How a Plank Helped a Future Emperor Escape Prison

In 1846, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte escaped from a prison in France by wearing a disguise. This act of deception, which involved a wooden plank, allowed the future emperor to leave the facility at Ham. The event is recorded in a color lithograph held by the Library of Congress, which depicts how the prisoner managed to pass the guards on duty.

The Man and the Fortress

Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte is identified in historical records as Napoleon III, Emperor of the French. He was held at the fort of Ham, a prison located in Ham, France. The Library of Congress preserves a lithograph of his escape produced by the lithographer Gosselin. Bonaparte, who lived from 1808 to 1873, was confined at the prison during the 1840s. The visual record of his time there focuses on his departure from the fort rather than the specific conditions of his stay.

The Strategy of the Disguise

The escape took place on May 25, 1846. The operation relied on Bonaparte using a disguise to move through the site. Prints held by the Library of Congress show that the future emperor carried a wooden plank on his shoulder to facilitate his exit. By carrying the plank, he was able to walk past guards at the prison. The lithograph, which was published around 1848, documents how he changed his appearance to move through the facility.

Crossing the Threshold

Visual evidence depicts the moment Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte reached a point of exit. He is shown walking past two guards while carrying a plank across his shoulder. According to the lithograph "Évasion de Louis Napoléon du fort de Ham," the disguise was used to move past the soldiers stationed at the prison. The print illustrates that by carrying the plank and wearing a disguise, he was able to bypass the security at the fort at Ham on the day of the escape.

Why it matters

This event is recorded as a significant moment in the life of Napoleon III, who served as the Emperor of the French. The color lithograph illustrates how a disguise and a wooden plank were used by a prisoner to leave a secure facility. The Library of Congress maintains this record of the 1846 escape from the fort of Ham. Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, the subject of the print, lived until 1873 and is recognized in the historical record as a major political figure of the era.