The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-30
An Old Soldiers History.

In an account of the Aged Mems Home in
Baltimore the Baltimore American gives the
following sketch of one of its inmates:
The door of the room at the end of the corri-
dor was opened, and inside was the most Illus
trious of the inmates of the house, Col. John
Frederick Won Werder, who is now just ninety
nine years. seven months and eleven days old.
COL Won Werder has had a remarkable history,
but he looks as hale and hearty as the young
est man in the Home. He walks about with
cane and enjoys life as best he can. He spoke
of his late travels in the East-Japan, China,
East Indies, and other places and said: Il
have travelled much on four legs" meaning
that he had ridden great deal. Il have gone
millions of miles, millions" he continued, and
when questioned as to his life gave the follow
ing abstract:
Twas born on the 1st of January 1850, in
East Prussia, about ten miles from the city of
Berlin. strong inclination for military
life led me to enter the Prussian army in the
year 1876 as an ensign. In the year 1900 / was
promoted to lieutenancy, and in 1906, when
the war between France and Prussia broke
out was advanced to the rank of captain. In
the great battles of jena and Auerstadt, SO dls-
astrous to Prussia was made prisoner OF
war by the French. Bewitched by the brilliant
generalship of Napoleon l., l entered the
French service as captain in the cavalry. 1t
was in the years 1S07-S that / fought in Spain,
and while in Grenada in 1908, married Senor-
ita Mariana Gracia Velasquez, daughter OF
Alfonso Marillo Velasquez, grandee OF the
| kingdom.
| Early in 1909 was promoted to Colonelcy
and ordered back to Germany to command a
regiment during the campaign against Austria.
| 1 was in the great battles OF Aspern, Eschilin.
| gen, Wagram, and many other engagements Oh
| less importance. After the battle of Wagram
| L was made first aide-de-camp to Gen. Muraf,
| Napoleons brother-in-law, who was afterward
King of Naples and Commander-in-Chief OF
the French cavalry. l attended the wedding
| of Napoleon to Maria Louisa, daughter OF the
| Emperor Francis of Austria, i'll 1910. 1t was
| late in 1911 when / was ordered to join the
| Grand Army of Invasion into Russia, whlcn
| started in the spring Of 1872 On account OF
| Murat being ordered to Italy, was appointed
| first aide-de-camp to Marshal Ney, who was
| Napoleon's right hand man during that cam.
paign. 1 took part in the fight ON the banks oil
| Moskwa, which opened the gates of Moscow,
| the ancient capital of the empire
| entered the city with Napoleon in all ms
| glory and was quartered with his staff in the
| ancient castle of the Kremlin until the city
was set on fire and almost annihilated by the
| Russians themselves Then commenced that
| terrible retreat through snow and ice, almost
| too awful to remember, with an infuriated enc
| nv at our backs This retreat, as you know,
ended in the destruction of Napoleon's army
| After She fearful battle on the banks OF the
river Berisina, Of my own regiment, lSoo strong
when we crossed the Russian frontier IN the
spring of 1872, only thirteen recrossed 1t III the
win er, and these were all wounded or sick
from cold or utter destitution was myself
twice wounded at Berisina, from whlcn SUI
fer still occasionally. After my return was
lain up in hospital for several months, and
| after recovery rejoined the Prussian army with
the rank of Colonel, and fought in all the prin,
cipal battles during 1878, entering france ana
afterward Paris, in 1914, with the allied armies.
In 1915 fought at Ligny and Waterloo and
| AGAIN entered the capital of France. 1t was
i'm 1916 and 1917 that 1 obtaine leave of alb
sence and travelled with Col Cominsky
through Turkey, Egypt and Abyssinia, where l
first met Lord Byron. was with this cele-
brated parsonage for some time. In 1919 l
| Joined the secret league for the Liberation Oh
| Greece and assisted Alexander fpsylantl IN
organizing the Greek lnsurrection, can tain
Greek fuently. i fought for this cause until
Greece was free. During that time renewed
nv acquaintance with Lord Byron and had
frequent interviews with him until his death
n 1928 entered the French Army again,
and was attached to the forces destined for the
subiugation of Algiers, where remained tor
nine years, engaged in active service agalnis.
Ab-del-Kader and Ibrahim Pashas, Bedouln
Arabs In the year 1887 l returned once more
to Germany and spent part OF the tiIe un n',d
| 1S4S in travelling through France, italy anu
| Turkey I'm the latter year l was Iorceu 10
leave Germany for political reasons, ana en-
inr,oS for the United States. (Col. Won Wer-
der came over at the same time as Hon. Carl
Schnrz1 II was in October of the year 1S4S
landed in Baltimore with my wife and two
sons and one daughter We settled in West
Virginia where L established a nursery for
flowers and choice plants, and we did well un-
til 1852, when great flood came and swept
away everything, leaving us in almost utter
destitution. l then went to st. Louis and III
1854 to South Carolina, where it seemed once
more as if / should spend the rest Of my days
in peace and ease, but the war broke out wreck
ing our happiness and fortune In 1867 my