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Show THE BURIAL OF THE FIRST NAPOLEAN. Abraham Millington, a British sergeant, attached to the St. Helena artillery, has left the subjoined interesting relation of the manner in which the body of the Emperor Napoleon I, was prepared for burial. "On Sunday, the 6th of May, 1821, I was sent for while attending divine service, to make a tin coffin for General Napoleon Bonaparte. On Monday, the 7th, I was ordered to attend at Longwood House for the purpose of soldering up the body of General Bonaparte in the tin coffin, which was performed in the following manner, in the presence of General Bertrand and Monthelon, Madam Bertrand, the French chaplain, the French surgeon, Mr. A. Darling, Dr. Rashop, H. M. Twentieth regiment of foot, several of the French domestics, and Samuel Ley, private in the Twentieth regiment. The body of the late General Bonaparte, in full dress, was deposited in a tin coffin, which was lined in white silk and cotton. His cocked hat lay across his thighs and on the left breast of his coat was a gold star and a cross and several other medals of the same metal, several pieces of coin of various sizes and different value were also put into the coffin. His heart was deposited in the silver urn or tureen filled with spirits to which I soldered a lid or cover of the same material, which was placed between the small parts of his legs. His stomach was deposited in a silver mug in which there was spirits, which was also put in the coffin. A silver plate, knife, fork, and spoon and a silver cup were also deposited in the coffin. Subsequent to placing the body of the General in the coffin, the lid of the coffin being lined with a white silk and stuffed with white cotton, was put in its place, and I soldered it on the coffin inclosing the late General Napoleon Bonaparte and all the above mentioned articles. This tin coffin, with its contents, was then inclosed in a mahogany coffin, and they were inclosed in a lead coffin, which made in all three coffins." |