 Guarding Longwood 3 January – O’Meara mentions, for the first time, that Napoleon suffers from the stomach : « [He] had a sickness at stomach this morning, an inclination to vomit. » 13 January – Vomiting resumes : « The nausea has increased, and he had some vomiting in the night of the 13. » 25 January – Gourgaud can't hold it any longer : « If I have to complain, it is of Longwood but not of St. Helena. » 26 January – Countess Montholon gives birth to a girl, Joséphine. Rumours are that she is Napoleon's illegitimate daughter 2 February – Gourgaud decides to leave; Napoleon tells him : « You must declare that you are ill; I will ask O'Meara to give you some certificates. » 4 February – Gourgaud sends a cartel to Montholon 6 February – Death of the infant of a servant at Longwood 7 February – Gourgaud requests from the Governor to be removed from Longwood 11 February – Napoleon sees Gourgaud for the last time : « Come, farewell... Kiss me goodbye… »  Napoleon playing Chess with Bertrand at Longwood 17 February – During an interview with Hudson Lowe, Gourgaud complaints about Napoleon : « He has been emperor and he is not any more, and this is what it is. » 18 February – Gourgaud continues his prying chatters : « He declaims against his former master in an indecent manner. » 20 February – Gourgaud reliefs himself with the Stürmer couple, during the days that follow : his « revelations » are sent to all the courts of Europe 23 February – Cipriani is suddenly very ill 27 February – Death of Cipriani from a « gastric fever » 11 March – Third death at Longwood : this time, it is a domestic from Montholon service 14 March – Gourgaud leaves the island, with a ship sailing to England : no quarantine period at The Cape 18 March – The Balcombe family leaves the island 22 March – Bertrand writes to cardinal Fesch to request the sending of a Catholic priest 3 April – Departure of Rev. Richard Boys 10 April – O’Meara is put under the same restrictions as the prisoners at Longwood : he resigns from his position  Hudson Lowe wants to force his way to Longwood 9 May – Hudson Lowe suppresses the restrictions against O’Meara and reinstates him 10 May – O’Meara confirms to Hudson Lowe his diagnostic about Napoleon : « The complaint is evidently hepatitis in a chronic and insidious form. » 10 May – In London, Gourgaud has an interview in Bathurst office : « Upon the subject of General Bonaparte’s health, General Gourgaud stated that we were much imposed upon. » 15 May – Beginning of the « Boys affair » 25 May – The cooks of Longwood, Lepage and his wife, leave their service 8 June – Lepage and his wife, as well as Bernard Heyman, Bertrand's valet, and his wife and child, leave the island 11 June – O’Meara tries to cure Napoleon with some purgatives, then with mercurial (blue) pills, until the beginning of July 26 June – Mary Hall, the new nursemaid for Bertrand children, arrives at Longwood 30 June – O’Meara accuses Hudson Lowe to tamper with his medical bulletins about Napoleon 11 July – The Stürmer couple leaves the island ; before his departure, the Austrian commissioner complaints to Hudson Lowe : « I speak to you frankly, although you told me that I am a diplomat. » 12 July – Dr Stokoe goes to Longwood to provide a second medical opinion about Napoleon's health 20 July – The orderly officer, Capt. Blakeney, requests to be relieved from the post at Longwood ; he is immediately replaced by two officers loyal to Hudson Lowe, old Lyster and young Basil Jackson : « Four eyes are better than two...! » 24 July – Lyster sends a cartel to Bertrand ; Hudson Lowe removes him from duty and recalls Blakeney 25 July – Dr. O’Meara is expelled from Longwood, by Bathrust orders Dr. Verling is sent to Longwood as a replacement, but Napoleon refuses to have him complaining that he is not a private surgeon of his own choice  Farewell to O'Meara 2 August – O’Meara leaves the island ; on the way to England, at Ascencion island, he verbally accuses Hudson Lowe to have the secret intent to get rid of Napoleon 15 August – Napoleon is 49-year old on this day, but renounces to celebrate his birthday 22 August – Balmain and de Gors leave St. Helena for a trip to Rio de Janeiro 25 August – Gourgaud publishes an open letter to ex-empress Marie-Louise and asks her to intercede with the Allied Powers in order to ease the plight of « illustrious husband » 5 September – Blakeney is replaced by Capt. Nicholls as orderly officer at Longwood 19 septembre – Beginning of the « Holmes affair » 2 October – Hudson Lowe orders to start the building of the new house at Longwood for Napoleon : « There was no ceremony used in laying the first stone. » 10 October – Napoleon lives confined, with no medical attendance, and Nicholls has great difficulty to execute his orders. Once, he meneges to catch a sight of him and compares him to a 'spectre' : « I am glad you caught a glimpse of the man, or the spectre, but I wish you you were a little closer. »  Napoleon confines himself in Longwood 28 October – In Londres, O’Meara tries to defend himself with the Admiralty, but he is dismissed from the services 2 November – Theodore Hook arrives at St. Helena and remains there for three weeks ; later in England, he will publish a pamphlet against Napoleon, although he had never met the French during his stay 14 November – Gourgaud is expelled from England End November – O’Meara starts publishing articles in the opposition papers. Bathurst warns Hudson Lowe : « It will be a trial of your temper to read Mr O’Meara’s charges against you. » 29 November – Napoleon has a crisis of vomiting during the night 3 December – The Russian commissioner, Balmain, is back to St. Helena 27 December – Saint-Denis and Pierron, two domestics from Longwood, request from the Governor to be sent back to France  |
