The Oznot Chronicles

Part I: The Origins of the Oznot Legend

In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the African continent was immersed in European imperial intrigue.   One object of these colonial machinations was the island of Madagascar, off the southeastern coast of Africa. The French had maintained vague claims to Madagascar since 1643, but did not do much about it until the 1880's. In 1882, they sent a military expedition to the island in reaction to increased activity by British missionaries there. In response to this act of aggression, the Malagassy (Madagascar) government sent out a diplomatic cry for help to London and New York.

One person who heard this plea was General Benjamin Franklin Butler of Boston. General Butler had been in charge of the notorious Union occupation of New Orleans during the American Civil War, and had become involved in various schemes and controversies ever since.
Before long, rumors began to circulate that General Butler was behind efforts to send a large shipment of arms to Madagascar to help the locals fight the French. A related story also claimed that Butler had recruited a family friend named Robert D. Oznot to head up this dangerous enterprise. Little else is known about the alleged backers or members of this expedition, except that the ship left Halifax, Nova Scotia in late August of 1882, and General Butler remained in Massachusetts and was elected governor of that state later that Fall. August 17, 1882 New York Times
Robert D. "Ozzie" Oznot was a member of a wealthy New York family engaged in the mining and delivery of sand to the construction industry. He attended Princeton University and graduated from there in 1876. Little else is known about "Ozzie's" early years, except that he was reported to have been a member of the Merton Society while a student at Princeton. After graduation, he spent most of his time (and inheritance) traveling to exotic locales in search of vast profits from dubious financial schemes. "Ozzie's" reported involvement in the Madagascar gun-running expedition of late 1882 therefore would be consistent with his history of adventurous behavior.
December 6, 1882 New York Times
 Throughout the Fall of 1882, relations between France and the United States continued to deteriorate. At one point, France was accused of stirring up the Malagassy locals so much that two Americans were murdered there.
By April of 1883, a delegation from the government of Madagascar had visited the United States and England in an attempt to plead their case. During this period, there was no word from the Oznot expedition.
April 18, 1883 New York Times

Eventually, word of the Oznot expedition did arrive, but it was not good news. The United States consul to Madagascar reported in early May of 1883 that Robert D. Oznot had been captured by the French Foreign Legion at Diego Suarez in Madagascar, and had been executed by them on the spot. The fate of the other members of the expedition was not known.

May 6, 1883 New York Times
 The U.S. consul also informed the Oznot family that the United States steamer Enterprise was en route to Madagascar, and would retrieve "Ozzie's" remains from the French.
The Oznot incident gave the French the excuse they needed, and, under Admiral "Lucky" Pierre, they invaded the island. Fighting continued until 1885, when a treaty was signed that gave France a virtual protectorate over the island.
May 25, 1883 New York Times

The remains of Robert D. Oznot were returned to his family in the United States and cremated. In 1911, the Princeton Classes of 1884 and 1885 donated the funds to tear down the old University Hotel and build the Hamilton Hall dormitory on the Princeton University campus. These two classes expressed a desire to commemorate "Ozzie" Oznot someplace in the new dormitory, as they had been avid followers of his tale of East African intrigue during their undergraduate years. They even had managed to rescue the fireplace mantle from the room at the University Hotel where "Ozzie" had lived during his sophomore year at Princeton.

The Oznot family was so inspired by this request that they offered to re-inter "Ozzie's" ashes in the mantlepiece and install it in one of the new rooms in Hamilton Hall. The Classes of 1884 and 1885 provided an appropriate plaque in his honor, and "Ozzie's" memorial was permanently established in Hamilton Hall.
The Oznot Plaque in Hamilton Hall
 The plaque remains there to this day, a modest tribute to a brave man whose life was cut short by tragedy in a strange and distant land.

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Proceed to Part II: The Legend of Joseph D. Oznot
Proceed to Part III: The Return of Robert D. Oznot