Another hero, a native of Fredericksburg, whose remains found sepulture in a watery grave far out in the ocean's depths, is worthy of mention in these pages. "Wm. Lewis Herndon, an American naval officer, born October 25, 1813, drowned by the sinking of the steamer Central America, September 12, 1857. He entered the navy at the age of fifteen, served in the Mexican war, and was engaged three years with his brother-in-law, Lieutenant Maury, in the National Observatory, at Washington. In 1851-52 he explored the Amazon river under the direction of the United States government. * * * In 1857 he was the commander of the steamer Central America, which left Havana for New York on September 8th, having on board 474 passengers, a crew of 105 men and about $2,000,000 of gold. On September the 11th, during a violent gale from the northeast and a heavy sea, the vessel sprung a leak and sunk on the evening of September 12th near the outer edge of the Gulf stream, in latitude 31 degrees 44 minutes north. Only 152 of the persons on board were saved, including the women and children; the gallant commander of the steamer was seen standing upon the wheel house at the time of her sinking."[82] Capt. Herndon was an uncle of Dr. Herndon, who sacrificed his life at Fernandina, Florida, elsewhere mentioned. JACOB FRIEZE. Another man of note, remarkable for his physical endurance and strength of constitution, who lived in Fredericksburg and whose remains lie buried in the City cemetery, just to the left of the old gate on Commerce street, was Jacob Frieze. He died in 1869, just after having passed the ninety-first anniversary of his birth. He was born in France, and was one of Napoleon's soldiers from the time his remarkable career commenced in Paris until it ended so disastrously at Waterloo. Much of the soldier life of Mr. Frieze was spent as a member of Napoleon's "Old Guard," that "could die, but could never surrender," and he was never so happy as when telling of his thrilling war experiences and narrow escapes. He was in the famous retreat from Moscow and could tell the most thrilling stories of the hardships and sufferings of the French army. The weather was intensely cold, sometimes reaching twenty-six degrees below zero, and, having to fight cold, hunger and the Russians, it is not strange that Napoleon left behind him over 330,000 French or allies, dead or prisoners. This marching, fighting, suffering and dying were all fresh in the mind of Mr. Frieze, who was a participant and eye witness, and he would entertain crowds who would gather around him for hours.