The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-17 00:00:00

IN ORMANDY INVADED.
ROUEN, OCT. 13.

Twenty thousand armed men have left this city during
the past eight or ten days en route for—they won't tat
where. What service they will do, wherever they may
go, is of course matter of conjecture; so say the wise-
acres ; if, indeed, these proverbially disparaging critic 3
do not directly insist on the worthlessness of half-
disciplined yeomanry. If one may believe his own
eyes, and judge according to appearances, these new
troops will do yeoman's service if properly put into
action. The muster, on the place fronting the Hotel de
Ville, of the men to be sent forward on Tuesday night,
must have been encouraging to those who so anxiously
watched their coming, and so devoutly wished God-
speed to their going. Well equipped in the smart uniform
of the Garde Nationale, they took their places in line
and passed inspection with much of the enthusiasm of
the young recruits, yet with the seriousness of fathers of
families, whose hearths and homes, workshops and count-
ing-looms, had to be left without their accustomed heads,
last a worse fate should come upon them. Indeed, I
almost fancied—as I looked from the windows of the
Town Hall, and saw them marshalled before the statue
Of the great Napoleon that these quondam
holiday soldiers had more of the traditional martial
air than even the regulars themselves, and that
the bellicose reputation of modern Frenchmen owes not
a little of its strength to the readiness with which
the bourgeois dons warlike bearing with warlike gear.
Every man was erect and alert throughout the brief
review, exhibiting nothing of that slouching habitual
to most undrilled men put into soldier's clothes.
Now and then a man was to be seen in the
ranks clad in a blouse, owing to the inability of the
steward to furnish wedding garments to all who were
bidden. Some slight differences, too, might be noticed in
the minor make-up of the more regularly accoutred—
especially in the matter of baggage, which generally
seemed too heavy. Blankets were evidently left
to individual tastes; and were of all sorts,
sizes, and shapes. Particularly dapper were
the officers, with gold-adorned sleeves and em-
broidered caps. That these are selected by
their men is one of the reasons often cited by the Germans
for disparaging the whole body. Superiors thus appointed
are apt to lack the experience of actual warfare ; men
gathered from civil life not beng inclined to call one to
rule over them who will introduce the harsh distinctions
between privates and officers. The present system
of officering the volunteers is unquestionably re-
sponsible for some of the blame and the complaints
concerning inefficient leadership. The great want, accord-
ing to the refrain of conversation in the cafés and
editorial utterances, is a leader. Will not some new
Roche arise to repel the invader—some new and unam-
bitious Napoleon appear to carry the eagle victoriously
to the farthest frontier ? This is the appealing

lament on every hand. A deliverer is looked for
and expected, until the deferred hope almost mikes
_ _ ...

the heart sick. Substantial success will win for any
one to whose honour it falls enthusiastic support;
and a brilliant victory would rally round its hero a host
so buoyant with having found a country's saviour,
as to be all but invincible. One by one the French
Generals have been robbed of the halo that encircled
their names, till Troche and Bazaine alone remain.
If the former hold his own, they will be con-
tent with him. " Bazaine," say the talkers
here about " must be relieved. He is our
only remaining general ; if he were with us,
to organise us and lead us, all would go well again. We
must get him out." Fear is, however, felt lest the Mar.
shal might not quite agree to all, or any, of the political
chances since his immurement. To counteract this, and
do away with all apprehension lest the cost of releasing
the besieged garrison and its commander might
be only a terrific outlay in the purchase of a poli-
tical " white elephant," special pains are taken, both
by the newspapers and by the people, to prove, if not
Bazaine's anti-Imperialist tendencies, his indifference to
the fate of the late Sovereign, and his devotion to France.
Some of the prophets predict that the saviour of France
will be a young man—half superstitiously adding, that
its most glorious defenders have been young. Age is,
in the eyes of these persons, if not a reproach, a
serious prejudice ; for example, his years, though he is by
no means an old man, have greatly impaired confidence
in General Gudin, now in command at this point; and
his early removal is probable. Greater vigilance is now
maintained than a week ago, when no one appeared to
think of arresting persons on suspicion in the street. Among
the troops, numbering over 3,000, which left the other
day, I met a young American from New Orleans who has
been naturalised to fight with the French. He said that
the boldest rider and best swordsman in the regiment is
an American, and that more than two hundred of
his countrymen are in the ranks of the Francs-tireurs.—
Telegraph-.