Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1915-02-04
"A DUKES REVENGE
1t Gave to Germany Her Most
Distinguished Regiment.
THE DEATHS HEAD HUSSARs.


William Of Brunswick, Napoleon's
Deadly Foe, the Famous Body Of
Cavalry Fought lts Way to Renown.
The curt refusal of Napoleon l. to
allow Frederick William, duke OF
Brunswick, TO bury the body of his
exiled father In his native land inspir-
ed the organization of the Deaths
Head hussars, the most famous regi-
ment in the present German army.
Deeply moved by the ungracious act
of the despotic Napoleon, Frederick
William, after his first paroxysm of
indignation and rage had subsided,
vowed eternal vengeance against the
French conqueror, and until the day
of his death, which was June III, 1915,
on the field of Quatre Bras, he was
Napoleon's most implacable foe In all
the German states.
Brunswick being barred to him by
the victories of the relentless French
invader, Duke Frederick William re.
paired to Bohemia after his fathers
death. He was without funds, but
through the efforts of his sister, then
princess Of Wales, English funds found
their way to him. and he was enabled
to set on foot the plans he had formed
to revenge himself upon his enemy.
All Germany was then under Napo.
Icons foot. His armies had swept away
all opposition. Prussia, Brunswick
Bavaria. Saxony, all the states were
mere vassals of France. But though
conquered or subjugated their hatred
OF the OppressOr was intense, and un-
derneath the surface fire OF hatred
smoldered, which the duke helped to
fan into the blaze that eventually sent
BOnaparte to st. Helena.
The duke announced himself as Ma
poleon's foe. Men f1ocked to his stand
ard. He organized and equipped 2,OOU
cavalrymen and. In memory of his
father, clothed them in black. silver
skull and crossbones adorned their
hussar headdress. and the silver lace
slashings OF the jackets were placed to
resemble the ribs Of skeleton.
"The Black Brunswickers" they were
called. With the gallant duke at their
head they began a guerrilla warfare
that was a continual worry to the
French armies. Won Stein. Scharn-
horst and others gave them secret en-
couragement.
Through Saxony. Hesse and Hanover
the troopers gobbled up and put TO the
sword French detachments. Recruits
1ocked to them. At Berneck the duke
gave battle to the French General Ju-
not and whipped him. All Germany
thrilled at the romantic accounts OF
the daring of the terrible "Black Hus
sars." .ar
A Saxon army was whipped at Zit-
tau and another force at Halberstadt.
A regiment had grown into an army
the only one Napoleon's troops could
not corner and whip. The duchy OF
Brunswick was invaded and the
French garrison alarmed Leipzig was
surprised and captured.
Until the battle of Wagram the duke
and his hussars rode over Germany at
will. That victory gave Napoleon more
time to devote to them. and the duke
was forced to fee to England. But the
"Black Hussars." with the deaths
head on their caps. continued the war,
fare in scattered bands. They were
welded into a brigade in 1874 and, as a
part Of division In the allied army
commanded by the Duke of Brunswick,
rode into Paris after Napoleon's down.
fall.
They fought again during the hun
dred days. The Duke of Brunswick
did not live to see Napoleon's complete
humiliation. He died on the field OF
battle while trying to rally some re-
cruits who started stampede at the
first French FIRE.
The fame Of the hussars had reached
such point that the organization was
continued I'm the .Prussian army. To
day Its colonel is the crown prince OF
Germany, and among its officers are
sSHr,nces OF dozen reigning German
families.
The regiment presents d splendid ap.
pearance ON parade. its picturesque
uniform, of which the skull and cross
bones on the headdress are the most
striking attractions. imparting to the
dashing cavalrymen sinister and
startling effect-Kansas City Times.