A month before the battle of Waterloo, the Emperor intended to “abandon Corsica on his own.” Prioritizing Calvi first, he admits his big plan to make Ajaccio “a center of defense of the island”
The May 20, 1815, Napoleon returned to Paris triumphantly after his flight from Elba gathers his troops to face once again l’Europe united against him.
Although the fighting did not directly affect Corsica, the Emperor was worried about leaving the island defenseless, especially since he had just taken troops there to strengthen his army. ” I must notice that Corsica has no defense system “He wrote to Marshal Davout, immediately admitting that he did not want to incur any expenses to fill the squares of Ajaccio, Bastia, Bonifacio and Corte, but that all efforts should be concentrated.” on the city of Calvi to put it in order “. Already in March 1815, he confided to Vice-Admiral Decrès his intention ” to abandon Corsica on its own ».
However, this is the first time that Napoleon has highlighted the defensive role of Calvi, the city ” always faithful »Because of its Genoese citadel deemed impregnable. His letter to Davout contains a veritable catalog of measures to be taken obeying an imperative which is to ” concentrate all expenses on the city of Calvi ».
First, you have to transport ” all the rifles on the island », Then we must withdraw all useless artillery from the different parts of the island in order to install it in Calvi. ” Two cannon pieces suffice at Corte, twelve suffice at Ajaccio, fifteen or twenty at Bastia, and twelve at Bonifacio. » (1 and following)
The Emperor nevertheless indicates that he would have preferred Ajaccio to Calvi to centralize the defense of the island, ” but it may not be this year since the work to be done will require three years and 5 or 600,000 francs of expenditure ».
The strategist Bonaparte, who had his first success in Toulon in 1793, considers Corsica’s defense system to be absurd. ” All the material is spread over five places, none of which, except Calvi, is tenable. Bonifacio is tenable, but his situation relative to France, makes him out of consideration ».
Napoleon anticipated his directives by writing to Davout: ” Have the project of 400,000 francs worth of works carried out over several years to occupy the heights of Ajaccio, so that this town and its port become the center of the island’s defense. The port of Ajaccio can receive squadrons. Saint-Florent is the only town which, after Ajaccio, can offer this advantage; but Saint-Florent is only a small town and the air is unhealthy there ».
On May 21, Napoleon wrote to Davout again, calling him ” my cousin “To let it know” to the Duke of Padua in Corsica that I wish to have 500 Corsicans to serve in the young guard », Specifying that they must be over twenty years old. ” As the Duke of Padua can form a detachment of 100 men, he will send it to Toulon. You will give orders for them to be provided with condoms and police caps, and for them to be directed to Paris. ».
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“Train a headquarters supply in Calvi”
Calvi, who throughout its history heroically resisted the Turks allied with the French with Sampiero (1553), then Nelson (1794) is now seen as the stronghold capable of sustaining an effective siege, the key to imperial strategy. Napoleon gives instructions so that, ” in case of landing of the enemy in Corsica, it is in Calvi that one must shut up and defend oneself to the utmost, because it is in Calvi that one will be rescued ».
In his letters, the Emperor never names “the enemy”, but it seems obvious that he thinks first of England. To organize the defense as well as possible, he asks to ” correspond frequently with General Dalesme, Governor of Elba Island, in order to provide each other with the assistance that circumstances require ». With this in mind, a battalion of 500 Corsicans was sent to Porto Ferrajo.
Napoleon left in Corsica only four battalions of chasseurs making up a “light infantry”. But in the political end, he is also wary of his enemies from within. On April 6, 1814, the Emperor abdicated for the first time, but this important news did not reach Corsica until two weeks later.
Meanwhile, in the meantime, a movement of hostility was manifested in Corsica towards him, through in particular the insurrection of Bastia led on April 11 by Vidau and Salvatore Viale, who immediately set up a Committee of Public Salvation proclaiming secession with the imperial power and calling on the English to support them. General Montresor landed at Saint-Florent on April 24 with his troops.
This event is reminiscent of the “Ajaccio conspiracy” of 1809 where General Morand had arrested around twenty people convinced of intelligence with the enemy. Napoleon is informed of the Bastia uprising while he is on the boat taking him into exile on Elba Island. Worrying to know from Lord Campbell whether the revolt was confined to Bastia or if it extended to all of Corsica, he kept in mind the attempted conspiracy in Ajaccio in 1809, hatched with the complicity of England.
Scared by these acts of hostility, Napoleon initiated a “purification” even within the agents of the State: ” It will be kept in the jobs that the French I had appointed before April 1, 1814. He (the Duke of Padua editor’s note) may however leave some of the inhabitants of Corsica appointed by the king. He will send back to France all French employees who have behaved badly. We must understand all those who would have participated in seditious movements against the Empire.
As the Battle of Waterloo rages, new conspiracy rumors are circulating in Corsica. Prefect Giubega has arrests made. On June 22, 1815, Napoleon must abdicate a second time, but Corsica remains skeptical. Despite the official proclamation posted by the Duke of Padua, the Corsicans refuse to believe it, denouncing manipulation. The confusion is fueled by the rumor that the great powers recognized the King of Rome as Napoleon’s legitimate successor.
On July 30, a schooner arrived in Ajaccio carrying an official message announcing the restoration of the Bourbons in France. The new authorities advocate forgetting the dissensions in order to promote a rapid return to calm. With the critical date of August 15 marking Napoleon’s birthday approaching, anti-royalist demonstrations could be feared in Ajaccio. The threat of the Duke of Padua to send foreign troops will suffice to nip any hint of insurrection in the bud.
(1) Letters from Napoleon relating to Corsica. Bulletin of the Society of Historical Sciences. No. 331-332-333
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