The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-07
A NAPOLEONIC RELIC.
Probably the Last of LIE Petit
CapOral's Grande Armee.

The Italian papers report the recent ar
rival at the railroad station of Baretto,
near Reggie, Central Italy, OF
strange looking parsonage that was the
object Of considerable curiosity. lie
was a tall and noble-looking old nan,
with a long, white beard, who presented to
the Mayor a feuiile dc route, signed by
Baron MARCH ETH, the Italian ambassador
at St. Petersburg, inviting the Italian
authorities to take good care Of the bearer,
Michel Linovich Of Orenburg, Russia.
In reality this mysterious old man was
an Italian named Limo, born at BarettO 100
vaors ago. and perhaps the last living relic
If the Grande Armee of 1872. Belonging to a
family of farmers, Limo formed part OF the
cOnscTiptiOn of the Kingdom OF Italy IN loO9'
and was enrolled in the Imperial Guard
With his regiment he went through the cam
naign of 1SO6-O7 in Prussia and fought at
ma and at Friedland. Later on he was
ssnt with his battalion to Dalmatis, ana
eure to Strain with the division OF Ten.
eIaf I.aChi. where he passed TWO years oi
~ertju-rsf + sL-iue Wounded in an assault,
he raturueo 20 his native country, where he
r7maiYed fcr two years, working on MS
faihe IS larH.
an the outbreak of the terrible storm
which was astiDed to carry OF 10 Russia
tha flower Of tie FrancO-Italian youth,
Napoleon called under his victorious eagles
MS 6ld soldiers Limo Itjoined the service
ga Sergeant of the Grenadier Guards, and
: i'm the rest OF the cis-Alpine army, under
he command of Eugene Beauharnais,
,ormed part of the Grande Armee. Limo
fought against the Russians at Smolensk
and at Moscow, where he lifted from the
field OF battle the MORALLY wounded
General Plangonne After that he entered
Moscow with Napoleon, aud finally, in the
deadly battle of the oath Of October, while
lighting under the orders OF General Plno,
he was taken prisoner, alter having peen
severely wounded by the Cossacks Of Pia-
tow. Transported with large convoy OF
French prisoners to Orenburg, he was sent
with few of his comrades to distant VII
lage. situated at the foot of the Caucasus
Mountains, where, although kindly treated
By the Russians, he had TO suffer cruel pri-
o. such a miserable existence, he
asked and obtained permission to JOIN
The Russian army as private soldier In
this capacity he passed through the CAM
, paign of the Caucasus in 1929. AT the close
of the war he obtained as a reward for his
services little piece of ground, winch ne
cultivated. When be vas - years old he
married young Polish girl named Nera-
waka. who died in 1885. The three sons ne
rad by this woman also died leaving tie ca
soldier alOue II the world. Then Limo fe-
turned 20 JIenbaFg, where the people Rus
siapized his name into T.ina7ioii. he lived
there in comparative comfort Tor many
years. Giftau with an extraordinary energy
Of mind and body he WAS still strong
enough to catch nostalgia. When more
than q hundred years old. the old veteran
at last became homesiek, after seventy eight
years OF exile. He resolved al at hazards
10 return to IFS native land and there pass
-remaIr21f nf his eveetfui career.
Fhrqugh tne r.8ffsttss11 Z 49, ese.I
bssss5or al &. Petersburg le was ssar
nome 20 Italy a. the expense Of the t.aHhn
Government. Limo IS now Ia an asylum az
Reerio. where he is cared FOR with particular
attention As be was born In 1885 ne Is row
los wears old, the glorious survivor OIL a h1n-
dred battles. and probably the last Of the
heroes who fought at Jena FrledieDd ana
Borudino-Spare Moments.