Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-01-04
BURGRYINE.

Jeoted to inconceiyable hardships, death by
drowning, murder, any means must have
been welcome relief. But what sad termi-
nation TO the wild and fevered dreams of his
boyhood wherein he loved to picture himself as
the Arbiter Of Nations, the Architect of En-
pires.
The career Of Henry Burgevine is more than
romantic, stranger than fiction" and deserves
better record than the meagre and often in
correct paragraphs which have from time to
time appeared in the columns of European
and American papers. He was born in New
bern, North Carolina, in the year 1885, His
father was a Erenchman, and an officer in the
grand army Of Napoleon. Subsequently he
was in the service Of Spain, and came to Amer
lea in the capacity of Surveyor General of
Florida, married an American lady, and died
In 1913, leaving a family, consisting of his
widow, two sons and a daughter. The eldest
son was, If we mistake not, a Brigadier General
IN the Confederate service, and is at present
citizen Of Arkansas, where the daughter also
resides, being the wife of Thomas p. Watson,
late Of Washington city.
Henry Andua Burgevine, the youngest of the
family, came to Washington city with his
mother and sister in 1876. Mrs. b. having been
left in very straitened circumstances, had
in view the prosecution of certain claims
against the Government, growing out of the
purchase OF Florida from Spain. Being un-
successful in this, she, through the aid of the
Hon. Willie z. Mangum, obtained situation as
page in the U. :. Senate for Henry, and on this
pittance, increased by the products of teaching
small school, the widow and her two chill
dren lived for many years in quiet obscurIty,
(on the west side of 18th street, near o.
From his earliest years, Henry displayed a
great love for books, and left noopportunity
Hnimproyed to store his mind with useful
knowledge. At II he understood the Greek
Latin and French languages, was proficient in
the higher branches of mathematics, an ac-
complished draughtsman, and studying civil
engineering and naval architecture During
the interim between the sessions of Congress
he was among the students at the Washington
Seminary, (Catholic,) but he ACCOMPLISHED
more by night study, and a systematic course
Of reading, having access to the Congress
Library.
In these days of his early youth the writer
of this sketch has often heard him speak of his
plans for the future, in such terms as would
lead stranger to suspect his sanity. Now it
was 70 build up an Empire in Egypt; to unite
the nations of the Orient; to regenerate China
and found an enlightened nation Of 4O0OOOOOO
OF people; to found a new Assyria, with a
Nineyeh for its capital, and SO on through a
long train Of schemes, all of which were SUBJ
lime, If not practicable.
In the spring Of 1853 Burgevine, whose set
Tied purpose it had been to seek his fortune in
foreign lands, babe farewell to mother, sister
and friends, and arrived in New York with a
few dollars in his pocket. No one knew ex-
aetly where he was going or for what pur-
pose, and 1t Is likely his own plans were some
what disarranged by the fact of his being with
out penny in a few days, and compelled
either to return to Washington or take passage
on some ship and work his way. He did the
latter, and six months after wrote from San
Francisco, then from the Sandwich Islands
next from China, then from Australia, where
he worked in the gold mines for a few weeks
with success The next we hear OF him he
had been .wrecked on the coast, forty miles
from Bombay" After this he was six months
in Calcutta, learning the Hindostanee Ian.
guage, and regretting he did not understand
Arabic, that he might take command of
q small vessel trading to Judia, on the Red
Sea" Next he was on board British man.
of-var as sailor. Then for few months,
weary enough be sure, with his head shaved
in the hospital at Naples. And next, tempOra
nEtGntur, leading the life of a quiet gentleman
In London. And finally, after more than four
years Of wandering, he appears like an appa-
rItion to his friends at Washington. bronzed,
and bearded like a pard. Remaining a few
IL,
Michigan; accepts position as clerk in the
post office, and edits the indicator, a Demo-
cratic paper Of that city. And here it may be
as well TO state that in matters Of literature
Burgeyine possessed a most excellent taste
Had he adopted that pursuit his success
would have been certain. He wrote much
and published enough in prose and verse to
exhibit his talent in that line. But he pre-
ferred a life OF action, and was frequently
heard TO say he would rather snake history
than TO write it,"
Burgevine's manner Of life at Detroit was too
tame for him. He groaned under the common
places Of every day life, and Ionged to be yet
again chasing the phantoms of ambition
which had already led him so far out of the
beaten paths OF life. As yet he had accom-
pllshed nothing. He must be up and doing if
name were to be achieved for himself
In 1859, Henry Burgevine again left the
shores OF America; alas never to return This
time his schemes were more tangible History
could give him notable examples of men who
had risen above their kind as if by magic i'm
the great political commissions OF the world
China should be the field Of his glory, for here
q gigantic war had ragged for years, and here,
IL anywhere, was the place to win distinction,
power, empire! To China he went, and the
rest of his story is the history of China for the
Ward from this country, or met him first in
China, the writer cannot say. At all events
they were friends-Ward being first in COM
mand and Burgeyine second. In great and
successful battle Ward was killed, and Henry
Burgeyine became commander in chief of an
army Of 10000 disciplined men, mostly Euro
peans and Americans. In the eyes of our hero
IL was the first step to a throne. After setting
1orth these facts in a letter addressed to Thos
houng' Esq, Of this city, he says" After
years OF patient labor, watching waiting and
suffering my day has at last come. In tloo years
4 shan rule China ~
Inc dream was never realized, the life which
was All acuon' all hope, and all ambition, has
gone OUT N "retchedness almost unparalleled.
The mother, to whom In his palmiest DAYS
Burgeyine transmitted sunicient sum 70
make comfortable in her last hours, was spared
the misery OF OUTLYING him, and of knowing
how be died. She expired peaeefullv in mis-
city about one year since, and lies In Graen-
wood Cemetery.
1t is almost impossible 10 estimate the adx.n
49, ArlI