Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-09-24
SURVIVING WATERLOO VETERANS.

The surviving officers and soldiers OF
the famous campaign which brought the
greatest soldier Of modern times to a
miserable exile in the far Atlantic, ard
lonely grave five years later in the
valley of Longwood, are now few and
rapidly becoming fewer every year. A
few years hence and not one will re
main to tell from personal Observable ms
of the desperate assault and defence
which decided not the destiny of France
alone, but of Europe. The chief actors
on that bloody field have long since
passed away--th Iron Duke, the gruff
Prussian Field Marshal, the Man of
Destiny, and the Bravest of the Brave
Not many years ago the English Of
battle of Waterloo could be counted by
the hundred. The following comprise
ali that ale now left: One field marshal,
nine generals, five lieutenant generals,
three major generals, five colonies, sev~
en- lieutenant colonies, FIVE majors, sew
en- captains, twelve leutepants, two
paymasters, one quarternaster, one sur
geon major, two surgeons and two as
sistant surgeons, making total of sixty
two Is must be borne IN mind, how
ever, that the most OF all of those who
now hold high rank in tie above emu
meration have attained it by subsequent
service and promotion. Sir William
Comm, for example, now field marshal
served at Waterloo as quarterrnaster to
General Pictons division. OF these,
two colonies, five lieutenant colonies
and four majors have retired. from the
army at different times by the sale Of
their commissions OF those who actn-
ally remain in the service, and Of those
on half pay, seven are still captains and
twelve lieutenants. Field Marshal Sir
VIM. Comm, late COMMANDMENT Chief
Of the East Company's forces, and now
Constable OF the Tower, is in his nine
ty-frst year. General Sir George B, lie =,
Lieutenant Of the Tower, was born
in 1787-the year the Federal Constitu-
ton was adopted, and General Sir VIM
Rowan, late commander of the forces
in Canada, was born in 1898. Mar
shall Comm and General Bowles were at
the bombardment Of Copenhagen in
1907. Marshal Comm, General Row.
an, and Captain Payne were present
and participated in the battle Of Corun-
ma, where Sir John Moore fell in 1909.
These three are old comrades. They
AL participated in the unfortunate Wal
cherean expedition, and the former were
at Flushing. Lieut.. General Smith,
born in 1902, served in the navy before
entering the army General Sir Thorn
as .,Heed was wounded at Ferozeshah,
and is the only one Of the sixty two sur
vivors who aided in quelling the Indian
mutiny in 1887. General Lord Rookie
by, colonel Of the 18th foot, born i'll
1893, is the only surviving Waterloo
officer who fought side by side in the
Crimea with the foe whom he assisted
to vanquish at Waterloo. Sir William
Comm is the only survivor Of Roleca,
fought in 1903. Lieutenant Colonel
Drought and Paymaster Hillard are the
only survivors Of Albuera, on Of the
| hardest fought fields of the Peninsular
| war; At the close Of the battle when
the roll was called, three privates and a
| drummer were all that answered of the
bluffs" Sir William Comm and Sir
Charles York were at Nimiera, and Sir
Charles Bowles was at Talavera.
Three were at Busaco, four at Fuentes
d Onor, FIVE at Cuidad Rodrigo, seven
| at the seige and storming of Badajos,
eleven at Salamanca, and twelve at the
famous battle of Vittoria, where
''The English rose was meier so red,
The shamrock shook in cory bed;
Dut the Scottish thistle reared Its head
And smiled upon Fittora."
-Four were at the Passage Of Bidassoa,
fourteen at Neville, eleven at Niye, elev-
Ell at Orthes, and thirteen at Toulouse.
Fourteen were at Quartz Bras and five
at the capitulation of Paris. These old
veterans assemble, as many Of them as
can get together, every year Oh the an
niversary of Waterloo. The roll is
shortening, and ere many more years
pass the roll call will cease. No distinc
ton, however, great, can exempt from
The fate which awaits all.
The boast of hcraldry, the pomp of power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth Ger gave
Await alike the inevitable hour
The path of glory leads but to the grave
bARGhlnS!! bsRGk!MSEI|