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Napoleon Bertrand Autograph Signed Snippet St Helena Interest Vicomte France

Mounted on 9" by 8" page

From the collection of Frank D Andrews, purchase from an auction of items he donated to the Vineland Historical Society.

Biographical Profile: Vicomte Napoléon Bertrand (1809–1881)

Napoléon Charles Joseph Henri Bertrand was an aristocrat, cavalry officer, and historical witness whose early childhood was intimately intertwined with the final chapters of the First French Empire. As the eldest son of one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s most loyal commanders, his life serves as a direct link to the inner imperial circle.

Early Life & The Imperial Godfather

• Born to Royalty-Adjacent Loyalty: Napoléon Bertrand was born in Paris on June 13, 1809. His father was General Henri-Gatien Bertrand (Count Bertrand), a brilliant military engineer and Napoleon's fiercely loyal Grand Marshal of the Palace. His mother, Élisabeth "Fanny" Dillon, was a cousin of Empress Joséphine.

• The Emperor's Namesake: Because of General Bertrand's close standing with the Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte personally stood as the young boy's godfather, bestowing his own name upon him.

Exile on Saint Helena

When the French Empire collapsed after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, General Bertrand made the monumental decision to accompany the deposed Emperor into exile on the remote South Atlantic island of Saint Helena.

• Life at Longwood: Young Napoléon, alongside his mother and siblings (Hortense and Henri), spent nearly six formative years growing up in the isolated, closely guarded confines of the Longwood estate alongside the fallen Emperor.

• The Emperor's Companion: Historical diaries from Saint Helena mention that as Napoléon grew into a young boy on the island, he became a frequent companion to his godfather. In one recorded instance, when the aging Emperor grew tired of a horse he was using, he gifted the mount to young Napoléon Bertrand so the boy could accompany him on rides around the restricted boundaries of the island.

Return to France and Later Career

Following Napoleon Bonaparte's death in May 1821, the Bertrand family was finally permitted to leave Saint Helena. They spent a brief period in London before returning to France, where King Louis XVIII granted the family amnesty and restored General Bertrand's military rank.

• Military Service: As an adult, Napoléon Bertrand chose a military path reflective of his family pedigree. He served as a Capitaine commandant de cavalerie (Cavalry Captain) in the French Army, stationed out of Châteauroux (the Bertrand family's home region in the Indre department of France).

• The Title: Though his father held the imperial title of Count (Comte), Napoléon and his younger brothers frequently carried the noble styling of Viscount (Vicomte) Bertrand during the mid-to-late 19th century.

• Death: He passed away on July 27, 1881, at the age of 72, leaving behind a legacy defined by an extraordinary childhood spent at the center of Napoleonic history.