New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-03-04
Ne d7raas 1a GFeseenG aondau aWovniaa Mfartb 1851

before lie was stricken by tho bail that laid him
low; and in the spot of the very melee where he
fell and was found dend the next day, there were
seven Frenchmen all killed by saber cuts dealt by
a powerful arm. Shaw possessed the "seienGe of
the sword' in very eminent degree and that, as
well rs their great strength and courage, was de-
manded OF him and his comrades in their renCoun-
ter with the mailed cuirrassiers Of France. Ever
since the battle, his name aud memory have been
renowned in song and story, and in him and Robin
Hood Nottingh8mshre has two of the greatest idols
of rnstC regard that England has produced.
As prize fighter his merits were great and he
would have attained the championship had he sur
yived the battle of Waterloo. His trial with Capt.
barclay caused Gen, Barton, Mr.. Jackson and the
other amateurs who witnessed it, TO pronounce
MN, with one acclaim thorough bredn boxer
and to compare him with Tom Crib. He Won
both his fights with great ease, and without receiy-
ing any punishment himself, while his adversares
we're terribly cut up by his heavy hitting. The
truth Is, that Shaw, i'll common with Jackson Crib,
otd Dutch Sam, Jack Randall and Tom Sayers,
mad IN perfection that first great requisite of box
en- me capacity to strike very heavy and punish.
lng blows, while his greas length of reach and &C
slF"y enaole,, hin, 10 get away and come again
,ruch Hl0Ye RAPIDLY nan iiiost men Of the weight
can Co. 1t is true that Ned Painter was not in CON
dition when Shaw beat him but i is equally true
that the latter had no regular training, and was
only in such condition as the soldieriy dfll arc
pursuit of athletic exercises maintained hun H.
| Then, again, the ease with which he defeated him
mist be taken into account 1t will surprise some
that soldier of the life guards, under the stringent
| discipline of the British army, could fight prize
battles and intend to enter the lists for the cham
| pionship.
| But the explanation is easy. At that time it
was commonly held that the standing up fight
method of the ring cultivated i'll the English and
| Irish people that resoute and obstinate vaor
| which has often overcome the most daring chiv-
| airy in long struggle. Consequently, the officers
of the army and of ships of war mostly encour-
aged rather than repressed the puglstic inclina-
| tons of their men; and though prize battle,
| like any other fight was a breach Of the peace,
more magistrates went to see them and laid bets
| upon the three events, than made efforts to pre-
vent their occurrence. Thus we find the officers
of the Guards interpreting no obstacle to Shaw's
| fghtings and two other gentlemen, who had held
military commissions under the King, were the
| men to bring him out as boxer. The people of
that age may have been mistaken in the notion
| they entertained on this subject BUT they fought
the French for about twenty years, and finally pre-
vailed by dint of sheer game and bottom.
/ We perceive that Mr.. Blanchard Jerrold, a bran
new officer of the London Rifle Volunteers, whose
epaulets have just sprouted from his caliow should
ers, lays it down that the ring had no tendency to
| encourage valor and manly fortitude. This is all
very well; but Nelson of the Nile, Wellington of
| Waterloo, and valiant John Shaw the Life guards
man and prze.fghter, held to a different conclu-
sion. We shall have somebody saying next that
the forest life of the Western States had nothing to
| do with the GOODNESS and deadly accuracy of aim
| which enabled the volunteers of Kentucky and
Tennessee to Dlict such terrible losses upon the
| British at New Orleans The sketch of Shaw, like
! his glorious career is short; and it is ended.