Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-24
DEATH OF GREAT NAPOLEON.
"France, the Army, Josephine" Last
Words of Great Soldier.

On May 5, 1921, Napoleon fought
his last battle and death closed the
career of one of the greatest generals
if not the greatest, the world has ever
seen. The last tragedy of his life was
enacted on the little island Of St
Helena. He was buried in a valley; a
simple slab marked the place of his
repose; two weeping willows waved
over it. and an iron railing encircled
the spot Of ground.
A few days before his death he
awoke one morning, saying: II have
just seen my good Josephine, but she
would not embrace me. She disap-
peared at the moment when 1 was
about to take her in my arms. She
Is not changed. She Is still the same.
full OF devotion to me. She told me
that we were about to see each other
again, never more to part"
The disease progressed rapidly and
the dying hour drew near. A violent
storm ragged with wild fury on that
rocky prison isle as the spirit Of the
great Napoleon was freeing itself from
it's earthly fetters. His few faithful
friends who shared his exile stood
weeping around his couch. In the
solemn silence of that sacred hour
his loved voice was once more faint
" heard: France! Army! Head of
the army! Josephine! and the heart
of Napoleon ceased to beat. isle OF
Elba! Napoleon!" had been the last
words of the loving and forgiving
Josephine. France! The army
Josephine!" were the last images that
fingered i'm the heart, and the last
words which trembled on the lips of
the dying emperor.
The heart melting story Of the
hardships to which Napoleon had been
subjected during his captivity at st.
Helena was told over and over again
to his beloved France, till the nation
at last rose as one man to do his
memory honor. Just twenty-five
years from the time when Napoleon
was landed a captive upon the island
his remains were brought from their
humble resting place and reinterred
in the magnificent mausoleum prepar-
ed for them in the Church OF the In
valides. Paris. On the anniversary of
the great victory Of AusterlitZ the two
funeral frigateS entered the harbor
of Cherbourg All the forts, batteries
and warships fired a salute. All
France focked to the cities and VIII
lagos through which the funeral cor
tege was to pass.
At o'clock on the afternoon Of
the 14th Of December, 1870, the fio-
tilla arrived at Courbevole, small
village four miles from Paris. Here
the remains were to be transferred
from the steamer to the shore. AS
the funeral barge sailed up the Seine
colossal statue of Josephine, which
had been erected on the shore. Of
fered an appropriate and fitting well
come.
A Grecian temple 100 feet high had
been constructed on the wharf. under
which the body was to lie In state
until transferred to the funeral car.
The funeral car was undoubtedly the
most elaborate ever devised. The
church had been magnificently
adorned for the solemn ceremony.
The coffin was borne into the church
on the shoulders of members of Ma
poleons Old Guard, preceded by the
Prince de Joinville. Louis Philippe
stepped forward to receive the re-
mains. sire" said the prince. Il
present to you the body of the Em,,
peror Napoleon" 81 receive it, said
the king. "in the name of France y
Then taking from the hand of Mar
shal Soult the sword of Napoleon and
it to Gen. Bertrand. he
said General, l charge you to
place this glorious sword of the en-
perOr upon mis- coffin"
Beneath the lofty dome of the
church the coffin Of Napoleon was
placed. thus following the last wish
Of the emperor, expressed in these
words: at is my wish
that my ashes repose on the banks
of the Seine, i'm the midst of the
French people. whom loved so well.