Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-01-13
NOT ALL DEAD YET.
Soldier Who Fought at Waterloo Still
Alive at Iynn

A Soldier Who Fought at Waterloo Still
Alive at Lynn.
Living in the busy city of Lynn,
spending the last days of dramatic
life, honored by all who know him,
is John Henry Beard, one of the few
survivors of the battle of Waterloo.
Having taken part in this battle,
lighting on the side Of the victors,
is OF itself a great distinction, but
being among the last survivors of
this battle, in which over $50, 900
men took part, is to have honor
thrust upon him, Mr.. Beard thinks.
Few men have lived a more dra-
matte life than Mr.. Beard, and he
delights in telling to the younger
generation of the exciting times
when Napoleon was spreading con-
sternation throughout Europe and
England was almost at his mercy.
1t is with keen eye, ready smile
and steady hand that he greets
his friends and acquaintance and
is never at loss to tell story
about any particular time in the
history of the century. He can re-
count and picture events and scenes
IN the early parts of the nineteenth
century with as much accuracy as
man who was participant in a
stirring event in 1870 can tell of it
now. 1t is like reading history to
converse with Mr.. Beard for a few
moments, only vastly more real, for
you talk with a man who has taken
part in the events.
At the age of Is the need of SOL
diers was SO great that he and other
boys were notified that they must
enlist in the regular army. Being
the son OF colonel, he was given
the extra privilege Of joining any
regiment in the country. He select
ed that commanded by his father,
and few days after he had cele-
brated his birthday he was regu-
lar soldier in the service of England
and a member of the Sixty-sixth
regiment.
II was but a boy" Mr.. Beard
said, when asked about his first ex-
periences in the army. "There
were many men in the regiment
who had taken part in battles, been
wounded and who had stood for
hours on battlefield. Some of the
men had but lately returned from
America, where they fought in the
war Of 1912. There were but very
few green hands, or recruits, in
the regiment, but was one of them.
My father was very strict, and i'm
mediately after enlistment I was
compelled to give up my residence
under the officers roof in the fort
and go and live with the soldiers in
the barracks. -
For four days before the battle of
Waterloo he says that his regiment
marched back and forth from one
place to another and was almost
within hearing distance of the
French guns. 1t was not called
upon to enter the conflict until the
decisive day, when orders came
early in the morning to march to
the front. Young Beard was in the
front ranks of his fathers COM
,nap1 op1 ,,o,,,o,,, howe &c &c ~ ,,,,,,r
yesterday; the squares formed by
the English soldiers, where the
French cavalry "foamed itself
away
Beard was wounded three times in
the hip, being struck by two bullets
at nearly the same instant and being
hit again as he lay wounded on the
ground. He was carried to the rear
and there saw Napoleon as the lat
ter was on his retreat toward Paris.
A number of English soldiers were
lying on the ground when Napoleon
passed. He saw them and ap-
preached within a short distance
and then rode away, surrounded by
a number of his men.
Shortly after the battle of Water
loo young Boards regiment was or
dered to Quebec, and he accom-
panied it there. 1t was soon after
he reached the age Of 81 that he Sc
cured leave of absence for few
days, ostensibly to enjoy hunting
in the woods. He had heard stories
of the fabulous wealth to be secured
in the States, and resolved that
his experience in the army should
cease. With this intention he left
Canada and walked to Richmond,
Me-, where he married and has
since resided, except when in Lynn
with his danphtaI -ROStOn GlOhe