Tag: Napoleon

On a War Memorial

It’s difficult for us today to realize the impact the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Wars had on Europe, North America, and the trade around the entire globe. These wars that raged almost constantly from the late 1700s to almost the 1820s saw most of the world’s major powers take part in what could arguably be called a true World War because of how wide-ranging it was. As we know, the French side lost, Napoleon was exiled, and the British-led coalition emerged victorious.

One of the major heroes of that series of wars for Britain was Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson. While Nelson had won several victories in the wars, his major naval victory over Napoleon’s forces at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 was one of the most important turning points in the defeat of the French leader. Nelson died from a French gunshot that pierced his lung and back during the battle onboard his flagship, the HMS Victory. A wave of memorials to the fallen hero were constructed across Britain.

One of the most prominent monuments to be build was named Nelson’s Pillar. Commissioned shortly after the battle and completed four years later, the pillar stood on O’Connell Street downtown. The combined height of the pillar and the monumental statue that stood atop it was over 135 feet. The base was so large that people could climb to the top of the statue using a spiral staircase that wound its way through the pillar. When tourists or visitors would come to the city, it became practically a requirement that they would climb Nelson’s Pillar.

People in the city at the time of the monument’s construction were proud of what Nelson had accomplished. As much as 20% of Nelson’s sailors in the famous battle were either from the city or from the surrounding area. The citizens’ hearts swelled with patriotism when news of the victory came. Funding the monument wasn’t a problem at the time. The pillar stood in its prominent place and became a city landmark, a source of local pride.

But, then, in 1966, a man named Liam Sutcliffe climbed the stairway inside the pillar one evening as it was about to close. Liam left a package there. During the night, the package exploded and destroyed Nelson’s Pillar. All that was left was about half of the shaft of the pillar.

And no one seemed to mind too much.

Liam was never charged by the authorities for blowing up the monument. He even went on a radio station and bragged about his deed, even mentioning two accomplices who aided his act of blatant public vandalism. In fact, most people in the city and the nation applauded this act, this destruction of a monument dedicated to a great hero of British military history.

And they would, wouldn’t they?

The pillar was in Dublin, Ireland, after all.

On A Retiree

Sometimes, the golden years aren’t all that golden.

As we age, along with the loss of memory (and often decay in the body) comes the loss of autonomy. For many retirees, depression can set in especially if they feel that choices are being made for them rather than in consultation with them. Such was the case of one retiree who had no choice where he found himself upon retirement.

Many older people would be happy with retirement on a sunny, warm beachfront property, but not this man. And it especially galled him that he still felt like he had contributions to make to society, that he still could be a productive man even in retirement. But, again, the choice was not his to make, as is often the case with retirees. For him, the retirement felt more like a prison.

The wife was long gone, and man was estranged from his children. So, the state made the choice for him, the choice without consideration of his wishes, to place him in this home.

The home offered programs for him to enjoy, but he found no pleasure in them. There were many social events offered, and, when he did rarely participate, he would be sulky and sullen and withdrawn from the rest. Others could not understand his attitude. His caregivers were attentive, and the facility even offered meals that were cooked to order. None of this could change his mentality.

Understandably, depression dogged him. His doctor noted his moodiness, and he said that they were times when the retiree would be practically non-communicative. Yet, the mind was still active, and the man sought his own distractions. He expressed the desire, as many retirees do, to possibly begin writing books. He had been a veteran and thought about telling the stories of his time in the army. He toyed with learning another language in an effort to keep his mind active. His caregivers reported that he spent a lot of his time playing variations of solitaire.

This last distraction seems to be the most fitting for the retiree. He not only felt alone and abandoned, but he also felt, well, exiled.

That’s because he was.

The island of Saint Helena, 1200 miles off the west coast of Africa, would be where Napoleon Bonaparte would spend his last days.