BEATEN GENERALS AS BEGGARS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13936, 19 December 1905, Page 2

BEATEN GENERALS AS BEGGARS.

Russia has several beaten generals at the present time, and the question is what will eventually become of them (said a writer in “Pearson’s Weekly” during th© Russo-Japanese war). The land of th© Great Bear has seldom permitted the leaders of her army and navy to long survive their downfall, notwithstanding statements to the contrary, and there are several instances of Russians, once shining lights in bar-rack-rooms and naval dockyards, who have taken leave of life both obscurely and tragically. It.was not so very long ago that a famous general, at one time honoured all over Russia, died by hia own hand at a German, gambling spa. Ho had erred during the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-8, and in consequence the troops under his command had met with an unexpected disaster. After the war the general loft St Petersburg in disgrace, and, under an assumed name, took up his residence in Germany. Ho dissipated his fortune at gambling places, and when he had come to his last penny he became a “ handyman,” eking out a bare existence by running errands, doing odd jobs, and distributing bills. Being unable to recover his self-respect and manhood, 1m sought release by suicide. He shot himself at a gambling spa, and when his body was searched not a single coin was found upon him. Again, a leader of-the Russians during the Crimean war died in abject poverty in an attic in the Latin Quarter of Paris. He had lost 15,000 men at Inkerman, and his commission was taken from him. He went to France and led a Bohemian life for many years, making a good income by composing musical pieces. The money he earned he spent in riotous living, and one morning he was found dead in his attio after a heavy drinking bout. According to the “Echo de' Paris,” Captain Klado, who was th© chief Russian witness before the North Sea Commission, has'been deprived at Sfc Petersburg of all his appointments and functions, except that of professor' at the Military Academy. It would be interesting to follow the future fortunes of this gentleman, for it is certainly doubtful whether his colleagues at'the Military Academy .will permit him to long survive his downfall. Japan is very harsh on her defeated officers, both naval and military. During the war in the Far East a naval lieutenant who failed to carry out a task set him was politely told by his chief to cover his disgrace by- committing suicide. A sheet was strung on the dock of the lieutenant’s gun-boat, and behind this was placed an armchair and a table. On the latter was a sharp knife wrapped in a piece of dean paper. The lieutenant bowed to his comrades, went beiiind the sheet, sat in the chair and picked up the knife. The official reports stated that the lieutenant had died distinguishing himself in action, and the Emperor granted him a [posthumous medal. After our-troops had entered Pekin and sacked the Summer Palace of the Emperor, a Chinese general, known as the chief of the “ dragon-slayers,” who ** allowed his troops to be badly beaten, had his commission taken irom him and was publicly degraded. For a long time his wretched figure was to be seen in the streets of the capital, with gyves on .his limbs and, a beard round his ueck as a punishment. For many years a shabbily-dressed elderly man wandered aimlessly about Madrid. At one time he was one of the most mighty of the French marshals, and his tunic blazed with gold lacb and jewelled orders. He had "risen from the ranks, but misfortune came to him when he started out to meet the Germans as loader of half a million men. Accompanying him to the front were innumerable valets, groom's an- secretaries, yet he came back to Paris, not as a mighty conqueror, but as a broken, friendless man. He .had, : in the eyes’of the Republic, disgraced himself, and popular prejudice - drove him from his native country. He went to Madrid, and fell lower and lower down the social scale until he became practically a beggar, both in language and habits. Not a tench of former greatness was shown by tne ex-marshal as he waddled in a purposeless way about Madrid. A ' French journalist met the broken man onoe, and in reply to a question he said sadly, “ When I ; was a French marshal I was'the Republic’s slave, now I am a free man; but the price of freedom is vermin and a crust of bread !” Several of the brilliant generals of the Southern States of America during the Civil War 1 were driven into humble retirement when lasting fame was the incentive ahead. One died in a New York garret some time ago a brokendown and hopelessly intemperate old man, while another came to England and set up in business as a barber. Another general who became a barber was the leader of the Persians, whom Sir James Outram crushed just before tne- Indian Mutiny broke out. The Shah degraded him, and after several more or • less exciting adventures he came down to bo a barber at Bagdad. Numbers of wandering Britons allowed the fallen “giant” to shave them, and as he wielded the razor he related his many exploits. Admiral Villeneuve, who was beaten by Nelson at Trafalgar, was, never forgiven by Napoleon, and he became a homeless wanderer, living at cheap and even disreputable hotels. His income, after his disgrace, was said to be under one hundred pounds a year, and wEen ho died he was heavily in debt.