The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-18
ONE OF NAPoLEoN's GUARDS.
Eventful History of an Old Soldier
Now Living in Quiet Ohio Town.
From the Netg York World

GV6HCIul history cI oil OIu OOlOl0I
Now Living in a Quiet Ohio Town.
From the Ne0 York World.
WAvERLY, o., June lin what is
known as Prussia a settlement Of Ger
mans in the northeastern portion of this
township, lives a curious old character
named Christoph Doering. He is German
aud a veteran of the army of Napoleon
Bonaparte. If detailed history of his life
were written, it would furnish substance
for an interesting romance.
Old Chris" joined the grand army on its
march to the Russian frontier, and was one
of the SOC, 900 troops-the flower of the
French army--which crossed the Nieman
on May morning, with music and banners
aud all the pomp and glitter and sheen of
glorious war. Less than one year subSe-
quent he was one of those poor, miserable,
halt, starved, ill-clad wretches who had sur
vived the revolving, horrors of that
historic retreat He followed the varying
fortunes of the Little Corporal until
the second day of the battle of Leipsic,
when the Saxons-30, 900 strong-deserted
to the allies. He was born Jan. Il, 1897, at
Bollstedt, Thuringia, in Germany. This
place, with seventeen other villages, be-
longed at that time to the city of Muhl-
hansen, which was not subject to any pO-
tentate, but became in 1903 a part of the
Kingdom OIL w 6SUpldllh- AlJeF Un6 uOWu-
fall of Napoleon, Muhlhausen fell to the
Elector of Hesse and in 1856 to Prussia.
Doering was early made an orphan and
compelled to shift for himself, but he sue
ceeded in getting some schooling. At the
age of 10, in the year 1912, he was con-
scripted into the French army to serve, as
he termed it, for cannon food" Though
only Is years of age, he was tall and strong
and presented remarkable physical preco-
city. He served in a regiment of chas-
seurs, as the French cuirasSiers at the
time were called. under Col. Won Mesdorf
and Major General Schutzky. He march ID
with Bonaparte in 1912 to Russia with
Marshal Regnier, the commander of the
army to which his regiment belonged. In
this campaign he fought in the battles of
BOrodino, Radowa and Smolenski; was at
Moscow when that city was burned by the
Russians to induce the evacuation of the
French Here he witnessed the execution
of 200 Russians who had been condemned
by Napoleon for setting fire TO the houses
Of Moscow. He also saw how Bona
parte came very near perishing in the
| burning Kremlin, which castle was his
| headquarters, and was an eye witness to
the horrible and sickening scenes at the
crossing of the River Beresina by theretreat-
ing French army. He saved his life by ex-
changing his jaded horse for a fine-spirited
stallion of Russian nobleman, on whose
estate he was quartered previous to the
crossing of the Bereslna. To this horse,
which was Injured to the seventies of Rus
sian winter, he owed his safe return to Ger
many. Many times the few remaining sol
diers were compelled to fight with the Cos
SACKS which swarmed night and day
around the retreating French army, and
he saw thousands of his comrades frozen to
death or butchered by the CosSacks.
The old mans regiment entered the field
1000 strong, but only forty of them ever re-
turned to Germany For days they had
nothing to eat except the flesh of horses that
died from fatigue and exposure, using gun
powder for salt. After his regiment mad
been reinforced he fought in the battles of
Kutzbach. DeHnewitz, Grossoeeren and
Leipsic. In tho latter conflict he witnessed
the death of Prince PonatCws H. a distin-
guIshed general under BOnaparte who per-
ished in the little river of Elster. Before
the battle of LeipSic was over bis regiment,
then commanded by Gen Ri5eel went over
to the Prussians. Here he was transferred
to the Prussian Garde du Corps, the elite
corps of the Prussian cavalry. In 1914 he
crossed the Rhine with the Prussian
army near Cologne, just after Gen. Butcher
had crossed that river near Caub. He
marched through France and entered Paris
with his regiment on March 81 1914, where
they remained until the abdication of Bona
parte in April. His regiment then marched
back to Luxemb burg, where it remained
until Bonaplrte's return from Elba, in
1915, when it again took the field under
Butcher.
The venerable soldier fought in the battle
of Lgny, in which Butcher was defeated
by Bonnparte. In the retreat which fol-
lowed his horse fell under him, and to save
himself from the victorious French he
sought refuge under an abandoned cannon.
Here he was discovered by French Off
Ger, who attempted to dispatch him with
his sword, but Dooring adroitly warded off
the blow snd with one cut hewed down the
Frenchman with his sabre. The next dav
Chris succeeded in rej0ining his regiment.
and on that day participated in the famous
battle of Waterloo. His regiment followed
Bonaparte closely in his flight from the
scene Of carnage to Rochefort, where Ma
poleon surrendered himself. During this
memorable retreat he saw detachment of
Prussian sharpshooters fire upon Napoleon
while fleeing for his life in a carriage, and
when too closely pressed the Little Cor
poral, amid shower of leaden hail, cut
loose one of the horses from the carriage
and galloped swiftly away.
After the war Dooring served two years
longer in his regiment at Berlin. When his
company entered Paris he had the satisfac-
Oioii VI seeing uioSV III Vi One FAMOUS gen
erals OF Bonapart's army, among whom
were Noy, Davoust, Regnier, Van Damn,
Murat and others. In 1885 Mr.. Doeripg
married Wilhelmine Koehler and lived in
Oberbeirung, her native town, until 1913.
when he emigrated to America He landed
in New York and settled in this country the
same year, and has resided here ever since.
The veteran is the father of twelve children.
five Of whom are now living. He was an
unusually strong and re5olute man in his
younger days, and although ne is now 81
years Of age, he possesses remarkable
activity and vigor. His memory is nm.
usually sound, and when recounting the
many thrilling incidents and episodes Of
his long aud eventful life his cheeks glow
with the ardor and his eyes sparkle with
the yigor Of youth.