Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-08-15

tho Worlds Greatest Captains---Na-
pOleOn's Suffering and Delirium--
Frederick the Great In His Valet's
Arms---Oliver Cr0mwells Pi0us
Ejaculati0ns.
Boston Herald: At this time glance
backward at the last hour of the words
great captains is of especial interest.
NoPoLEoN BoEAPARTE.
One OF the first to come to mind in
modern times is Napoleon Bonaparte,
the most glorious conqueror among the
French leaders. Theirs has given vivid
picture of the great emperor's last days:
Tho year 1921 came al last, the year
that was to terminate the wondrous Ca
reer of Nopoleon. At the commence
ment Of January his health improved,
but only for few days.
"lt is respite" he said, "of week or
two and then the disease will resume
its course" He then dictated few
passages concerning Caesar to March
and. They we're the last he wrote.
February brought no other change than
an increased intensity of the symptoms.
Not being able to digest food the august
invalid became weaker every day.
he was tormented by intense thirst.
and his pulse, once so slow, beat with
feverish rapidity. He wished for alr,
though he could not endure it when
once admitted. IL am no longer" he
said, "that proud Napoleon whom the
Yorld has 30 often seen on horseback.
The monarchs who persecute me may
set their minds at rest. [ shall soon re-
move every cause of fear" Napoleon's
faithful servants never left HIM. Mon
tholon and Marchand remained day and
night by his bedside, an attention for
which he showed himself profoundly
grateful. 1t was at this time that his
captors manifested an entirely unneces-
sary severity of espionage or watchful.
ness. Sir Hudson Lowe, who was i'm
med,ately responsible to the British
| government for the custody ol
Napoleon, insisted that he should
be seen every day by some of his guards
This was very offensive to the sick en-
peror, but some of his suite managed tc
satisfy the British officers OF Napoleon'l
presence. The captors were exceeding
ly suspicious, and even when Napoleon
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 smile as digniied as it was CRATE
full, he said to Montholon: at would
be great pity not to die, now that
have arranged all my affairs so we'll
The end of April arrived, and every mo
ment increased his danger and suffering
He had no relief from the spasms, vom
iting, fever, end burning thirst. "Yo1
will return to Europe" he eait
to those who surrounded him: "yo,
will return, bearing with you the re
Fiction of my glory, with the honor O
my own fidelity. You will be esteemed
and happy. I go to meet K1eber, De
saix, Kannes, Massena, Bess1eres, Duroe
J Ney. They will come to meet me
They will experience once more the in
toxication of human glory. We ehal
speak of what we have done. We shal
talk of our profession with Frederick
Turrenne, Conde, Caesar, and Hannibal.
Then pausing, Napoleon added, with
peculiar smile, "unless there should b
a. great an objection in the upper srher
as there is here below TO see numbe
of soldiers together" The 3rd OF Ma,
he became delirious, and amid hi
, rawlings these words were distinguish
able: my son. The army. Desaix." II
would seem as though he had las
vision of the battle of Marengo recov
cred by Desaix. The agony continues
during the entire day of the 4th and tn
!, noble countenance of the hero was terri
bly, distorted. The weather was terribl
1T was the bad season in st. Helene
. Sudden gusts of wind tore up some @
, the planted trees. Nearly every Ameri
: can school boy of quarter of centur
ago has declaimed:
Wild was the night, yet wilder night
Hung round the soldiers pillow;
In his bosom there waged fercer fight
Than the tight on the wrathful billow.
The 5th of May there was no doub
, that the last day of this most extraol
! dinary life had dawned. All his servant
kneelipg around his bed watche
: the last chickering's of th
d vital flame. These were unfortul
: ately attended with bitter suffe,in,
The English officers assembled outsid
), listened with respectful interest to th
accounts the servants gave Of his agon,
: Toward the decline of day bis life an
: sufferings decreased together, the col
a extending from the extremities becam
general. and death seemed about t
seize his glorious victim. The weathe
had become calm and serene. Abo,
= $50, when the sun was setting in Il
waves of light, and the English cannc
n gave the signal for retiring. those arour
n the bed perceived that the patient di
not breathe, and cried out that he W,
dead. They covered his hands vii
kisses, and Marohand who had broug
3 to st. Helena the cloak Il
first consul had worn
Marengo, and laid it over his boz
leaving only the noble head uncovere
r The conYnlsions OF the death agony, {
q ways 80 painful to witness, were 81
- ceeded by o majestic tranquility of e
:, preston. That face, so wondrous
q beautiful now restored to the slendt
" ness of youth; and the figure, clad
!. the mantle of Marengo, seemed to pl
!. sent again to the witnesses of th
\ touching scene, tGen. Bonaparte in &
q meridian Of his glory.
e FREDERICK THE GREAT.
l. While Bonaparte was Just treadil
v the Threshold of his great career, o
q othsr military genius was dying.
., tgenius wonderful to contemplate,
n some respects miRhtier command
J. than Napoleon, and certainly. in one
+ spect-the most essantial-entir
q surprising him-that is,
y was finally successful, reigned lor
II died on the throne, and by his maste
V iul achievement. laid the foandatie
+ of the splendid German empire of /
?. day. Tho following description OF
q death by Carly is peculiarly interestiu
D. TUESDAY, Aug. Is. 1855 Contrary
70 all wont the king did not awaken I
mt eleven o'clock. On first looking mp