The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-10-14
A FAMOUS CHARGER.
The story of MarenEO, NaDOleOn'H
Last War Horse.


The story of MarenEo, NaOoIeOn'S
Last War Horse.
Napoleon helped himself to the crea-
ture when he encountered the name
lukes on the banks Of the Nile in 1898
Superb as were the horses Of these
knights Of the desert" the white
charger with the great black eyes,
wide nostrils, clean limbs and a brave
heart" as Ibrahim the hey described
him, was the most splendid Of them
ALI He was a small horse, only just
over fourteen hands, faultless in shape
and dauntless in courage. Napoleon
rode him at the siege Of Acre, at the
battles Of Marengo, Austeritz, Jena
and Wagram. He took him to Moscow
in that fatal campaign against Russia
and rode him at BorodinO and on the
Beresina river.
When disaster had come and Ma
poleon was banished TO Elba, the IA
vorite horse was not permitted to ae-
company him. Il had rather l had
shot him than that King Louis should
possess him" the fallen emperor said,
and he laughed with grim satisfaction
when an eQuerry reminded him that
the Bourbon king was himself too IN
wieIdy to ride MarengO OF any other
horse. Two years passed, and Ma
poleon was back in Paris. The TURF
of fortunes wheel had brought him to
the top again; Louis was a fugitive.
and the emperor was wildly acclaimed
by the tickle populace, who but a few
weeks before had shouted for the king.
Once more Marengo was led from
his stable; once more the housings with
the gilded bees were buckied on his
shapely form. The horse, old in years
and white as fresh faxed snow, was
as full Of courage as ever. His mas
ter's hand passed lovingly over his
satin skin as Napoleon mounted BIN
that fatal 18th Of June when the
troops were forming up on the fields
which had been so fresh and green
that morning and where the larks
sweet song was silenced by the
first booming Of the guns. The white
charger. carried the emperor as proud
ly as ever; the wide nOstrils shifted
the battle clouds as they had often
done before. A mUsket bah struck the
creatures tanks. and the white skin
and golden bees were stained with
/ blood and dust.
Late in the afternoon Napoleon
turned his horses head from the field
The battle was fought and lost. Only
/ Marengo's fieetness and tireless eOur
/ age remained between him and cap
/ tivity. Nobly the old horse responded
to hts call. Away through the tramplec
corn, across the broken ground
through the awful scenes Of slaughter
and the heaps Of the dead and dying
away through the mereiful darkness
OF the summer night; away toward
Paris once again.
That was the last time Napoleon
rode his favorite. Lord Petre found
the poor beast, wounded and utterly
worn out, at a roadside inn, wher'
Napoleon had entered his carriage
leaving the horse behind. Mareng,
was brought to England, and even
i tually sold to General Angerstein o
the grenadiers. His old age wa
4 passed at Angerstein's place in Nor
folk, where the hOrse-tO the las
beautiful as a picture"-attracte'
much notice. On his death the gen
eral presented Que Of the hoofs to hi
old comrades of the Guards brigade
and another belongs to General Anger
STEMS family, at Weeting Hail. Nor
fOlk.-London Modern Society