The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-03-22
A Contenarian.

A Contenarfan. Gl
Capt. sLahrbush, who celebrated
his 103d birthday at the house sof
Gen. Watts de Peyster, 80 East
Twenty-frst street, on the 9th of
March, 1858, has indeed made q most
extraordinary voyage of life. He
was born almost coevaliy with the
first outbreak which led to the Ame-
Tioan Revolution; and ten years be-
forsthe Declaration Of Independence
was planned, or thought of in earn,
est Louis XIV was, then, King of
France; Frederick the Great was inst
lifting Prussia out of the desolation
OF the Seven Years War; Catherine
III was Empress of Russia; Clement
XIII Pope; =. Maria Theresa still
swayed the destihias of Austria. His
birth took place about O year after
the accession of Joseph uAthe
liberal Emperor of Germany, whose
specnlating father, Francis I, y was
actually a4contractor for. supplying
the armies of Frederick the Great,
fighting to humiIiate his wife, Jo-
seph's mother. Poland was still a
kingdom; and the Captain has lived
to see four Monarchs on the throne
of England and fifteen successive
sets of Governors In France, OF
whom two were Kings and two EN-
perors; one of the former deoapitat-
ed, two twice enthroned and twice
dethroned; and the Emperor twice
enthroned and twice exiled.
Ia 1889 he entered the British army
as a cadet of-ths Croydon Military
School. In 1898, with q rank edui-
valent to that of Brevet Ensign or
Second Lieutenant, Goth Rifles, he
followed the Duke of York to Hol-
land and participated in his cam
paigns. Wellington was then only a
Major Of the SD Of the Line he
was present in 1898, when the French
invasion of Ireland Terminated with
the surrender Of Humbert, at Balli-
namuck; and served as a volunteer
under Nelson at the capture cof Co
penhagen in 1901. He was present
at the battle of Jena and was nearly
captured there by the French. He
witnessed the meeting between Alex
ander and Napoleon on the raft in the
Niemen, 1907, and the conclusion of
the peace OF Tilsit. Having thus
beheld the French despot at the
zenith of his power, he lived to guard
him in the nadir of his abasement at
st. Helena, 1816-17. He describes
Alexander as the handsomest man he
ever saw; and Louisa, Queen OF
Prussia, as the most stately and beau
tiful woman. -.
In 1908, Ensign Lahrbush, under
Wellington, received badge of
honor for his conduct at Vimiera. In
18089, he took part in ali the actions
fought against the French in Spain,
down to Busaoo, in 1870 In this
terrible conflict, he won his promo
tion to a lieutenanoy, and received
the thanks of his great commander
in general orders, for leading a for
!orn hope, in which he was left for
dead on the field. A finger can be
laid in the scar. in hia head, wh;ch
resulted from the wound then re-
celved. For Talaveira, he received
the Portuguese order of knighthood,
SO styled. In 1911, Lieut.. Lahrbush
sailed for the Cape of Good Hope,
and for the ensning two years he was
engaged in the Caffir war. and. on
one occasion, embarked with a de-
taohment for Algoa Bay, capturing
an American prize, which was sold
for an equivalent to $3.50, 600. In
1816-17, twice, three months at 8
time, he formed part of the guard
over Napoleon at ST. Helena. He
says that no portrait of Napoleon is
truthful except those on his five