The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-07 00:00:00

ANOTHER FRENCH OFFICER'S NARRATIVE.

A French officer, writing from Brussels to the Indepen-
dance Beige, gives a summary of Bazaine's career from the
time he assumed the command of the Army of the Rhine.
His Mexican campaign had borne testimony to his mili-
tary qualities, and the army placed full confidence in him.
The retreat, commenced at Forbach, was continued
beyond the Moselle. On the 18th •of August the forces
sustained a severe loss, and from thence commenced the
period of inaction which ruined the army. During the
whole term of his military operations, Bazaine, like the
other generals, had never been the master of bis army.
He was badly seconded, and being unable to
get rid of his incompetent advisers, he gave up
the command to a great extent. He relied
on help from without, and waited for the ar-
rival of MacMahon ; but by the beginning of September
it became known that MacMahon was lost. With
respect to the political situation at that time, the army
waited for orders, which did not come, and it was then
that Bazaine commenced that course of intrigue with the
Prussian diplomatists in which • he was so deservedly
beaten. Had he possessed ability equal to his position,
he would have sent away the old and incapable, and kept
his army up to the mark, so that he might have escaped
from the blockade of Metz, and even if defeated he could
have been the most powerful man in France. It was
reported that Marshal Bazaine received papers every day,
and it is certain that the- Prussians took charge of
his private correspondence and that of his staff.
During the month of September, the army began
to despair, and bad news was spread abroad
with suspicious haste. The reports concerning the food
were characterised by a strange inconsistency. One day
it was declared that the flour supply was nearly exhausted,
and another that salt was becoming scarce. Marshal
Bazaine and General Coffinires kept the inhabitants in a
constant state of suspense. About the 20th of September
Bazaine thought the pear was getting ripe, and the officers
of the. Guard began to use strange language, and inveighed
against the Parisians, who did not send to their assistance-
declaring that they would like to destroy that Chamber
which had lost the Empire. The town, notwithstanding
the threats of bombardment which were held out would
not fall into the trap which was laid for it. A great
battle was talked of, and on the Ist of October it would
yet have been possible to fight, but by the 15th the cavalry
and artillery were ruined by the scarcity of forage.,
General Boyer went to Vorsailles:Ao_ make advantageous
terms, but his equivocal propositiqns did not deceive the
army. Bazaine was ialked.of as Regent, he was to restore
order and peace to his country. General Boyer's reports
of the unsatisfactory state of France created great distress
in the army. Marshal Bazaine spread them abroad
without putting his signature to them. One general
making the communication to his officers, said
"Do not hold prejudices about military honour,"
Up till then there had been no talk of giving
up arms, but only of returning to France and preserving
neutrality. On the 25th the unfortunate General Chan-
gamier went to Ars, to negotiate a capitulation. The
party of surrender, which may be styled the party of the
generals, made the soldiers` believe that they would send
them to their homes, but on the 28th the arms were given
up. In this disgraceful history, adds the
correspondent the part which the chiefs played was con-
siderable. 'lt was they who, step by step, conducted the
army to famine and to dishonour. But the city and the
army were also to blame in the affair; they were wanting
in political and in moral sense. It is unfortunate for
nations to be misled by false ambition, and' for armies to
despair of their country.