A WATERLOO VETERAN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1043, 8 April 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

A WATERLOO VETERAN.

i Major Ronau, a veteran of the Peninsular ■ war and Waterloo, died recently at the little village of Gilford, couuty of Simcoe, having - i reached the ripo old age of 105 yeara. Major Timothy Ronan served. His Majesty King' Goorgo 111,'intho 47th' Infantry Regiment, the ssme corps which lay in Toronto' ■at 1 time of the Fenian raid in 1866. Most of his military life was passed in active service, for ■ he was engaged in many of the sanguinary < ■ battles fought between the French au.d British in Spain during the years 1809 and 1811, and was privileged to take patt in the ■ closing engagement at Waterloo, Although • •. it was Major Ronan's.good fortune to-die-full of years, surrounded by the comforts which ■ . his own exertions haH won for him, lie did not escape unscathed from all the battle fields on which his courage and devotion to country had been tried. He was shot in the groin at the siege of Badajos, and carried the bullet in his ; body up. to,the time of his death, Again at Waterloo he was severely wounded, During the terrific charges which the French • cavalry made, on.,the British squares at the former! engagement lie was,singled out for | personal combat -fyy an officer in the enemy a • squadrons.' The Frenchman, 'charged furiously upon him, and, with a single sweep of hie sabro, severed the bridle lines of Ronan s- ' horse, with the object of having the rider at' ■ • his mercy. But while .monsieur was so engaged liis intended victim ran a sword through 1 bis body. But Ronan had, by the cutting of the bridle lines, lost control of his horse, and another frenchman, endeavored to I tike aa--vantage of his predicament by also charging upon him, The British, officer, hOwevei', adroitly fell. over, his horse, and, slipping under the animal's boily, managed to catch "■ - - - the second Frenchman in the nick of time, and, by an upward sweep of. liis Sword, nearly .decapitated; him,., But feats of strength aisa daring;accomplished by Ronan on.the eventfill day would- fill pages, Hi was severely wounded vtowavd . the close of the-battlCi Shortly Wore. Blueher's arrival' waß announced, a Bhell burst immediately over him;and a fragment fractured his skull. He wss carried to tho rear, and in the hospital the wound was silver-trepanned. He wore the plato tp .the end of bis Wk —Tordnto Mail.