General Marquis Montholon

General Marquis Montholon

He was trained for a military career, and in his tenth year shared in the expedition of Admiral Laurent Truguet to the coast of Sardinia. Entering the army in 1797, he rose with rapidity and avowed himself, when chef d'escadron in Paris at the time of the coup d'état of Brumaire (November 1799), entirely devoted to Bonaparte.

He served with credit in the ensuing campaigns, and distinguished himself at the battle of
Aspern-Essling (May 1809) where he was wounded. At the end of that campaign on the Danube he received the title of count and remained in close attendance on Napoleon, who confided to him several important duties, a mission to the Austrian commander Archduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph of Austria-Este at Würzburg among others. At the time of the first abdication of Napoleon at Fontainebleau (April 11, 1814), Montholon was one of the few generals who advocated one more attempt to rally the French troops for the overthrow of the allies.

After the second abdication he with his wife, Albine de Montholon, accompanied the emperor to Rochefort, where Napoleon and his friends finally adopted the proposal, which emanated from Count Las Cases, that he should throw himself on the generosity of the British nation and surrender to H.M.S. "Bellerophon." Montholon afterwards, at Plymouth, asserted that the conduct of Captain Maitland of the "Bellerophon" had been altogether honourable, and that the responsibility for the failure must rest largely with Las Cases.

Montholon and his wife accompanied the ex-emperor to Saint Helena. Napoleon chiefly dictated to Montholon the notes on his career which form so interesting, though far from trustworthy, a commentary on the events of the first part of his life. Montholon is known to have despised and flouted Las Cases, though in later writings he affected to laud his services to Napoleon. With Gourgaud, who was no less vain and sensitive than himself, there was a standing feud which would have led to a duel but for the express prohibition of Napoleon.

Las Cases left the island in November 1816, and Gourgaud in January 1818; but Montholon, despite the departure of his wife, stayed on at Longwood to the end of the emperor's life (May, 1821). Those who believe that Napoleon was murdered by poisoning now regard Montholon as the most likely suspect.