The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-02


have found a still loftier inspiration In
the battle of Waterloo. That same bat
tie of the Baltic. fought in 1901, was by
no means an unworthy theme Tne
fleet of Lord Nelson met the Danes at
Copenhagen in a naval encounter ana
captured twenty eight of their vessels.
But England's land forces did even bet
ter than that fourteen years later, when
with the allies they fought the culInl-
nation of that brief campaign which
put an end to the supremacy of Napo-
leon Bona parte.
Napoleon had escaped from Elba and
had made his way to France. He en-
tered Paris on March 20 and received
warm welcome from his countrymen,
who were convinced that their IDOLS
waning star was about to flame into
undreamed of brilliancy. The great
fighters professions of profound de-
votion to peace did not deceive the al
lies. They were all at Vienna engaged
in parceling the territory of Europe
into dainty tidbits for their own delec-
tation when the news of Napoleon's es-
cane reached them. They did not take
time to complete their pleasant nego-
tiation. but hurried off to prepare for
resumption of the conflict.
Napoleon, all the time singing paeans
When the moment came he declared
that he had an army of 100000 men. His
actual forces numbered about $4,000
available soldiers. With these he must
fight the combined forces of the Eng
lish, Dutch, Belgians, Hanoverians,
Prussians and Saxons. The Austrians
and the Russians were also marshaled
against him in full force. Wellington.
Butcher and Prince Schwarzenberg
were the leaders that he must outwit-
He knew the peril, but he did not hes
jtate.
The astute Corsican had no intention
of meeting his numerous foes as a unit
ed army. He planned to dispose of
them separately. 1t was the failure of
this plan that defeated him. His own
judgment of the probable movements
Of the allies was at variance with that
of his marshals, but no effort succeeded
in preventing the enemy from concen-
trating. This error of judgment, cou-
pied with overconfidence, lost the day
at Waterloo,
After Waterloo there was peace in
Europe for several years. The Napo-
leonic wars had exhausted the fighting
strength of all the powers and the
treasures were drained. No nation
could afford to go to war. Every effort
was directed toward recuperation. On
the American continent, however, there
was notable military activity Several
of the Latin American countries I'M
dertook to throw off the Spanish yoke,
among them Mexico, Peru and Chile.
The final battle of the South American
wars of Independence was a notable
conflict. 1t was fought at Ayacucho
Peru, in 1924. 1t was. one of the blood
lest actions of modern times. AL
though only about 5000 men were hors
de combat, 1,4O0 were killed and 700
wounded. 1t was the final triumph of
the liberator. Bolivar. 1t also marked
the close of Spanish rule in South
AmeDica.
The hostilities of the following year
were confined to India and were the re-
suit of the efforts of some of the tribu-
tary Indian princes to re-establish their
rule. From 1915 to 1880 all the wars in
Europe were with the Moslems except
a few revolutions. The Russians fought
the Persians in 1926 and the Turks in
1928. The Greek revolution of 1921