“Sainte-Hélène 9 Mai 1821” (Funeral procession with a key to people present)

The Cahiers of General Betrand describe the funeral ceremony of Napoleon, which followed the British custom as for a high-ranking officer. After mass at 11am, le funeral cortège composed of the French exiles and British officials left Longwood watched by the regiments and militia.

The inhumation of the Emperor in the Valley of the Sane, according to Bertrand “drew a large number of people, the whole island was there”.

This view of the procession is attributed to “un sous-officier de la garnison anglaise à Longwood”, a certain J. F. Fielding, that the St Helena Who’s Who by Arnold Chaplin doesn’t seem to have heard of.

It appears to be inspired by the lithograph published in London 25 July 1821, S & J Fuller after a drawing made “on the spot by Captain Marryat, R. N.”

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