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At four o’clock on a June morning ninety-eight years ago, when Napoleon
was defeated by Wellington in one of the sixteen decisive battles of
the world, the illustrious English soldier mounted his celebrated
charger “Copenhagen,” remaining in the saddle for eighteen hours.
“Copenhagen” was a powerful chestnut, grandson of the famous war-horse
“Eclipse,” and the son of “Lady Catherine,” the charger ridden by
Field-Marshal Lord Grosvenor at the siege of Copenhagen, when she was
in foal with the colt which afterward carried Wellington at Waterloo.
The war-horse cost him, in 1813, four hundred guineas. Two years
later, when the famous victory was won, and Wellington had held his
historic interview with Blücher, the duke dismounted at ten o’clock.
As “Copenhagen” was led away by the groom, he playfully threw out
his heels as a “good-night” salutation to his successful master. It
was Wellington’s last act before leaving Strathfieldsaye for London
on public or private business, to walk out to the adjacent paddock
to pat his favorite charger, and to feed him with chocolate or other
confectionery, of which he was inordinately fond.
[Illustration: NAPOLEON’S FAMOUS WAR-HORSE “MARENGO”