March 1908 in Yorkshire and died April 1971 in Cheshire).
The minature of Andrew Mott Snr is on display in National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. The back shows a finely plaited layer of brown, almost auburn, hair, just like the description of William Mott's minature.
We do know that Napoleon's 2 pistols were surrendered to First Lieutenant Andrew Mott by Napoleon on 15 July 1815 and some how came into the hands of Andrew Luther Mott (1828-1904). In 1918 the widow of Andrew Luther Mott gave the pistols to John Wesley Mott (1891-1979) as a worthy member of the Mott family. Lieutenant John Wesley Mott won a Military Cross and Distinguished Conduct Medal in WW1. It appears that the wife of J.W.Mott took the pistols to Melbourne where they were sold by auction early 1950s, so they are no longer in the Mott family.
This article was in "The Brisbane Courier" on Saturday 27 August 1927
Napoleon's Pistols in Brisbane. By Spencer Browne.
Napoleon went on board the frigate La Saale, with his suite on the Medusa, and anchored at the Isle of Aix. On July 10, an English fleet of eleven vessels was seen cruising within sight of the port, and on July 11 Napoleon sent to inquire of the British Admiral whether he was authorised to allow him liberty to go to England or the United States, and the answer from the Admiral was that he was ready to receive Napoleon and convey him to England. Dissatisfied with such a reply, history tells us, Napoleon had some idea of going on board an American vessel at the mouth of the Gironde, "whose captain would be most happy and proud to have received him." and also, "He also refused the proffered assistance of some young midshipmen full of courage and devotion, who, with two barks, swore they would forfeit their lives if they did not convey him to New York." Napoleon evidently was reluctant to be taken to the bosom of the American Republic, and decided for England. He sent a message to the British Admiral that on the following day he would go on board his vessel, and on July 15 he went off in the brig L'Epervier, and was received on board the H.M.S. Bellerophon with the honours due to his military rank."
 |
| John Wesley Mott 1891-1979 |
Military Records for John Wesley Mott 1891-1979 who inherited Napoleon's pistols and brought them to Brisbane at the end of WW1.
Name: Mott, John Wesley.
Rank: Sapper
Service Number: 6623/Q24623/QX64321
Place of
Birth: Brisbane (Qld.)
Next of
Kin: Mrs Caroline Madeline Mott - Mother
; Laura Street, South Brisbane, Queensland.
Biographical
notes: John Wesley Mott was the eldest
born in Brisbane (Qld.) on 14 June 1891 to William Thomas and Caroline Madeline
(nee Banks) Mott who had married in Queensland on 16 June 1890. His brother
William Thomas was born on 11 February 1893; Charles Banks in 1896 and Caroline
Marjorie in 1901. John attended Brisbane Boys Grammar School with a scholarship
successfully matriculating in 1908 to undertake a surveying qualification. John
commenced his surveying career in 1909 with Claude Newcombe at Maryvale Estate
in New Soth Wales. Two years later he transferred as a cadet to F.J.Charlton, a
prominent Queensland surveyor. Elected to the Queensland Institute of Surveyors
whilst still a student in 1911, he made Fellow by 1967. John was appointed as a
Staff Surveyor in the Northern Territory by the Department of Lands on the 23
April 1913. He worked in the Territory for 21/2 years before leaving for the
war in November 1915. The NT Archives hold an oral history transcript at NTRS
226/TS289 and the record of his appointment in the Northern Territory at
NTRS2660/P0001/2. This document is fragile but can be read under special
conditions. Mott carried out extensive surveys between Roper River and north
coast; his first camp was at Bitter Springs and his jobs included the surveying
of Mataranka Station. He established an accurate longitude fix at Katherine,
this being the first in the locality. Mott Court in Darwin, originally named
MOTT STREET in 1955, is named in his honour. John moved back to Bundaberg after
the war where he continued to practise as a surveyor from 1919. John married
Dorothy Beatrice Harvey in Queensland on 25 July 1923 and they had three
children including John Wesley Mott Jnr. who went on to work with his father in
Toowoomba from 1943. Details of John’s surveying work in New Britain are given
in his Service History. John retired to the outer Brisbane suburb of Strathpine
where he was still doing the occasional survey as late as 1974. The Australian
Surveyor for December 1979 has an obituary for John.
Occupation: Surveyor
Date of
Enlistment: 18 December 1915.
Age at
Enlistment: 24
Place of
Enlistment: Brisbane (Qld.)
Unit: 6th Field Company Engineers, 4th
Reinforcement
Service: Australian Imperial Force
Date of
Death: 22 February 1979.
Honours and
Awards: Distinguished Conduct Medal
Honours and
Awards: Military Cross
Service
History: Sapper on enlistment roll and
Lieutenant on Nominal Roll. Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on
board HMAT A67 Orsova on 11 March 1916. Had been promoted to 2nd Corporal by
the time he was awarded DCM. Promoted to sergeant in October and finally
promoted to Lieutenant November 1917 and transferred to 7th Field Company
Engineers. Wounded August 1918.
Recommended
for Distinguished Conduct Medal
'For
conspicuous gallantry in investigating the condition of captured trenches under
heavy bombardment and counter attack in the Hindenburg Line.'
Recommendation
date: "8 May 1917
Received
Distinguished Conduct Medal 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On
at least three occasions he has carried out surveys under heavy fire, with the
object of ascertaining the situation after attacks. He has in each case brought
back reliable information of the greatest value.'
Source:
'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 189
Date: 8
November 1917
Recommended
for Military Cross
'Work at
Hangard Wood 10-17 April 1918, at Morlancourt on 10 June 1918, at
Villers-Bretonneux on 7 August 1918, at Framerville on 10-11 August 1918 and
near Peronne on 29 August 1918.'
Recommendation
date: 11 September 1918"
Received the
Military Cross on 23 May 1919 as a Lieutenant.
RTA wounded
Per HMT Leicestershire 09 December 1918 arriving back in Brisbane on 10 January
1919. Awarded the Military Cross New Year’s Day 1919. Discharged 11 March 1919.
Called up
and rejoined the CMF 47 Battalion at Maryborough on 13 October 1941. By October
1941 he was a Commanding Officer Engineer Training Depot at Redbank Queensland.
Transferred to AIF Intelligence Corps in September 9142. Engaged on topography
for 4 Mile Sheets in North and central Queensland. On 7/4/1945 reallocated
Service No. QX64321. Undertook officer training at Duntroon. On 13 September
1945 sent to Lae in New Guinea as a Captain aged 53 years. Army records state
that he enlisted at at Jacquinot Bay New Britain .At his stage he was married
with three children and went on to operate in Merauke and New Britian.
Mentioned in
Dispatches for Distinguished Services in the South-West pacific area. From 1
October 1944 until 31 March 1945.Discharged 27 November 1945.
Related link:
Birth
registration: John Wesley Mott
Birth
date: 14/06/1891
Mother's
name: Caroline Madeline Banks
Father/parent's
name: William Thomas Mott
Registration details: 1891/B/48445
Marriage
registration: John Wesley Mott
Marriage
date: 25/07/1923
Spouse's
name: Dorothy Beatrice Harvey
Registration details: 1923/C/1928
Death
registration: John Wesley Mott
Death
date: 22/02/1979
Mother's
name: Caroline Madeline Banks
Father/parent's
name: William Thomas Mott
Registration details: 1979/C/251
These pistols below belonged to Napoleon and were presented to United States Military Academy January 1927 by Mr.Lawrence V. Benet in memory of his father the late Brigadier General Stephen Vincent Benet, U.S.M.A.Graduate, Professor of Ordnance & Gunnery and later Chief of Ordnance. The Professor had charge of the Museum for many years which may be the reason the pistols came to United States. There is no information on Museum files as to how Mr.Benet acquired the pistols but the implication of the language on the catalogue entries is that while Mr.Benet gave them in his father's honour, there is no indication that General Benet owned them at any time. It must be concluded that Lawrence Benet acquired them on his own, somehow. Lawrence Benet was engaged in manufacturing the Hotchkiss Machine gun in France and presumably was in France for the purpose about the time of WW1. Otherwise, other than the name Benet, clearly French, I can find no specific connection to Napoleon and Lieutenant Andrew Mott.
Napoleon's monogram "N" was engraved on a shield on the grip.
Nicholas Noel Boutet (1761 - 1833) was French and Napoleon's personal gunsmith. His name can be seen on these pistols. Some of Boutet's pistols are on display in Paris at the Army Museum.
 |
| Napoleon's pistols as displayed in West Point Museum, New York |
 |
| Two of Napoleon's pistols donated January 1927 by Mr. Lawrence Benet in memory of his father the late Brigadier General Stephen Vincent Benet are currently on display at West Point Museum, New York, along with Napoleon's sword which was given to General Dwight Eisenhower by General Charles de Gaulle in 1945. |
Perseverance has paid off!
Museo Napoleónico, La Habana, Cuba
July 15 at 3:01 PM ·
THE SYMBOLS OF THE END OF THE FIRST EMPIRE
(Stay with me folks --- this is a long post but it will pay
off in the end.)
July 15 is the anniversary of the final end of the First
French Empire. It is on that date in 1815 that Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
stepped off Île d'Aix and was conveyed onto the HMS Bellerophon as a prisoner
of the British. A month later, he was on his way to St. Helena where he
remained their prisoner until his death in 1821.
By early July 1815, Napoleon had run out of options, and
indeed had run as far west in France as he could, to the port of Rochefort on
the Atlantic coast. He had arranged for a French frigate to carry him to
self-imposed exile in America but unfortunately, the winds did not favour
leaving port and Napoleon was required to wait for the proper conditions.
Just as the winds turned favourable and preparations could
be made to leave, the British Navy, including the HMS Bellerophon, appeared and
proceeded to blockade the harbour. Realizing that he could not outrun the
British Navy, Napoleon decided to surrender himself to the good graces of the
English, hoping that they would permit him sail to America. Or perhaps they
would convey him to England and set him up in exile in a nice country estate a
few miles from Reading where he could live out his life in a manner befitting
his station. After all, weren't there rules about these kinds of things amongst
civilized men from civilized nations?
(I know that Napoleon was under tremendous stress and perhaps was not thinking as clearly or as strategically as he had done at other times in his career ... but honestly ... Napoleon, mon ami, what were you thinking? The English had nearly bankrupted their economy fighting France for the past two decades AND they had just convinced all of Europe to declare war, not on France BUT ON YOU PERSONALLY! Did you honestly think they were going to let you sail into the sunset or invite you to live in the English countryside as if the past twenty years hadn't happened? NOT BLOODY LIKELY! The Foundation Napoleon has an excellent article discussing various possibilities surrounding Napoleon's reasoning at that time.
https://www.napoleon.org/histoire-des-2-empires/articles/lembarquement-de-napoleon-pour-sainte-helene)
On the morning of July 15, 1815, HMS Bellerophon was at anchor
in the harbour at Rochefort. Its
Captain, Frederick Lewis Maitland describes the scene as it unfolded:
-------------------------------------
“At break of day, on the 15th of July, 1815,
"l’Épervier" French brig of war was discovered under sail, standing
out towards the ship, with a flag of truce up; and at the same time the Superb,
bearing Sir Henry Hotham’s flag, was seen in the offing. By half-past five the
ebb-tide failed, the wind was blowing right in, and the brig, which was within
a mile of us, made no further progress; while the "Superb" was
advancing with the wind and tide in her favour. Thus situated, and being most
anxious to terminate the affair I had brought so near a conclusion, previous to
the Admiral’s arrival, I sent off Mr. Mott, the First Lieutenant, in the barge,
who returned soon after six o’clock, bringing Napoleon with him.
On coming on board the "Bellerophon", he was
received without any of the honours generally paid to persons of high rank; the
guard was drawn out on the break of the poop, but did not present arms. His
Majesty’s Government had merely given directions, in the event of his being
captured, for his being removed into any one of his Majesty’s ships that might
fall in with him; but no instructions had been given as to the light in which
he was to be viewed. As it is not customary, however, on board a British ship
of war, to pay any such honours before the colours are hoisted at eight o’clock
in the morning, or after sunset, I made the early hour an excuse for withholding
them upon this occasion.
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 the 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 on 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.
On leaving the "Épervier", he was cheered by her
ship’s company as long as the boat was within hearing; and Mr Mott informed me
that most of the officers and men had tears in their eyes."
-------------------------------------
Amidst the historical drama of that moment, there are two
salient facts that are important to this particular discussion: First
Lieutenant Andrew Mott was ordered to meet Napoleon, accept Napoleon's formal
surrender and bring him back to the Bellerophon, and; Maitland's description
that the only weapon Napoleon was carrying when he boarded the Bellerophon was
a sword.
When Andrew Mott reached "l’Épervier", he was
invited aboard the French ship to formally accept, on behalf of the British
Government, Napoleon's surrender. Normally, a surrender ceremony will involve
the handing over of weapons; for example, the commanding officer of a
surrendering force symbolically offers his sword to the victorious commander.
In this case, we know that Napoleon still carried his sword when he boarded the
British ship.
There is no record of what words were exchanged when Lt.
Mott accepted Napoleon's surrender, but we do know that Napoleon gave Mott his
pistols. We know this because Andrew Luther Mott (1828-1904) loaned the two pistols to a British Government
Naval Exhibition in Chelsea, England in 1891 and these pistols were described
in the official Exhibition catalogue.
The widow of Andrew Luther Mott gave the
pistols to John Wesley Mott (1891-1979), a family member with a distinguished
military record, who lived in Brisbane, Australia. John Wesley Mott was
visiting England after serving in WWI and took the pistols with him back to
Australia. An article appeared in "The Brisbane Courier" on Saturday
27 August 1927 entitled "Napoleon's Pistols in Brisbane" by Spencer
Browne describing the unique history of these guns and how they came to be in
Brisbane.
A fragment of an advertisement for an auction in the 1950s
(based upon the clothing styles in an accompanying photo) shows Mrs. J.W. Mott
("a middle-aged Brisbane woman", it says) handling these pistols
before offering them for sale in the auction.
It is likely that Cuban sugar baron Julio Lobo purchased
these pistols at this auction and by 1958, they were in his collection in
Havana and they are now on permanent exhibition in the Museo Napoleónico.
I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen of the Napoleonic
community, that in a nondescript corner on the first floor of our museum are two
of the most important artifacts of 19th century European history.
These pistols, given to First Lieutenant Andrew Mott by
Napoleon himself as instruments of Napoleon's surrender, represent Emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte's last act of free will, as a free man, at his last moment
on French soil, as he voluntarily surrendered himself and all that he
symbolized to the British.
Vive l Empereur!
(Text by Luke Dalla Bona. Thanks to some clever
investigative work by Joy Olney - a descendent of First Lieutenant Andrew Mott)
Napoleon's 2 pistols found in Museo Napoleonic, Havana, Cuba.
