Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-12

ternal appearance Of punishment, after being
knocked down ten or q dozen times by Jack
son !? The Life Guardsman left the ring after
the fight with Painter, very little the worse for
the effects Of the battle; and he Immediately
announced that he should fight for the cham
pionship. He challenged any man in England
and Crib was ready to take 1t up. As usual,
in matters of this kind, there was great di-
versity of opinion among the amateurs as to
the probable result Of a contest between them.
Shaw, in his own mind, felt confident that
there was no man living who could beat him,
and there seemed to have been several good
reasons to lead US to concur in the opinion.
His length and activity were such that he
could hit and get away. He was fine judge
of time and distance, and his blows were too
heavy to be often warded off. Then, again,
Cribb may reasonably be supposed to have de-
clined as fighter in the four years which had
elapsed since his last battle with Moyneaux.
But these gallant heroes were never to meet in
the pugilistic arena. Six weeks after his fight
with Painter, Shaw's regiment was ordered,
in hot haste, abroad, apart of the British army
to withstand the onslaught of Napoleon, who
had left Elba, and like an uncaged eagle,
swooped down upon the Bourbons Of France.
The pugilist was soon bivouacking upon the
plains of Belgium; and the shadows of the An.
gel of Deaths dark wing. was rapidly advanc-
ing to eclipse the star of his nativity
On the morning of the 18th of June, Shaw
was engaged in the fight which preceded the
tremendous and decisive contest Of the follow
ing day. He was wounded in the breast, and
ordered to the rear by his commanding officer.
Here he had his wound dressed, and finding
but little inconvenience from it, he returned,
with noble ardor, to his place in the ranks.
OF all the private soldiers and corporals who
distinguished themselves on the 18th at Wa
terloo, Shaw's gallantry was the most conspieu-
Gus. How the troops stood the terrible pound
ing of Napoleon's artillery; how the Life
Guards Scotch Greys, &c cut up the cuiras-
siers and cavalry of France and how the Gre
nader Guards beat back the final charge of
Ney and the Old Guard, is matter Of history.
Our sketch has to do only with the exploits of
the wounded prize-fghter, who there con-
tended for wreath Of imperishable glory,
and won il with his hearts best blood. Ac-
cording to all accounts of those who fought by
his side, he killed and disabled ten Of Tie
enemy before he was stricken by the bali that
laid him low, and in the spot of the very melee
whsre hc fell, and was found dead the next
day, there were seven Frenchmen, all killed
by sabre-cuts dealt by pow erful arm. Shaw
possessed the science of the sword' in very
eminent degree, and that, as we'll as their great
strength and courage, was demanded of him
and his comrades in their encounter with the
mailed cuirassiers Of France. Ever since the
battle, his name and memory have been re-
nowned In song and story; and in him and
Robin Hood, Nottinghamshire has two of the
greatest idols of rustic regard that England
has produced.
As prize-fghter, his merits were great, and
be would have attained the Championship hnd
he survived the battle of Waterloo. His trial
with Captain Barclay caused General Barton,
Mr.. jackson, and the other amateurs who wit
"thOrOugh-bre boxer, and to compare him
with Tom Cribb. He won both his fights with
great ease, and without receiving any punish
ment himself, while bis adversaries were ter
ribly cut up by his heavy hitting. The truth
Is, that shaw, in common with Jackson, Cribb,
Old Dutch Sam, Jack Randall and Tom Sayers
had in perfection that first great requisite of a
boxer, the capacity to strike very heavy and
Furnishing blows; while his great length Of
reach and activity enabled him to get away
and come again much more rapidly than most
men of the weight can do. 1t is true that Ned
Painter was not in condition when Shaw beat
him; but it is equally true that the latter had
no regular training, and was only in such con-
dition as the soldicrly drill and pursuit of ath-
letic exercises maintained him in Then, again,
the ease with which he defeated him must be
taken into account. 1t will surprise some that
a soldier of the Life-Guards, under the strin-
gent discipline of the British Army, could fight
prize battles and intend to enter the lists for
the Championship. But the explanation is
easy. At that time it was commonly held that
| the stnnding-up 1ght method of the ring cul-
| tivated in the English and Irish people that
| resolute and obstinate val9r which has often
| overcome the most daring chivalry In a long
| struggle. Consequently, the officers of the
army and of ships Of war mostly encouraged
rather than repressed the pugilistic inclina-
| tions Of their men; and though prize battle
like any other fight, was breach Of the peace,
more magistrates went to see them, and laid
bets upon the three events, than made efforts
| to prevent their occurrence. Thus we find
the officers of the Guards interposing no obsta-
| Gle to Shaw's fighting; and two other gentle
| men. who had held military commissions under
| the king, were the men to bring him out as a
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 prevailed by
| dlnt OF sheer game and bottom. We perceive
that Mr.. Blanchard JerrOld, a bran new officer
| OF the LondoA Bife Volunteers, whose epaulets
have just sprOuted from his callow shoulders,
lays 1t down tha: the ring has no tendency to
encourage valor and manly fortitude. That is
all very well; but Nelson of the Nile, Yelling
| ton of Waterloo, and valiant John Shaw, the
Life Guardsman and prize-fghter, held to a
| different conclusion. We shall have som ebody
| 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 vol.
unteers of Kentucky and Tennessee to intiioi
| such terrible losses upon the British at New
Orleans. The sketch of Shaw, like his gloriou!
career, is short; and it is ended.
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