Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-10-27

Bravery OF an Ancestor at Waterloo
The Family Adhered to the Fortune
of King James IL.
Paris, Oct. 11.-Marshal MacMahou
died at 10 o'clock this morning, at the
chateau LaForet on the river Loire.
He was able TO take food till yester-
day. During the night his strength
gradually declined until the end came
peacefully. Members of the family
were at the bedside
But little has been heard of Marshal
MacMahon since he retired from the
presidency on January 30, 1879. 1t was
said at the time that when he cot
home to his own house in the Rue de
BeNechaSse, and he had read the ac-
count OF his upset in the evening pa
pers, he had the first sound nights
rest he had enjoyed since his accession
to the station in life to which nature
and habit lad fitted him; Il certain
grace and even gradeur gathered round
his retreat. He had left the palace
taxes with clean hands. AfterWard he
returned to his life of other days
hunting, shooting and travelling. Round
his table he gathered many of his old
companions in arms, to whom the new
government had showed decided hos
tility, and became content to be a
simple spectator of the struggles of
fhn ,l~:l, e.
returned to her priedieu and her works
of charity, with no regret for her past
grandeur and no wish to be called
from her poverty to Il life that had
been at all times distasteful to her
simple habits.
1t was with surprise and SORROW
that Paris saw soon after his retirement
from the presidency large printed
posters announcing that a part of the
very home of the old general, the mag
niticent hotel in the Rue de Bellechasse
was to be sold at auction. Immense
yellow posters covered the walls of
the mansion, announcing 4 sale of half
the extensive property at reserve
price of 100000 francs. The beautiful
grounds surrounding tile hotel were
thronged with curious sightseers, and
the saloons, halls and galleries, rich
with paintings, statuary, furniture OF
every age, from the days of Henry ".
down to the present time, and other
evidences of Il liberal taste, had a
crowd of eager visitors. The house
was the ancient hotel of the Due dc
Castries, minister Of war under Louis
XVI. 1t was sacked by the mob i'll
1889, the minister having been accused
of bringing the kings troops to Paris
to massacre the people. Nine. Mac
Mahon, who is still alive has the title
of duchess of Castries.
The MacMahons were always fight
ing race, and the name is prominent
in French military annals, sharing i'll
glory and in disaster. One of his an
cestorS was at Waterloo, and story Is
told of the time when the battle was
lost and it was necessary to make Il deS
perate effort to cover the retreat OF
! the shattered army. Charge, keel
charging. boys" MacMahon shouted tt
the third quiraSsiers. Marshall, sale
/ the colonel, I'VE are so cut up 1t is Ger
tain death for us to charge; you know
! it," embrace me, my friend, wa!
MacALahon's only reply; and then Tho
two gallent soldiers led forward the
regiment which made those three terri
! BILE charges that are recorded amon&
the great deeds of the French army
Only 100 men of its number remained
and of these all but eight are wounded
A recent biographer, speaking o
! Marshal MacNIahon'S Irish descent
SAYS that he was direct descendant 0
Brian Boru, the famous Irish kin:
who conquered the Danes at Clontarf
He then goes on: There is much re
nance connected with the story OF tn
settlement of the Irish MacMahons il
France Away back in the seventeenth
century, it is told, one Terence Mac
Mahon was a retainer of the famou
hous>, Of Sarsfield. He owned Il 1afI
at Leadmore, county Clare, which ha'
belonged to his ancestors for man.
wears. But he was fallen III fortune
and was glad to serve the great SarS
fields. He had son named Terence
and this son married Anne Clarke,
waiting maid who had served til
CastleInaines and had been brought t
Ireland by Lord TyrcOnnell. I'M
connie went back to Leadmore to I7'
Of all their child1 Ell only one, JONI
lived tc grow up, and as a companlo
for him they adopted nephew, Jon
Baptist MacMahon.
These two lads were sent to Franc
to he educated as physicians. The
got on uncommonly well and aftc
graduation were appointed to fine pos
: tons in the public military serV1c
Lord Tyrconnel was their friend an
patron and helped them nightly. Jon
went with Lord Tyrconnel to Berlin
where the latter was French ambass;
dor and the former physician to tt
embassy There he spent twenty yea
and was a close friend Of Voltalr
He left one son, Patrick MacMahol
: who won the favor of Napoleon Bon
+. parte, and was librarian to the Facu
= ty of Medicine in Paris for many year
i AS for John Baptist MacMahon,
was even more successful. Being
stalwart, handsome fellow, with I'll
touch Of blarney, he was prime |
vorite among the ladies of the Frenf
: court. One of them got him a pla'
at the head of a great hospital at Autr
and introduced him to crippled o
woman there who was worth o.oOt
: OOOf The doctor cared for the old w