Napoleonic
Literature
Napoleon in Captivity:
The Reports of Count Balmain
Russian Commissioner on the
Island of St. Helena 1816-1820
Note on the Manuscript
The reader, if somewhat new to the literature of the captivity, must
not imagine that all these reports present matter which is here given for
the first time. Some of the conversations and anecdotes are well known,
and if a few of them are again quoted here it is only because they bulk
so large in Balmain's mind or because they seem necessary for the context
or the interest. The criticism may be made that Stürmer's reports
contain some things identical in language with those here given. Although
the Russian in one or two cases acknowledges his indebtedness to his colleague
for allowing him to use his reports, the reverse is also true. One of Balmain's
best estimates of Lowe, for example, is repeated by Stürmer without
giving credit; in this as in other cases, Balmain's report is the earlier.
The reports from which this translation has been made are contained
in three huge volumes, in which they are written in Balmain's hand, as,
unlike Montchenu, he had no secretary. They are in French with the exception
of communications from Lowe and other English officers, notably O'Meara,
which are copied from the English; however, very few of these are here
given, as they can be found elsewhere without great difficulty. Not all
of Balmain's reports are used for this book, and the less important are
either summarized or entirely omitted.
All the foot-notes are by the editor with the exception of those whose
indices are letters of the alphabet, and these are Balmain's. In preparing
the foot-notes the editor has made considerable use of Arnold Chaplin's
"A St. Helena Who's Who" (London, 1919) and of Norwood Young's "Napoleon
in Exile," and has glanced through many other works both first-hand and
secondary.
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