Baron Gaspard Gourgaud

Born in Versailles on November 14, 1783, Gaspard Gourgaud was a French general, artillery officer, and politician. Educated at the École polytechnique, he rose during the Napoleonic era and became one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s close aides-de-camp.

He is especially remembered for his devotion to Napoleon and for accompanying him to Saint Helena after Waterloo. Gourgaud later became an important memoirist of the imperial years, helping shape how later generations understood Napoleon’s final exile and the dramatic world around him.

Gourgaud died in Paris on July 25, 1852. His career combined military service, public life, and historical testimony, making him a notable figure for readers interested in Napoleon and the people who stood nearest to him.