Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1909-01-15
The Facts
Mrs. Hemsass
Father and tte
Doomed French Flag

Mrs. Hems..!s
Father and til
Doomed French Flag
That was a lucky chi
latter part Of the last cent?
the ordeal of standing up be-.
Gle Of relatives and friends-o,
enthusiastic and admiring, l4v
often greatly bored-to repeat
well known II somewhat inaccura
lines that tell us how the boy stO,
on the burning deck" Whether, nj
times out Of ten, the infant reciter
for that matter, any Of the membt
Of the applauding family circle cou
have given the date and place Of
occurrence may be doubtful. The TO
lines of Mrs. Hemans gave themA-
the history that they craved, and wheu
tie parrot-like performance closed with
faithful heart" a sentimental maiden
aunt would sigh, a liberal uncle be-
stow largesse to the extent Of half a
crown. and that was all.
1t was In 1898 that young Caslbi-
anca, the ten-year-old son of the com
mOdore Of the French flagship Orient
stood amid the awful devastation OF
the battle OF the Nile. Bonaparte had
himself sailed In the I'll fated Orient
from Toulon in the previous May, tax
ing with him good stock Of bur
gundy and also that famous camp IL
brary" Of cabinet editions, including
forty volumes Of English novels, In
which the Bible and the Koran were
classed under the head of politics"
More important still for those who love
the picturesque details of history and
great men, he was accompanied by his
then private secretary, Louis Antoine
Fauvelet de Bourrlenne, from whose
always entertaining If not invariably
accurate pen we have capital ac-
count Of the voyage to Egypt.
Much OF the time was passed by Ma
poleon lying in his berth while Bour-
rlenne read to him and In promoting
discussions on various questions among
the scientific and other distinguished
men who accompanied the expedition.
The flagship carried a population Of
more than 1000 souls, and the cry OF
'NIan overboard" was not infrequent.
On these occasions Bonaparte display
ed a side of his character to which full
justice is not always done. BOur
rienne describes his agitation till res
cue was effected as extreme. On one
n,N Ill Il
ing the darkness Of night, and the sup
posed "man" proved to be the quarter
of a bullock which had dropped from
the rigging. but Napoleon rewarded
the rescuers even more literally than
usual. pointing ogt that their exertion
had been for what they believed a hui
man life.
The fleet arrived of the coast Of AZ
rlca on July I. and here BOurrienne
and his Memoirs" leave the squadron
to accompany the army and his chief
on land. Brueys, the French admiral,
had during the voyage expressed fore
as to the result Of an encOun-
ter with the British fleet Nelson,
who sailed from Syracuse on July %,
was confident. but well knew the price
ne might be called upon to pay. When
aptain Berry said, II we succeed,
what will the world say?" Nelson re
piled: There is no If in the case. That
we shall succeed is certain. Who may
live TO tell the story is a very differ
emit question" For himself he made
that famous anticipation, "A peerage !
or Westminster abbey
The battle began at $50 o'clock, half |
an hour before nightfall Nelson, on |
board the Vanguard, few his colors |
n six places lest they should be shot |
AWAY. o. q few minutes after the |
ship had gone into action the crews
II the first six guns were swept away |
ly the terrible fire Of the French feet. |
II kwice again during the fight were /
crews called for The shot I
struck Nelson on the head tore
his forehead q piece Of skin
ch, falling over his one useful eye,
Eered him for the time being to-
any blind Carried 10 the cockpit, he
insisted on taking his proper turn
.mong the wounded for the surgeons
attention. Soon after o'clock at
light while he was still below, a cry
rose that the Orient was on fire.
Jnaided and unnoticed in the cOnfu-
ion. Nelson made his way up, and
PRESENTLY from the quarterback his
Dice was heard shouting orders that
he boats should be GNwered to go to