Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-09-25
A Veterans Death.
Chicago Herald.

Connected with the life of veteran
of any war there are incidents more
or less fraught 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 sabre, cut, received on
the field of Leipzig, died as he had
lived, worshiping his old commander
as only one of Napoleon soldiers
could. Mr.. Shire died at the residence
of his son, Mr.. Adolph Shire, No. Gel
West Adams street, the latter being a
well-known wholesale cigar dealer, at
the corner of Madison street and Fifth
avenue, at the age of 80 years. He
was born in the little hamlet of Fal
fang, near Treves, in Rhenis Prussia,
in 1894, his native place being, atthat
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
fine 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 a little while, and then be-
came attached to the regular army of
Napoleon. When the famous march
TO Moscow was begun young Shire
was one of the 500, 900 men who start
ed so uspiciously IN that grand
movement across the continent which
came 10 such tragic end IN that
memorable Russian winter With
the handful of men who were left of
the vast army-his detachment not
quite reaching Moscow-he came back
on that retreat which was so full Of
distress and privatiOn, and with the
comparatively insignificant number
of men that were left rallied around
Napoleon and lped form the nucleus
of the army which he organized for
Leipzig. At the battle of Leipzig,
where he was serving as sub-heutcn;
ant, he received saber cut on the
head, the scar of which he always
carried. During the battle he was
taken prisoner, and after 1916, like
those who were born on German soil,
was sent back to his home, and
after that was on garrison duty
in the Prussian army some
months. With Napolean he was in
the chasseaur a pid, or sharpshooters.
After serving in the Prussian army
he was engaged for some time as a
teacher and private tutor, coming at
last to America about 80 years ago,
living some time with a son at Mag
ara Falls and Hamilton, Canada, and
about 30 yaars ago coming to Chicago,
where he has since lived with his son
Adolph. Here he has lived, a quiet
ago army life in one of the most
famous periods Of warfare the world
has ever known, and, IN his latter
years, it was only when some one in
terested in his history would question
him that he would be led to speak of
this period. So tenaciously did he re-
main devoted to Napoleon that when
the Franco Prussian war was at its
height he could hardly be persuaded
| that the French arms were Suffering
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 a gen
tIeman once asked him if he was ever
a soldier he bent his head, and letting
him feel the scar of saber cut, let
that, with some laconic expression,
tell the story. He was a man of
wonderful physical powers, and to
this may be attributed his great age
and remarkable preservation. Much
of interest might be written of this
aged man, but the above will give an
outline of one of the very few remain
ing veterans Of what was one of the
greatest wars of all history.