3. The Bonaparte Who Made it to America
Joseph Bonaparte made it to the safety of New York in late August, 1815. He was accompanied by a Spanish officer who remained loyal, an interpreter, a personal secretary, and a cook. Joseph left New York for Washington, DC, where he hoped to meet President Madison. However, he was intercepted en route by a messenger who informed him that the American president would not meet him. So Joseph turned around, and set about to get comfortable and make the best of his new life in America. He managed to transfer a big chunk of his fortune, much of it in the form of Spanish royal jewels that he had grabbed on his way out of Spain, and invested it in his new country. In his first few years in the US, Joseph lived in New York City and Philadelphia, and his residence became a hub for French expatriates.
