Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-10
THE PRINCE IMPERIAL'S DEATH.
Some Circumstances Connectedv 1'h ]
Not Generally Known 10 Ameri as.
Phillip Robinson in New York We

fIunp hoOlusOn IN new 1OIk WI
"No true story of the prince imterial's
death has ever been published, inasmuch as
my II manuscript notes, which alone contained
the facts of that death, and the conduct of
the officer who was in charge of the escort,
have never been published in their entirety.
l was in the camp at the time when the news
reached me that his escort had come in with
out the prince, and l reminded Mr.. Melton
Prior, the special artist of the Illustrated
London N.Us, how the prince had spent
almost his last minutes in the camp in con-
versation with ourselves outside of the tent
1t was near ons of the great ant hills
which abound IN South Africa, and the
prince Imperial Was trying to kick the hill
over when the news was brought to him
that his horse was waiting. l saw him 60,
and a few minutes later heard that he had
left the camp without half his escort. This
alone was mistake sufficient to account for
the whole disaster a company of colonists
without Basuto scouts is, for all practical
purposes, without eyes and ears. The sequel
proved this 10 be only too true, and the first
comment made by all when they heard that
the prince was killed, was, This would never
have been if they had taken the proper
escort So far, therefore, Captain Carey was
not responsible for the tragedy that occurred
but am the only man, except Captain Bet
tiugton and Captain Shepster, who ever heard
from the lips OF the survivors, together at
one time, the actual facts of the horrible
death OF Empress Eugenie's son. Nor do
l care now to give them at any length, but
this l need not hesitate to say, that every one
OF the survivors repudiated with scorn the
suggestion that any of them, il he had been
in Captain Carey's place, would have acted
as Captain Carey did. They were heart
broken and thoroughly ashamed at being
connected with an event which would be at
once abhorred all over the world as a cow
ardly sacrifice OF a brave young life intrusted
to the care of the queens soldiers"
"What about Captain Carey's conduct"
at was at first thought, from his having
concealed himself, or having been concealed,
that he had committed suicide, and / ac-
tually telegraphed his death to England,
but, from the delay of the steamer, 1 was
able to recall my mistake. Hardly less gen.
eral was the belief that he would be brought
to drum-head court-martial and be dealt
with in the most. summary manner, but l
shall never forget my surprise when, having
ridden down TO Pietermaritzburg for the
princes funeral, i saw one morning Captain
Carey on the steps of the postofice building,
waiting for the mail cart which was to take
him to England. | certainly never expected
TO have seen that officer alive again. Glenn
ency, however, won the day, but whether
this clemency was due to a mistaken anxiety
of Lord Chelmsford about his reputation or
to powerful influence working at court il is
impossible to say. Whichever it was, Glenn
ency has seldom If ever commended itself 80
little to the army, or, / may almost say, to
the English public-those of them who are
acquainted with anything like the real facts.
Il saw Lord Chelmsford on the night of the
day of the princes death, and certainly shall