The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-28
A WATERLOO VETERAN.

From August. 1891, TO that memorable Sun
day in the June Of 1915, when Napoleon made
upon the plains of Waterloo his last
stand for empire, is so long a period of
time that il is difficult to associate it with a
single life that has survived to this day, after
an active participation in that great
event. The battle of Waterloo was fought
seventy-six years ago. and yet as late as last
Wednesday. an English officer who won dis
tnction on that field was living in the full
enjoyment of all the honors to which biz long
service in the British army entitled him.
General Whichcote, tho officer referred TO. is
now dead, and the only link Of importance
which united the British army Of the present
day to the army which so stoutly resisted
the attacks of Napoleon's squadrons in the
shadow of Hougomont, has been finally
broken. A few Waterloo veterans of the low
est rank still remain. but General Whichcote
was the last officer surviving.
The period of his life covered very nearly
the space Of a century, not the least impress
sive part of which proceeded the battle Of
Waterloo. 1t was in this preceding period
that Napoleon maintained his dazzling ascen-
dancy, but ii was also in this period that the
seeds of his final ruin were sown in the soil Of
Spain, when the English forces under Yelling
ton were with characteristic English determi-
nation gradually beating the French armies
back to the wall of the Pyrennees and across
those mountain Businesses into the fertile
plains Of France.
0bio xO,,ru Rritioh offccr who hos ,,occol
away ct such IN advanced age lived to sec
the verdict OF Waterloo reversed by the rein
statement of the Bonapartes on the throne
which the great Napoleon had won by his
sword. A stranger spectacle still was the
close alliance which the heir of the Corsicsn
formed with themost unrelentingand the most
powerful of Napoleon's enemies. England, the
victor Of Trafalgar and Waterloo.
The first Napoleon, seeking admission 10
the English shores as a fallen foe. was ruth
lessly transported 30 distant rock in tho
sea to become the prisoner of one Of the most
contemplate Of jailors His nephew, inherit
Ing the traditions and the lessons Of the
uncle. visited tho English capital nearly
forty years afterward as the honored
event. the Waterloo veterans may we'll have
asked themselves if the fruits of the great bat
tie had not been confined to the, blood-let-
ting on the Belgian soil Louis Napoleon
was by the natural course Of events as dis
tinctly tho heir Of the great Napoleon as if no
had succeeded the Duke Of Reichstadt upon
the throne Of France
If the return of Napoleon to the seat of
which he had been dispossessed By the Allies
before his departure 70 Elba had been unob-
structed, if lie had been permitted to reinstate
himself without molestation. il is hardly
probable. in the light OF the changed circum-
stances and his declining health. that he would
hayo disturbed the peace of Europe On the
contrary. the chances were that he would
have transmitted a stable government 10 his
heir. and France would thus have avoided
the many changes in her government which
afterwards gave such a sanguinary variety to
her annals
General Whichcote not only saw the defeat
of the great Napoleon but also the huriilia-
ton Of the third Napoleon. and died at time
when the immediate results Of Waterloo
seem TO have been made permanent.