Several indications (by lack of absolute proofs) allows to doubt that the body who was extracted from the grave in 1840 in Sainte Hélène, was that of Napoleon.
2° when the burial was made, the urns who contains the stomach and the heart of Napoleon were placed on the corners of the coffin (witnessed by Dr. Antommarchi and the English Governor Hudson Lowe), but in 1840 they were found between the legs of the corps.
3° Napoleon head was completely shaven in 1821 (in 2 times) after his death. In 1840 Marchand talks about the hairs, who were intact. Some had even token a lock of this hair (the lock of Bovis)
4° Marchand left on the corps the “Orde de la Réunion” in 1821. In 1840 this decoration was missing.
5° All the witnesses of 1821 have noticed the presence of spurs. In 1840 no one was talking about these ! It was even the son of Las-Cases who stated that the heels of the boots were resting on the sides of the coffin. Question : have they evaporated ?
6° The sewing of the boots has not only deteriorated on a symmetric manner, but four of the toes who were nude, were sticking out of the boots. Question : where are the socks of silk put on the feet of Napoleon in 1821.
7° The witness of Bertrand in 1821 who mentions the strings and the plaques decorating the uniform of the dead emperor. In 1840, only one string passes under the cloths, and only one plaque, of course Have Bertrand made an error ? Strange for a witness who was seen as the most serious of those who accompanied Napoleon in his exile ?
drawing by Rigo " Opening of the 1840 coffin "
painting by Ary Scheffer " Napoleon on his death bed in 1821 "
These indices let us questioning the exact identity of the corps that is supposed to be Napoleon 1st.
If there isn’t a proof in the real judicial sense, a analysis of the DNA of the piece of the corps resting in the Invalides, taken by Dr Guillard (see the mail of Lt-Col Chaduc) and a comparison with the DNA of the descendants of Caroline Bonaparte would be enough.
In the case that both DNA matches, the affair could be closed, such as the one of the eventual survival of Louis XVII. On the other hand, the opening of the imperial tomb in the Invalides would be legitimate.
