The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-17
SAW WATERLoo'S BATTLE.
STORY OF A MAN WHO DIED IN OHIO
AFEW DAYS AGO.

warren O.-The battle of Waterloo was
fought eighty-two years ago, yet man
,6o saw that great conflict, and who
u,s probably the last of the witnesses
oy NaDoleon's final defeat. died only a few
,7,,,s ago. His name was James R. Greene
and he lived at the little town of Els
worth. sixteen miles south of this place.
A few weeks ago I saw and interviewed
this relic of a past age.
When I approached his humble cottage
he was sitting on his little stoop or porch
enioving the warm August sunshine, and
milling off, one by one, the leaves from a
neach twig he held in his hand. He
erected me with a hospitality and vel
come that savored of the old south, and
his incubation reminded one of. the old
school of planters Though English by
birth he was an American by adoption
and loyal, though anxious about his
country. He was born in England, at
Bolton. on the London road, near Liver
pool. July %, 1898. And strange it was to
talk 10 a man who began life just as
Washington was retiring from the pres-
dency Of the United States, now discours-
ing intelligently about Mckinley and pres
ent political parties, and picturing with all
the vtvidness of history the events of
terrible day eighty-two years ago. With
out prompting, without hesitation or So
llcftation, after few preliminaries as to
his birthplace, ''Uncle Jimmy" as his
neighbors called him, found himself on the
field of Waterloo. His whole life seemed
10 eravitate around the 18th of June, 1919,
and venturesome and romantic as had
been his career, Waterloo, a day on the
field with the great French emperor; was
the event compared with which all others
paed into insignificance.
mo I was not engaged in the battle"
he said "a brother was member of the
Forthwith Regiment, and I had uncles
and cousins in other regiments. 1 was
lad II wears old and doing service on the
British ship the Royal George. All Eu-
rope was looking for the great battle be-
tween the French emperor and the Eng
Iish duke. In fact, Wellington had Sc
lected waterloo as a fitting place for
pitched battle more than year before. l
got leave to go and look after my friends
and relatives in the approaching conflict.
The captain amidships, a cousin, and 9th
ers got leave also.
THE two great armies had been delb-
erately planning for the fight. Napoleon,
you remember, said when he left Paris. 4
go to measure myself with Wellington
The French crossed the frontier on the
18th and advanced so rapidly that the bat
tie of Ligny was fought on the 18th. Ma
poleon's right here, under his own COM
mand met the Prussians under old Mar
shall Forwards BlucheD, In this first
battle, which lasted five hours, the French
were victorious.
ION the 18th wellington engaged 10000
of the emperors troops at Quatre Bras.
Marshal Ney was in command, but the
English had a little the best of this sec
ond days fighting, although history says
that the honors of war were about equally
divided. Wellington, you know, TO whom
belongs the glory of crushing in many re-
speets the most remarkable man in his
tory, was himself a marvel of GOODNESS,
bravery, and calculation Imagine any
other man in the world on the eve of
battle with the hero of AusterlitZ, whose
very name brought fear@to every court in
Europe, calmly looming a dress suit and
attending the Duchess of Richmond's ball
at Brussels. Yet this very thing Yelling
ton did, and remained until o'clock in
the morning on the night before the bat
tie of Ligny. Baron Nuffiing says he was
looking very cheerful, and at s O'Clock
was in the saddle riding toward Quatre
Bras.
But, my young friend, I will not live
long enough to tell you all. Let's go on
TO Waterloo. Ligny and Quatre Bras,
though great battles, were but the skir-
mish line of Waterloo. Though defeated
the first day, the old Field Marshal Bluch-
er retreated in good order wellington
had communicated to the Prussian that he
would retire north from Quatre Bras and
accept a pitched battle in front of Mont
st. JEAN provided he (Blucher) would Join
him with a single corps. The old marshal
promised, and history records, Ell? that
he kept his word. But Grouchy, Grouchy,
the traitor, the scoundrel, who was order
ed to pursue Butcher after his defeat at
Ligny and keep him from joining yelling
ton, he was bought by British gold.
''Oh, l can see the field just as If 1t
were this morning. The thick frost of
Soignes north of Mont St. Jean and in
front the plain of Waterloo, a valley be-
tween two ridges. On the northern and
southern ridges were the English and
French respectively. There was an awful
storm on the night of the 18th and the
rain was falling on the morning of the
great battle. Between and the sun
broke through the clouds, the rain ceas-
ed, and active preparations began for the
greatest duel in hlstory-Europes baptism
in blood. Oil 1t was magnificent sight
to look upon those old soldiers of France,
and English infantry under Kempt, and
Nivian's light cavalry, together with the
rest of the uniformed men taking their
positions on either side of the Valley of
the Shadow of Death
1T was about II O'Clock when Napoleon
ordered an attack upon Hougomont, the
farm house. Time after time did the
French troops charge. and as often were
they forced back. Before long the firing
became general; a grand charge had been
made by Marshal Ney. Then the terrible
struggle began in all its horror. Thunder
and fire belched from Neys big guns.
Shouts of officers, charging troops, and
dying men filed the air. Killermans
cavalry, English infantry, Scotch Greys,
British horse with bayonets, sabers, big
guns and little guns, played awful havoc
with men and officers, but there was no
"aVering. At one time it semeed every
strong position was in the hands of the
french. Napoleon thought fate was still
striking with him, and exclaimed to his
STAN; Wellington is beaten, but his bull
cog courage kepes him there waiting for
blucher.' Grouchy, the traitor, might
nave Kept Butcher back, or he might have
iett Wavre and reinforced Napoleon at
Waterloo, but he was bought, bought by
bfltlsh gold. All Europe, you know. was
against him." referring to Napoleon.
Here the old man paused as If lament
ING Tor the nonee the i'll luck of the French