I am not sure if anyone can help point me to more information on individual Sailors of the Guard. I am looking for more information on a man called Joachim Joannis. He had been in the Guard Sailors and was aged 32 in 1815. He was born in Baltimore, weirdly. He was apparently attached to Napoleon's suite at Rochefort, just as Napoleon was considering sailing to America, but was disembarked when Napoleon surrendered to the Bellerophon and allowed to go home to Paris. His wife, Emilie Garand, was also there. She disembarked on French soil on 15 July and went home too.
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Thank you again for your trouble :-)
Thank you Daniel, that is very kind.
Best wishes
Jonathan
Wonderful, thanks Daniel. I think it is very interesting, difficult to read, but I can try and obtain the original from the museum in Aix. Thanks again!
That's very useful, Daniel, many thanks for your support. There were apparently a handful of people added to the entourage at Rochefort, including Louis Fortuné Hébert, a hussar from the 2nd Hussars, Joachim Joannis, born in Baltimore, a former Guard Sailor, and an apprentice wheelwright, Jean Baptiste Vialise. Supposedly because they would be handy in America. There is something in the Bibliotheque Thiers, Masson Ms 329, folio 259, which gives more detail as to who was present. But I have not been to the bibliotheque yet ....
That's correct, and his entourage came onto the Saale or the Meduse. He would then have returned to Rochefort after Napoleon went onboard the Bellerophon. I have seen mention that Bonnefoux, the maritime prefect, provided some additional personnel to join the entourage. This Sailor of the Guard could have been one. Another possibility is that he came from the 14th Naval Regiment which was in garrison at Aix. It is a bit of a mystery.
Daniel, I note from those lists that there is a gentleman called Auguste Frere Jouan du Sein born in 1812 in Baltimore. Sometimes names get mangled so maybe Joannis is a bad spelling for Jouan du Sein. Perhaps he was from that family. Stranger things have happened.
Thanks Daniel and Guy. This is very useful, but also intriguing. So the full information I have runs "Joachim Joannis, marin de la garde, 32 ans, né a Baltimore, habitant a Paris. Debarqué et autorise a se retirer dans ses foyers en vertu de son congé delivré par le consil d'administration de son bataillon. This is found in AN F7 4335, f 6, 9 July 1815. Those of Napoleon's suite at Rochefort who embarked on the two frigates in the port.
The French Army Archives have the Napoleonic unit rosters for what appears to be every Imperial Guard unit except for the Guard Sailors: https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/fr/arkotheque/inventaires/ead_ir_consult.php?ref=FRSHD_GR20YC_01_ead&c=-1&fam=10
Someone more familiar with this resource might know where the missing roster might be found.