Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-11-10
Napoleon II.

Since the recent mediation of the
Emperor of the French, which has per-
haps saved Austria from total annihila-
ton, there is reason to believe that the
desire of France to possess the ashes Of
the young Prince who was for few
hours Napoleon H., has been acceded
to by the Emperor Francis Joseph, and
that the mortal remains of the King
Rome will soon be placed beneath the
dome of the Invalides, side by side with
those of his illustrious father. Thus the
great Napoleon and his son, separated
by destiny in life, will at last be united
in death Both died in the land of ex-
lie, and neither will have found repose
upon the soil of France until after many
years sleep far from her shores-one
upon rock bound island in a distant
ocean, and the other in the funeral
vault of an Austrian palace. Little is
generally known in America of the last
years of Napoleon H., and the present
moment seems opportune to give sketch
of his brief and melancholy career.
Joseph Charles Francis Napoleon,
King of Rome, Duke of Reichstadt, was
born at Paris on the 20th March, 1911.
All the good fairies seemed to have as
sembled around his cradle, and all ap-
peared to predict for him honors, riches
and power; not one intimated doubt
of his future grandeur and luster Yet,
despite the happy presages which ac
compauied his birth, scarcely three
years after he came into the world as
the heir of Napoleon. the young Prince
left France on the I'd of May, 1914,
never to return during life. On arriving
in the dominions of his grandfather, the
Emperor of Austria, his title was sup
pressed, the name he bore prescribed,
every fact in history which recalled the
glory of his father, and the humiliation
of his enemies, was carefully concealed
from the child's knowledge, and at sew
en- years of age the son of Napoleon be-
came the Duke of Reichstadt.
An Imperial decree, promulgated Ju-
ly %, 1SlS-the 22d of July was also
the date of his death-conferred upon
him the title of an Austrian Duke, fixed
his rank at the Court of Vienna, the
arms he was to bear, the honors to which
he was to be entitled, and the position
be was to occupy as member of the
Imperial family of Austria. No trace
of Napoleon was lett, and the name it.
self was formally suppressed by the de-
cree. Afterwards as he grew up and
learned what hero had been his father
he suddenly awoke as from long slum-
ber When he read in secret the story
of Napoleon's immortal campaigns, and
comprehended the glory and power to
which the genius of his father had at
tained, it seemed to him that he had all
at once entered upon another world, IL
Illuminated by the history of gigantic
exploits. Then, despite those who sur
rounded him, despite the incessant
watch kept over him, he determined to
know all. He obtained and eagerly de-
voured every work in which Napoleon S
name was mentioned, and finally, when
he realized how great his father had
been, what humiliations had been heap
ed upon him, how he had died tortur-
ed prisoner, the young Prince was filed
with an intense hatred of those who
had accomplished the banished soldiers
long martyrdom. His Indignation was
also excited against the decree which
deprived him of the name which he
Justly regarded as the most glorious of
those he bore. and he Immediately and
resolutely signi6ed bis intention to be
called Napoleon. Like his father, be
was fond Of the profession of arms. but
his tall, thin body could not withstand
the arduous exercises to which he at
tempted to school himself Appointed
Colonel of the Gustavus Vasa Regiment
he assumed the active command, took
part in e.ery fatiguing ceremony, in all
weathers, and no matter how i'll he was
or how much bis physicians remorstrat-
ed, his dreams we're of glory. He stud
led the art of war in the numberless
descriptions of bis fathers battles, eth