DUEL CARTEL OF AN ENGLISH OFFICER FROM SAINT HELENA ADDRESSED TO GRAND MARSHAL BERTRAND LYSTER (Thomas). Letter to Henri-Gatien Bertrand, 2 manuscripts, one autograph signed in English, the other in French translation in the hand of the addressee. Longwood House, 24 July 1818. - LYSTER (Thomas). Autograph letter signed, in English, to Henri-Gatien Bertrand. 2 pp. 1/4 on a bifeuillet in-folio on laid paper watermarked with the effigy of Britannia in a crowned medallion with countermark "J & EG 1814". - LYSTER (Thomas). French translation, in the hand of Henri-Gatien BERTRAND. One p. 3/4 in half-width column, on one folio of laid paper watermarked with the countermark "G R 1815". "I have seen a letter from you addressed to his Excellency the Governor, in which you take the liberty of degrading my character in the most false, infamous and abandoned manner. You say, Sir, that I am his creature, ready to carry out any order, no matter how atrocious. This can only be the invention of your mind, since it is impossible for you to know anything about the feelings that occupy my heart. If I were inclined to retort about the sycophant of the so famous Corsican, Europe knows too well that I have the most ample foundation for that. But I despise such conduct. That is why I will only say briefly that if you have the slightest spark of that delicate feeling of honour (for which your nation is so justly famous) you cannot refuse to give the satisfaction of a gentleman to an officer who has served his country for 34 years with zeal and loyalty. If you refuse, I will be obliged to publish you to the world as the most vile, the most cowardly, as well as the basest slanderer. I promise my honour that the Governor has not the slightest idea of the steps I have taken, nor any other person except the friend employed to deliver this letter to you. If you do not have any pistols, I can obtain them and the matter can be dealt with in the greatest secrecy at the place and time that you think you would like to set. I remain, Sir, your very humble servant...". Grand Marshal Bertrand wrote a draft of his reply in pencil on the first page of the left-hand column and then erased it. Thomas Lyster (d. 1845), then Inspector of Coasts and Volunteers with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel at St Helena, was appointed Officer of the Order at Longwood House on 16 July 1818. However, Napoleon I took umbrage at this appointment because this officer did not belong to the regular army and had served (already under Hudson Lowe) in the Corsican Rangers, a corps of Corsican deserters and mercenaries in the service of England. The Emperor even suspected him of having taken part in the looting of Bonaparte's house in Ajaccio in 1793. He had Bertrand write a letter of protest to Hudson Lowe, which Thomas Lyster found insulting and which prompted the latter to challenge Grand Marshal Bertrand to a duel. Bertrand replied that he considered Thomas Lyster to be acting only as Hudson Lowe's second in command, and indicated that he would accept a duel but with the Governor himself, causing a scandal - Thomas Lyster was removed from Longwood on 25 July, and Hudson Lowe ceased all direct relations with Grand Marshal Bertrand.