The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-11-05

| how we used to love to sing it on Old
lronsldcs. | was ouly a boy at the
time Of this tight. and as q powder
monkey | had plenty to do and saw all
therc was to DO seen. and never since
nave been SO enthusiastic as was that
day. I
~ was still in tho navy In 1924
"heh lafayette made his famous visit
n'r>' anG, being familiar with the
'cHcn language, WAS appointed by
rreslacnt James Monroe as the person
aA escort TO tho visitor during all his
tra'c!s' was with him at the great
oail ana dinner in Baltimore, and I
rodc hcrscback behind tho carriage
containing President Monroe. h;s Coz
and General Lafayette, on his trimmn '
al ride through Georgetown. saw
MIN kiss pretty little Miss White, whn
sturd on the carriage block in front Of
n, fathers residence on Bridge stree +.
Miss White. rs you may rcmcmb ~.
had bncn chosen from among tho vonnp
folks at the female seminary to present
q bouquet to the General She aftcr-
ward became the wife Of Congressman
Oren Taylor Of Virginia, and is u
grandmother now. She is u great
friend OF mine, and Il short time ago
sent me photograph OF the painting
which WAS made Of the great scenc jn
the streets Of Georgetown. am in
GUIDED ~ that picture, on horseback,
right behind the carriage. It shows
zen: Lafayette leaning out to kiss Miss
White ''1 '''
L went all over tho country with
G-n neral Lafayette, and when it was
decided to place the frigato Brandy
wine 1T his disposal ! WAS attached 10
her crow as masters mate, and sailed
TO France with tho French hero.
II enlisted for tho civil war on April
10, iS0l, three days after the first Gull
oy PRESIDENT Lincoln for troops. I
Joined tho First New York Lincoln
Cavalry, which was IL nine mouths
regiment, but | stayed for year. |
a,'erwitrd a. enlisted IN tho Fifty-sixth
Nc" York Volunteers, being elected
chaplain. ] have bren Il minister Of
The Eospc Tor the past fifty years, YOU
see, although | am not ablc now to do
mach preaching.
Later in tho war joined the Six
tccnth Massachusetts Regiment. in
winch | was Major, and was in orders
commended by Gen. George B. Nc
Cicli;in for bravery ON the field of An
tletam. | have four medals of honor.
too--one awarded to mo by Congress,
one from Gen. Grant, one from Gen
sherman, aud another from Con. Sher-
loah' nave also handsome picture
presented to me by the stall and field of
the Flfty-sixth Now York and tho Six.
tcrnth Massachusetts Volunteer ropi-
lncnts.
Now, about my seeing NAPOLEON.
suppose you want to know something
aoouI mat. Everybody | meet wants
10 lalk ABOUT that, and OF course | am
very proud OF being, SO far RS is known
Oh ny :uthorltics in such matters, the
only living American who saw and
spoke TO the great Corsican. It was in
1918 that Oid lrOnsidcs was cruising in
'nc caStcrn Atlantic, and we stopped in
at 81 Helena to make u friendly call. I
was ohiy boy thcn, but being of
rrchch descent and an ardent admirer
o' great soldiers | was crazy to get
ashore, for know that on that rocky
| sand lived the great Napoleon, and
leiI that there was an opportunity |
might never have again. Luck was
WIN nc, however, and was ordered
10 accompany the officers ashore. q
privilege ! owed to my knowledge of
the french language, for could speak
IhG Tongue Of my father as early in life
as coaid speak English.
" We'll, the officers received permis-
sion to visit the Emperor at his dwell
ihS' lie had been advised of their
C"'Hi'E uhu met us at tho entrance,
dressed in his Gus tomary uniform, but
win the cross Of Comman1cr of tho
i.cglon q! Honor as his only insignia.
ne welcomed our party cordially and
spoke freely, but in Il sad voice and
WITHOUT the least attempt to Impress
us. Tie spoke to each ono in the party
ana shook hands all around, and not
forgcttin; mo with the rest. He oven
talked more TO me than he did to some
ol the others, because he saw | was
conVersant with French, and it seemed
10 both please and surprise him. 1t ia
hard for me to remember the subject of
conversation. but the picture of the En-
pcror standing in his doorway waiting
To greet his American visitors has al
ways remained with me and alwavs
viii until ! die: | saw him again at
the island later. just live months before
his death.
"Thero is only one other thing about
myself that | can think Of that will
interest you, and that is that have
shak"n hands with every President of
the Unilcl States from John Quincy
Adams down to Grover Cleveland"