The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
HOW THEY DIED.
GEmpSes Of the Deathbeds of Soms Of the
Worlds Great COnquerors
Heroic and UnherOic Departures-SOme OF
the Tragic Events i'm Human History.
TBOytOn Herald. I


pecial interest One of the first to come to
mind in modern times is Napoleon Bonapart,
that most glorious conqueror among French
leaders. Theirs has given vivid picture of
the great Emperor's last days. The year
1921 came at last, that year that was to term
mate the wondrous career of Napoleon. AT
the commencement OF January his health
improved, but only for few days. at is
respite" he said "of week or two, and then
the disease will resume its course He then
dictated few pages concerning Cesar to
Marchand They were the last he wrote Feb
ruary brought no other change than an in
creased intensity of the symptoms. Not be-
ing able to digest food, the august invalid be-
came weaker and weaker every day. He was
tOrmented by intense thirst, and his pulse,
once so slow, beat with feverish rapidity. II
wished for air though he could not endure it
when admitted. IL am no longer" he said,
t'that proud Napoleon whom the world has
so often seen on horseback. The mOnarchs
who prosecute me may set their minds at
rest. / shall soon remove every cause of
fear" Napeleon's faithful servants never
left him. MontholOn and Marchand re-
manned day and night by his bedside an al.
tention for which he showed himself pro-
foundry grateful. 1t was at this time that
his captors manifested an entirely unneces-
sary severity of espionage or wat hfulness.
Sir Hudson Lowe, who was Immediately re-
sponsible to the British Government for the
custody of Napoleon, insisted that he should
be seen every day by some of his guards This
was very offensive to the sick Emperor, bat
some of his suite managed to satisfy the Brit
ish officers of Napoleon's presence. The cap
tors were exceeding suspicious and even
when Napolean was dying, they believed he
was keeping in seclusion to plan an escape.
The great commander made every business
preparation for his end Meeting death
with a smile as dignifed as 1t was
grateful, he said to MOntholin: sit
would be a great pity not to die now
that | have arranged all my affairs so
we'll The end of April arrived and every
moment increased his danger and suffering.
He had no relief from the Spasms vOmitngS,
fever and burning thirt. you will return
to Europe" he said to those who surrounded
him, ''yOu will return bearing with you the
reflection of my glory, with the honor of
your own fidelity. You will be esteemed
and happy. i 90 TO meet Kleber. Desaix,
Lannes. Massena, Bessieres, Duroc, Ney.
They will come TO meet me. They will ex
perience once more the intoxicatiOn of hui
man glory. We shall speak of what we have
dene. We shall talk of our profession with
Frederic, Turenne, Condo, Caesar and Hanni-
BAL Then pausing Napoleon added, with
a peculiar smile-"unleSs there should 1e as
great an objection in the upper spheres as
there is here below to see number of sol
diers together" On the Sd OF Nav he be-
came deliriOus, and amid his rawlings the se
words XVprp Sh ahla-
"My son. The army. Dssaix.' 1t would
seem as though he had last vision of the
battle of MOrengo recovered by Desaix The
agony continued during the entire of the 4th,
and the noble countenance of the hero was
terribly distorted. The weather was terrible
it was the bad season in st. Helena Sud
den gusts of wind tore up some of the
planted trees. Nearly every American school
boy OF quarter OF century ago has de
claimed:
wild was the night yet wilder night
Hung round the soldiers pillow,
In his bosom there waged a fercer fight
Than the fight on the wrathful billow,"
On the 9Th OF May there was no doubt that
the last day of the extraordinary life had
dawned. All his servants kneeling around
his bed watched the last chickering's Of the vi
tai flame. These were unfortunately attended
with bitter suffering. The English officers
assembled outside, listened with respectful
interest to the accounts the servants gave of
his agony. Toward the decline of day his
life and sufferings decreased together, the
cold, extending from the extremities, became
general, and death seemed about to seize his
victim. The weather had become calm and
serene. Al about $40. when the sun was
setting in waves of light and the English
cannon gave the signal for retiring, those
around the bed perceived that the patient
did not breathe, and cried out that he was
dead. They covered his hands with kisses,
and Marchand, who had brought to ST.
Helena the cloak the First Consul had worn
at MarengO, laid it over his body, leaving
only the noble head uncovered. The convul-
siOns OF the death agony always so painful
to witness, were succeeded by a majestic
tranquility of expression That face. so
wondrOusly beautiful, now restored 10 the
slenderness of youth, and the figure clad in
the mantle of MarengO, seemed to present
again TO the witnesses OF that touching scene
General BOnaparte in the meridian of his
glory.
FREDERICK THE GREAT.
While Napoleon was just treading the
threshold of his great career, another mill
tary genius was dying. A genius wonderful
to contemplate in some respects a mightier
commander than Napoleon, and certainly
in one respect, the most essential entirely
surprising him-that is, he was finally sue
cessful, reigned long, died on the throne
and by his masterful achievements laid the
foundation of the splendid German empire
OF TO-DAY. Inc 1OllOWlng description OF MS
death by Carlyle Is peculiarly interesting.
Tuesday. August 10, 1856. Contrary to all
wont the King did not awaken till IL o'clock.
On first looking up he seemed in a confused
state, but soon recovered himself, called in
his Generals and secretaries, who had been
waiting so long, and gave with his old pre-
ciSiOn, the orders wanted-one to Rohdich,
cOmmandant of POttsdam, about a review of
the troops there next day, an order infinitely
perfect, in knowledge Of the ground, in fore
sight of what and how the evolutions were
10 be, which was accordingly performed on
the morrow. The Cabinet work he
went through with the like
precision, of himself giving on every point
three clerks their directions in a weak voice,
yet with the old power of spirit, dictated to
one of them among other things,an "instruc-
ton for some Ambassador Just leaving
'four quarter pages which, says Herzeberg,
would have done honor to the most expert
enced Minister, and in the eveninghe signed
his missives as usual. This evening still
but no evening more. We are now at the