Colonel Eugene Waggaman. 447
toric in each generation. His ancestrage can be traced far back among the noble families of Europe. His great grandfather was the Baron Rudolph von Brouner, who, after an eventful life, came to Louisiana with the commission of the King of Spain, as a coman- dante of the province of Louisiana. He was a Swiss, and com- manded a regiment of Swiss infantry, which saw service under three kings. The first of these was Amadee I. of Italy, who presented to Von Brouner the title of baron, a medallion, a gold snuff-box con- taining the portrait of the king and ornamented with diamonds, and other tokens of friendship and appreciation. The services of the Swiss were next enlisted in the cause of the last Stanislaus of Poland, after which they came to Louisiana to preserve the interests of the Spanish dominion. With him to America, as his bride, the Baron brought Christine Carbonari, of the celebrated Spinola family. Two daughters were the issue of the union, one of whom married Cyril Arnoult, a Flanders merchant who had settled in New Orleans and participated in the battle of January 8th, 1815. Their daughter, Camille Arnoult, married George Augustus Waggaman, a Mary- lander, whose forefather, Bartholomew Ennals, had settled in Dor Chester county, Maryland, shortly after the foundation of the colony by Lord Baltimore.
George Augustus Waggaman, the father of Colonel Eugene Wag- gaman, speedily became prominent in this State. He became a judge in the Federal courts, then Secretary of State for three Administra- tions, and finally, in 1831, was elected to the United States Senate for six years. He was one of the leaders of the Whigs, and took an active part in the excited political occurrences of that time. So bit- ter did the partisan feeling become, and so earnest and fiery were the leaders, that a duel resulted. Denis Prieur was leader of the Demo- crats. The encounter took place under the oaks at Metairie ridge. Senator Waggaman did not desire the life of his opponent. With his first shot he attempted to " wing" him, but failed. At the second exchange Prieur's bullet cut the femoral artery of Waggaman's leg. This was on the 2oth of March, 1843. On the 22d the Senator died of gangrene, having refused until too late to have his leg amputated. Had he lived six months longer he would have been made Minister to France by President Tyler, who had married his cousin, and who was his personal friend.
Senator Waggaman's children were: i. Henry St. John, who be- came a lawyer and died at an early age; 2. Christine, who married Sanfield McDonald, the first Prime Minister of Ontario, Canada, and
