The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-03-26
Two of Our 1918 Veterans-An Inter
estlng Meeting After their Sight ID
Restored to Them
20 DEMOCRAT Feb. 81

-. o. Democrat, Feb. D.
The military pageant of yesterday must
haze stirred the hearts of the few veterans
nov left. who 80 calamity defended our city
against the advance Of the British in 1879
Two that We happened to meet We know felf
the old soldiery spirit come back when the
/ sear-piercing fife sounded on the street.
These two were Messrs- Joseph St Cyr and
/ Charles Raymond.
/ Mr. St. Cyr is eighty-two years of age, and
belonged 10 the rifle company OF the Battalion
/ d'Orleans, which commanded on the
/ memorable eighth of January BY MAJOR
/ Plauche. He Is still an active man, and moves
about with all the elasticity OF youth
Mr. Raymond Is eighty-hve, and was a
I member OF the same battalion IN the battle al
Chalmette. Full OF vigor and well-preserved
/ strength he, like his fellow veteran, looks
twenty years Younger than he Is Both, strange
! 10 say. enjoy the companionship OF wives they
/ N arried sixty years ago.
/ Ii was interesting Yesterday to listen to their
story of the battle to note how the eye would
sparkle and the chest heave they recount
ed the fighting OF that day. Plauches COM
mand was on the right, they said, and had Tor
I its protection only low breastwork OF earth
I In the embrasures for the cannon there were
two three bales OF cotton, but none IN breast
works The battle was hot from the time the
! last gun was fired. until the red coats with
drew from the field.
! Plauche's command, Mr. RAYMOND says
was composed of a rifle company, one OF
dragons, the Blues OF Capt. Maunsel White,
| the LIE Francs and the Chasseurs- OF the
whole command but six now alive, and
they are c. Raymond, :. ST. Cyr, 5. 81. Cyr,
Jean Gervais Jean Lamothe and F. NJ. La
pice.
The occasion which brought about the meet
ing with these tried veterans was to congratu
late them on lease OF life they had JUS
received.
For some years they were almost blind from
cataract of the eve. and could barely tell day
light from darkness The skiIlful hand and
knife OF that celebrated oculist here, DIR. Cor
nelius Beard, opened the portals OF vision to
those old soldiers and they see again. The
cure must have been wonderful, for nature at
eighty-fve years has but little vital force Of
revivication left. Both were happy over the
| gilt Of a sense OF which they were so long
bereft and spoke OF the doctor in feeling
| manner of his delicacy and extreme tender
ness The doctor has, it seems been remark
ably fortunate in all OF his cases of cataract
amongst elderly men. Our fellow townsmen,
| Adolph Dupre, Esq, C. Toledana and many
others have been also restored TO sight.
Mr.. Dupre is of the noblest examples
| OF true creole stock. Seventy-elght years
| OF age, he has all the vivacity OF his youth,
and in conversation is more agreeable than
! those whose years fall short of him two score.
| His face is classical and shows the true type
| OF Louisianian, and now that his sight is
nearly restored will enjoy for years TO come
| the caresses of his grandchildren. In 1915 be
was too young to enlist in the cause OF New
| Orleans, but since victory he has ever
been a firm and unfinching defender OF the
| peoples rights.
| 1t Is somewhat remarkable that such
| number OF our oldest families should be SO
successfully operated upon by the same ply
| stefan.
| During the long conversation Messrs. st.
| Cyr and Raymond gave many incidents OF the
! eighth OF January which we have not space to
| publish. We left them looking happy and
| contented as young lovers.