Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-25
A Veterans Death.


Connected with the life of a veteran
of any war there are incidents more
or less fraueht with interest, and
when that veteran, like the subject of
this obituary, was a soldier IN the
army OF the first Napoleon, the inter
est is greatly enhanced. The years
have been over three score and ten
since that giant General was at the
height of his memorable career, but
yesterday, in this city, Simon Shire,
a man who fought under Napoleon,
and who bore to the day of his death
the marks of abre.cut, received on
the field of Leipzig, died as he had
lived, worshipiug his old commander
as only one Of Napoleon soldiers
could. Mr.. Shire died at the residence
of his son, Mr. Adolph Shire, No. 66l
West Adams street, the latter beng "A
well-kuovn wholesale cigar dealer, at
the corner of Madison street and Fifth
avenue, at the age OF 90 years. lie
was born in the little hamlet OF Fal-
fang. near Treves, in Rhenis Prussia,
in 1874, his native place being, at that
time, under the control of the French
Government. His father was a prom
inent contractor in the line Of army
supplies, and, after giving his SON a
fne collegiate education, placed him
in a military school at Metz. Here
the boy, for he was little more than
that, being only II years Of age, re-
manned little while, and then be-
came attached to the regular army of
Napoleon. When the famous march
10 Moscow was begun young Shire
was one of the 500 GOO men Who start
e9 SO auspiciously in that grand
movement across the continent which
came to such a tragic end in that
memorable Russian winter With
4 the handful of men who were left Of
the vast army-his detachment not
quite reaching Moscow-he came beck
on that retreat which WAS SO full Of
distress and privation. aud with the
comparatively insignificant number
Of men that were left rallied around
Napoleon and helped form the nucleGs
of the army which he organized for
Leipzig. At The battle Of Leipzig,
where he was servngas sub lieutcn
amt. he received a saber cut on the
/ head, the scar Of which lie always
carried. During the battle he was
/ taken prisoner, and after 1915, like
/ those who were born on German soil,
was sent back to his home, and
after that was on garrison dutS
in the Prussian army some
months. With Napoleau he was IN
the chasseaura pid, or sharpshooters
After serving in the Prussian army
he was engaged for some time as a
teacher and private tutor, coming al
last 20 America about 30 years ago,
| living some time with a son at Mag.
ara Falls and Hamilton Canada, and
about 20 wars ago coming to Chicago,
where he has since lived with his SON
| Adolph. Here he has lived, quiet
old man, reticent concerning his long
ago army life in one OF the most
famous periods OF warfare the world
has ever known, and, ia his latter
years, il was only when some one in
terested in his history would question
| him that hv would be led 60 speak Of
/ this period. So tenaciously did he re
main devoted to Napoleon that when
the Franco Prussan war was at It's
height he could hardly be persuaded
that the French arms were suilerinp
defeat, and, when forced to own IT.
would long for Napoleon to come
back to the rescue Of his beloved
France But he avoided conversation
upon his past career, and when gen
| tleman once asked him If he was even
a soldier lie bent his head, and letting
him feel the scar OF a saber cut, lei
that. with some laconic expression
tell the story. lie was a man Of
wonderful physical powers, and {
this may be attributed his great age
and remarkable preservation MueE
of interest might be written Of thil
aged man, but the above will give at
outline Of one Of the very few remain
ing veterans Of what was one Of the
greatest wars Of all history