Baron Gaspard Gourgaud

Born in Versailles in 1783, Gaspard, Baron Gourgaud studied at the École Polytechnique and entered the artillery, building a reputation for courage during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose through the army, was wounded more than once, and became closely attached to Napoleon, eventually serving as one of the emperor’s aides.

Gourgaud is best remembered for accompanying Napoleon to Saint Helena after Waterloo. During that exile he kept a detailed journal of conversations and daily life, a record that later became an important source for historians trying to understand Napoleon’s final years from close range.

He also wrote historical works of his own, which helped shape Napoleon’s posthumous image. That mix of soldier, witness, and memoirist makes him especially interesting: he was not only present at major events, but also determined to record and interpret them.