The Wilmingtonian., 1886-03-27
A Remarkable Life.


scenes in European history he must have
been a witness of. In court life, in war, and
in diplomacy
Almost throughout that heightened term,
double that of an ordinary life, this most re-
markable man has stood one of the promi,
nent figures in European affairs.
Empires and monarchies, have come and
gone; the political face of Europe has
changed and rechanged since the time Fred
erick William, the great Emperor of United
Germany first doffed his soldiers uniform as
a tall AID handsome young lieutenant of
German infantry.
Ninety years What wonderful page of
the worlds history that represents. What was
our country at that time All west of the
Mississippi belonged to France. Florida
was not ours for quarter of century after
wards. Yet man who saw this is now the
emperor and leader of the strongest martial
power on the continent. He saw the great
Napoleon appear and glitter in the zenith of
his power He was cotemporary of Mel
son ard Trafalgar. He witnessed Napoleon's
devastation of con tinental Europe, his con-
quest of Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland
Belgium, and his Russian campaigns. Aus
terlitz, Jena, Eylau, Fredland, the peace
of Amiens and the Treaty of Tilsit, Copenha-
gen, Vimiera, Badajoz and Corunna were
names as familiar to Frederick Wilhelm as
Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Antietam and
Gettysburg are to us to-day. He saw the
future Duke of Wellington, at that time Sir
Arthur Wellesley, take in hand Europe's for
lorn hope against Napoleonic domination,
and watched that stubborn young soldier in
his series of Peninsula campaigns institute
the first practical obstruction to the great
Frenchman's military progress. Though
but a lad OF fourteen years he must have
watched with an intense military -interasi
the successive repulse of Napoleon's great
lieutenants in Spain; Massena at Busaco and
Torres Vedras, Soult at Albuera; Marmont
at Salamanca and finally the driving of the
French armies across the Pyrenees into
France. He must be familiar with the
stories of Napoleon's terrible Russian cam
paign, the terrific slaughter at Borodino
where 90, 900 fell, and the fearful subsequent
experiences of the Grand Army which inva-
ded Russia, of which it is related "125, 900
pershed in battle, 132, 900 succumbed to the
privations of Russian winter, and 100000
taken prisoners of warr'
The Emperor Frederick William who now
sits on the German throne was lad of six
teen years during those stirring times. He
saw that great French army marching east
ward through his own Fatherland vending
ITS way to Moscow on that hapless mission
of subjugating Russia, and he must remem-
Der the tragic ending of the campaign. AT
length in the fatal year 1915 when Frederick
William was just entering manhood the de-
cisve day Of Waterloo arrived when Napo
Icons sun set never to rise again. The Ger
n man Emperor rode with Marshal Blucher
r the Prussian general into Paris, and witness
b, el the complete humiliation of France
/ Nearly sixty years after, followed by his OWE
@ generals he rode again into the capital o.
h France supreme victor after one of the
most singularly successful campaigns the
world has ever witnessed.
There is no living man who has so promn
emily lived in the md-interest of the history
e of the world during this century. His life
G spans from Waterloo to Sedan the two
It most rueful names in French history.
Is He has seen the United States develop into
great commercial, industrial and populou,
nation, second only to England in commerce
inferior to none in intelligence, civilization
riches, and national development His owl
country, under the personal view of its pres
ant sovereign has risen from mediocrit,
$ among the nations to the lirst military plac,
ut Of Europe.
he Germany was the arbitet at the Congress
We Of Berlin-and to day its chancellor hold
:" the leash of the European war hounds
:, The Emperor William is familiar with al
ly the European wars of the centu,y-it ma'
be said all the wars and political affairs @
the Eastern hemisphere. In most of then
- as ruler of Germany he took prominou
:. part either as arbitcr or soldier
,xt Events Of his earlier life which to IL
US generation of to-day stand only as the shaa
ed ows of history were sights and deeds that b
oh witnessed Whata wonderful record tL
- page of his life will be- Its comprehensiv
H. narrative would form compilation We
ass worthy the efforts of a Bancroft, Macar