The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-12-17 00:00:00

VICTOR AND VANQUISHED.

The Special Correspondent of The Times with the
German Army of the Loire, writing from Orleans,
under date, Dee. 6, Bays
The entry of the Germans into Orleans yesterday morning
was a scene calculated to produce a lasting Impression upon
the minds both of the victors and the vanquished. If suffer-
ing and humiliation be the fiery ordeal through which
nations, like individuals, must pass to rise to a higher and
purer standard of virtue, the Fran, h are draining the
bitter nip to its dregs, while their opponents have
the difficult lesson to learn of triumphing In a
spirit of gentleness and moderation. The fact that
they had already once bombarded the town and had driven
out the enemy, that they had occupied it for four weeks and
then been driven out in turn, and that they were now once
more victorious over an army a blob was the result of the
most strenuous effort of self.Oefence which Republican
France was capable of putting forth, was calculated to
produce a degree of exultation and satisfaction alto-
gether exceptional, and to invest the second capture
'of Orleans with an interest peculiar to itself. In
effect, the intensity of feeling arising out of the special
circumstances of the case was observable on both sides.
The proud elated air with which the regiments followed
each other along the streets which finally leads into the centre
of the town, with colours flying and bands playing, was In
Uri king contrast with the lugubrious appearance of the In-
habitants. Few people were stirring when we entered be-
tween eight and nine. Now and then we met a family
all dressed in the deepest mourning with eyes red with
weeping, hurrying, with bandboxes and carpetbags
In their hands, from some place of refuge In which they
had passed the night, hack to their homes the wife
clinging to the husband's arm; the daughters, with thick
black rein and downcast looks, rapidly following ; the
whole party timidly shrinking from the warlike clang, and
seeming to think that the stern words of command were
especially addressed to them. Such families, evidently of
the better chum, were almost the only wayfarers we met,
and their path was rendered still more fearful by the dead
moo and hones still lyine across the pavement, for these
melancholy evidences of last night's fighting were not wanting.
Even the last wounded man had not yet been removed from
his Icy bed in the gutter. In one place I observed a horse
and a dog lying side by side, evidently killed by the same
shell AU along the plastered walls on both Wee of the
streets were the bullet scores, and I hear that among the
casualties are two Gendarmes who were wounded while
chalking upon the doors and alsetters, as is their wont, the
quarter. for the men. At the point where the railway crosses
the road the suburb ends, and there are Iron gates leading
Into the town. Here was the barricade which raked the
whole length of the street by which the town Is entered,
along which the enemy kept up the perpetual storm of rifle
bullets which had turned us back on the previous night.
Passing along the continuation of this street, the troops
finally debouched upon the "Place du Martroy," in the
centre of which, upon her bronze charger and waving
her sword, rides "the Maid," surrounded now by • denas
throng of French prisoners who had been captured during the
night. As the whole army came pouring into the city, street
after street began to mound, and the strain/ of martial
music and the tramp of armed men drew eyes to every
lattice; but the blinds were kept closed for the most part,
excepting some little chink left ass peep-hole. There meet
have been something appalling to the Inhabitants in the
numbers of the hostile army, as in never-ending columns
regiment after regiment marched to the position assigned to
it On the balcony of the Betel d'Orleans stood the Grand
Duke of Mecklenburg, returning the salute of his men,
who looked for the most part as fresh and clean as if
they had just turned out for parade, instead of having
come oft three days of hard fighting in midwinter.
Ihe Japer Battalions, each man with • sprig of pine in
his shako, were specially gallant-looking, and the in-
habitants, when they came to compare the numbers and
aspect of the conquerors with their own troop. huddled
together and shivering in the middle of the square, could
scarcely have ceased to wonder at the result. As usual, the
number of prisoners was en crmou, and if the present
cold weather lasts It seem, that the whole remaining French
army will come and be captured. It Is so much the easiest
way, for soldier, who have been made 60 fight for their
country against their will, of getting out of the difficulty.
Amesrog sorties are told of the various modes of capture.
In one house a number of men were comfortably seated at
thous when the Germane entered, and invited them to join
in the meal, saying that they must be hungry after BO much
fighting, and that there was not the slightest danger of their
making any attempt to escape, as they were waiting ex-
pressly for some one to come and capture them. Four men
were taken by the Cuirassiers in the avant 'votes during
the night, and were told to remain by a fire till morn-
tug ; when the morning came their number was
Increased to 12' who had deliberately come and seated them-
selves by the fire of their own accord. One sentinel told
me that during hie watch upon the same night upwards
0( 30 French soldiers had come to him and asked him In
what direction they should go in order to deliver them-
selves up as prisoners These are only Isolated in-
stances that happen to have come under my own notice,
nut it is no wonder, with such • spirit existing in the
Republican army, that the number of prisoners Is already
swelled to the prodigious amount of 16,000, not hemmed in
orsnrrounded as at Metz or Sedan, and certainly not betrayed
by their General, but simply, so far as I can gather from talk-
ing so them, "bored." They are heartily disgusted with
the war, are perfectly Indifferent to Alsace and Lor-
raine, extremely susceptible to the cold, which Is
not to be wondered at coissideflag its intensity, and
seem to prefer life in a German town to the hard-
ships of campaigning in winter in the presence of an
overwhelming foe. Indeed, lithe present cold taste, it does
not seem possible for the campaign to continue much longer.
The Loire is carrying down muse, of ice, and will, appa-
rently soon be frozen over; and, tatting ins small room with
a roaring fire, my hard is so cold that lean scarcely hold the
pen. Whas must it be for men engaged in outpost duty and
other night work?