The Last Thing
Editorial
by Dave Watkins
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As you all know Bridgnorth is probably the centre of the Napoleonic universe, and just to prove it whilst having an editorial wobble around the town I happened across the tomb shown right - the photo of which is attributable to a "delightful young friend mate!", one Rachel Griffiths (sigh!).
Enough who / what is it? I hear you cry... Well it is none other than the final resting place of one General Charles de Preux. WHO! That's right de Preux, a Swiss mercenary of the Napoleonic Wars, and how did he end up in Bridgnorth?
Well he born in Switzerland in 1738 and at 16 became a Cadet in the Regiment Courten with whom he saw active service against the Prussians. 1796 he made captain in the Spanish Regiment de Courten and in 1801 he made Lt. Colonel. In 1806 he became Colonel of the regiment known as de Preux's Swiss. Worked it out yet? No. In 1807 his command became part of the garrison of Madrid and when that nice Bonaparte chap came to call his regiment was transferred to General Dupont's corps. And so onto Baylen, the first great French defeat of the Peninsular. De Preux unlike 1000+ of his command remained loyal to the French - as he had been lawfully ordered to fight for the French by the Spanish and manfully commanded his remaining 200 or so men throughout the battle. Evading capture he rose to the dizzy heights of Governor of Toledo (181) and in October of that year took command of the garrison of the fortress of Guadalaja.
Wellington, ended this thrusting military career when he took Madrid in 1812 and de Preux had no option but to surrender his command. He was sent to England with other senior officers and made it to Bridgnorth on Friday 20th November 1812. Having no doubt enjoyed the local delights after six months de Preux hung up his boots for the last time and died on 29th May 1813. He was buried in St Mary Magdalene's churchyard on 2nd June 1813.
Apparently his funeral was well attended by other prisoners and his best mate Commandant Gard had his epitaph engraved in Latin on the tombstone so that people of all nationalities could read it! So what does it say? Well here goes my best effort . . .
"Here lies General Charles de Preux a Swiss who served with the Spanish and French. A one time Knight of St. Louis of France, lately of the Spanish order. A very illustrious man endowed with military and civil virtues, whom captivity did not humble nor death terrify. He died on the 29th May in the year of salvation 1813 at the age of 76"
Well I'm impressed, anybody else got (had?) something special behind the chip shop?
Reader's Letters and Reviews
Where are they,? What's happened to Disptaches? Questions raised by a reader recently. Well we have a strange situation occurring where we don't seem to get them anymore! I think that this is down to a couple of things, firstly I had to Dispatches some time ago for reasons of space and this sort of broke the chain and the rise of the internet and the success of the First Empire web site tend to have diverted correspondents attention away from the normal question and answer type format. I could print a lot of letters saying how wonderful the mag is, but I think you would all get fed up with that eventually.
So get writing, ask questions, we publish them others write articles in response, so whether its a uniform question or a bizarre one (the use of Aardvarks as a Napoleonic stealth weapon?) we need you input.
See you in December - which may be a week late cos I'm off on me hols! But we'll try not to be!
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