The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-12
SAW WATERLOO'S BATTLE.
THE STORr OF 4 MAN VINO DIED
IN mi A FEW DAYS AGO.
ne Was IA Years Old when the battle Was
Fought. ana re said Fe watched II Through
y Field G~lnus-AImos n Century Old.

WARREN, o., Sept, 3O.-The battle OF Water
loo was fought eighty.two years ago, yet a man
who saw that great conflict, and who was prob
ably the last Of tho witnesses OF Napoleon's
final defoaL, died only u few days ago Ills
name was James II. Greene. and he lived at the
little town of Ellsworth, sixteen miles south
OF this place. A few weeks ago 1 saw and in
torviewed this relic Of u past ago.
When 1 approached his humble cottage he was
sitting on his little stoop or porch enjoying
tho warm August sunshine, and pulling on
one by one the leaves from q peach twis no held
in his hand. He greeted mo with a hospitality
and welcome that savored Of the old South,
and his modulation reminded one OF the old
school Of planters. Though English by birth
no was an American by adoption and loyal,
though anxious about his country. lie was
born in England. at Bolton. on tho London
road, near Liverpool, July %, 1898. And
strange II was to talk to a man who began
life just as Washington was retiring from tho
Presidency Of the United states, now discours-
ing intelligontly about Mckinley and present
political parties, and picturing with all tho
vividness Of history tho events of u terrible day
oighty-two years ago. Without prompting,
without hesitation or solicitation. after a few
preliminaries as to his birthplace, Uncle
Jimmy" as his neighbors called him, found
himself on tho field of Waterloo. His whole
life seemed TO gravitate around the 18th OF
june, 1915, and venturesomo and romantic as
field with tho great French Emperor, was the
event compared with which all others paled
mo, I was not engaged in the BATTLE" ho
said. "A brother was u member OF the Forty
Hftn h,t ReEimssnt: and | had q y ina AZ and ie s9ss oIs
and doing service on the British ship the Royal
George, All Europe was looking for the great
English Duke. In fact, Wellington had 30.
locted Waterloo as a lifting place for a pitched
20 and look after my friends and relatives IN tho
approaching conflict. The Captain anlidships.
a cousin, and others got leave also. u..,.u
The two great armies had been deliberately
planning for the fight. Napoleon, you renlem.
bs 1:s ysid l,, MhcR we h 1S1t Pari 4,hs ! fF4 F. 1e m asosssS
the frontier on the 18th, and advanced so rapidly
that the battle OF Ligny was fought on the 10th.
met msP0 tSe I rlss J nsre an Mer't old Marshal For.
wards Blucher' In this first battle. which
ln .'on ,h ae1 i7 9SnE We dhs FrSnc sns wsTs E 46, 55o OF the
was in command, but the English had a little
the best OF this second days fighting, although
history says that the hon"rs Of war were about
equally divided. Wellington, you know, to
spects the most remarkable man in history,
was himself q marvel OF GOODNESS. bravery, ana
litz, whose very nanic brought fear TO every
court in Europe, calmly donnins a dress SUIT
uhu IL LILO buth1Co Va oNA
did, and remained until 8 6'ciock in the morn.
iBas Mafri nas says ftSvG iooIins very cheer:
full. and AT 3 o'clock was III the saddle riding
But. my young friend, l will not live long
loo. Ligny and Quatre Bras, though great
loo. Though defeated the first day, the old
Field Marshal Butcher r%etrcated in good order.
wellington had communicated to the Prussian
that he would retire nuttl from OlldtrC Bras
and accept a pitched battle in front Of Mont st:
S Mi1S a p sf1yie sorp ns Hf fhs oia M %o.ila I'f from n nsth
and history records. chi that he kept his word.
But Grouchy, Gr9uchy. the traitor, the scoun.
his defeat ut Liyny and keep him from joining
Wellington. he was bought by l3ritish gold;
"Oh, l can see the field just as II II were this
morning. The thick forest Of Soignes north OF
Mont 81. Jean and in front the plain Of Waterloo.
and southern ridge wereIl he English and French
respectively. There was an awful storm on
the night Of the I'm and the rain was falling
on the morning of the great battle. Between
5 and . the sun broke through the clouds, the
rain ceased. and active presentations began for
tism in blood. Oh! it was n magnificent sight
to look upon those old soldiers Of France. and
English infantry under ksmpt; and viyian's
uniformed men taking their positions on either
SIDE OF tns ! a.,ey o, o m" rnn wben q Sa pSn,n; or.
dcred an attack on Hougomont., the farmhouse.
Timo'atter time did the French troops charge.
hlu no z 'ANN iNANNt oaNh' Wv
h iSSf bee bson nF made Ssi By MSs hsS,i S { S'N: Then snAt The
der and fre 6ticEcd from Ncy's big guns.
Shouts OF officers. charging troops, and dying
i IhSh i MAN sn' Scotch StG, HGS rsys. briIi snI horse With Il
bayoncts, sabrcs, big guns and little guns.
played awful havoc with men and officers, but
every strong position was in the LANDS of the
French. Napoleon thought fate was Stiii strik.
"W ellington is beaten, but his bulldog courage
keeps him there waiting for Butcher. Grouchy.
the tr%a Mini, might %Ala , nave wG kept a nige 1s;ntS SSskd
Napoleon at Waterloo. but he was bought,
bought by British gold. Al Europe. YOU
the nonec the i'll luck Of the French General.
wherever there was a French Cuirassirr TO at
resist. such bravery and utter indifference to
death OF danger we're never seen before or since.
on, the ga Guard the Old Guard! How mag,
how vain against the shot and sholl OF Yelling
tons, British reserve line! Ney lost his horse.
dreds Of the Old Imperial Guard fell at a vol;
ley. soon Wellington took the offensive, and
sVsa ns ON an an" already bloody battlefield, the
word was given, and tho thousands OF surviving
allied forces, who had stood since noon accent
ward and the Old Guard of France, defeated,
demoralized, decimatod, turned and he'd" -,
Again oltllH bhb hiS ihtu " -iib
head as II suffering the same mental agony that
Napoleon folt when he said, Old Guard, fare
wei; Old Guard. farewell, and forever" Tho
peach tNig with which he had gesticulated and
emphasized fell TO the floor; for u moment q
death-like pallor oyerpread his face. His
pulse, which for years had beat but twenty-five
a minute, became more sluggish, and | felt
that the old mans Lease had at last expired
that he would die, us II were, on the field OF
waterloo; die, rs ne had lived. amid the din and
roar and rout of one OF tho worlds decisive
battles. Ere long. however, much TO my relief,
a smile played about his lips, the color returned
and "Unclc Jimmy was again sitting on tho
porch Of his lonely little home in Ellsworth and
fourscorc and two years had passed since, the
acting OF tho scenes he had 80 wildly described.
lilo apoloXized for monopolizing tho conyersa-
tion-protcsring that had been ill.rcpaid for
coming so far 10 see him-nnd after II little rest
related experiences OF his life both before and
after Waterloo.
what is your opinion of Napoleon I asked.
Napoleon was II gentleman, no coward. u
fair fighter and n great General. Wellington
was not SO great a General as Napoleon" he
replied. , ,
had lived in the little town of Ellsworth since
1861. For eleven years after Waterloo he was
In the British marines and touched every sea.