The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-20

fallen and were buried. There twenty
lhree graves at this place aud al Others hundreds
Now ana then wonld appear solitary grave, hidden
away as II some soldier had crawied when mortally
wounded 10 distance rom the scene OF strife,
died, and been buried where his body then laid
Broken bottles strewed the roads and fields.
Probably this may account for OF the terrible
destruction which | witnessed when | reached
Iazeilles | have seen many places which were de-
sroyed BY war, ami desoiaie enough they looked,
Int anything like that OF BazeIes II now Is
before Imagined.
INSIDE THE RUNS.
Here was place OF three thousand Inhabitants,
which was built entirely OF stone. with literally not
single house ieit standing within ts limits
The iDlahltants. some eighty persons, OF all ages
and beth sexes, perished in The flames. The fire
had been kinded by the exasperated Bav,rian
soldiers, who were hred upon by peope-some OF
whom had yet fingered in the ruins OF their dwell
nigs and were the window holes armei--as they
passed These poor people were huddled together.
and nth scarcely a shelter by even o few half
burned boards. questioned some OF them. They
declared the destruction Of the place was entirely
an unprovokcd act The part oil the Germans Be
that AZ IT may the destruction complete-com-
pletc even 70 the village church.
The Chatcan Iurennc, where the great marshal OF
that was born ana raised, shared the same
fate
The town proper was heap of ruins. They were
charred ruins.
Men, women and children wandered In the ruins
ana through the streets begging aims food OF the
VISITORS and the hardest heart could resist their
piteous appeal.
WHAT WAS LEFT.
Even In scene OF such awful worldly desolation
the relics OF some established trade help persons to
cke out scaniy subsistence, and all these persons
assisted at the distribution OF bread, which had
been supplied by Belgian philanthropy. witnessed
one or these distributions, and thus had an opnortu
nifty Of seeing all the inhabitants who remained.
They were too poor 10 leave.
Among The number one old man, eighty. five
years Of age. He tod that ne haa served under
Marshal oul at Badajoz, anu AT Waterloo under the
first Napoleon. This man was half ''daZedi BY his
misforIunes. He laid all the blame Of The present
condition of affairs ON Blucher whom he firmly be-
leves Is stlll alive and IN command OF the Prussian
armies. His fal OF sedan was strangely and terribly
mixed w with recclections o. Waterloo.
WHAT THE PEOPLE SAID.
am even now unwilling 10 believe the stories Of
the horrible cruetes said to have been pcrpetrated
by the drunken soldiers. II is hard 10 credit that
there are men heartlessly brutal as 10 compel
others carry towards the trees, ana then 10
tie the same persons together and burn them 10
death when SO bound
They say that the dreadful stories told at Ba-
zeilles would not he confirmed al sedan.
left sedan on the SIN inst during peltlng rain
storm. ] leit IN crowded ''dIligence,n which
was informed would 20 direct to Rethel; but | was
driven INTO MeaIeres instead, and SET down the
street.
SERVICE IN MEzlEREs.
Mfzicres Is a place well fortified, ont Is not
strongly or carefully guarded. The sentries were
in nd NJ bnxv
10 carry mnsket. One OF these stood at the gate
through which passed. Tnis did SO far as he
was concerned. with some difficulty.
TAKES LEAVE.
After another time OF difficulty obtained the use
Of dapidated gig and OF a worse horse, and after
some short other delay was permitted 10 leave Me-
Zeiers. took q long breath when ! was outside OF
the place, had been desperately in fear OF being
arrested and sent back, as II Just to show the differ
| cnt course OF action OF the beigercnts.
ON THE ROAD.
| had not gone mile on the way before was
| challenged by couple OF uhlans, who examined my
| papers, but permitted me TO pass.
reached the Hotel du Commerce. in Rethel both
| wet and fatigued. The landlord, when he found
| that was an American, very courteous He
showed TO me with some pride the different rooms
| which had seen occupied by Count Bismarck and
! Generals Won Moitke and Sheridan on their march
| from Sedan.
| The posi- commandment was attentive. He sent me
! forward to Rheims with French officer, a pas
oner on parole.
WHAT WAS RHEIMS.
entered Rheims on the 10th Of October. Columns
OF the HERALD might be written on the appearance
| OF the grand Cathedral alone a building which
looms up In the distance as you approach and leave
| the town, with grand magnifcence, the effect OF
which Is experienced at distance OF nine miles.
1t is distinctly visible there apparently standing In
solitary grandeur on PLAIN, the other buildings
being dwarfed into insignlncance by the contrast
THE LAND OF PROMISE.
After passing strtkingly picturesque village
Vile de Montagnefour miles, You obtain the first
| glimpse OF the champagne land. The contrast be-
| tween war ana peace-between the grim and barren
desolation OF Bazees and the quiet beauty and fruit
funess OF the champagne conntry-is very striking.
The hills ana the surrounding valley OF the river
Marne are covered from top to the very foot with
vineyards which look at this OF the year as
| If Illuminated by the setting The many tinted
| leaves produce most wonderful effect. They re-
fleet all the colors which render the woods OF the
| American forests so beautiful IN the fall season.
Here where the vineyards spreaI out In patches
ike a carpet hill and dale, 1t finishes the picture
| asi one Of SURPRISING magnlfccnce.
| LIFE AT EPERNAY.
was at Epernay on the 18th OF October.
The railroad had been interrupted and forty men
| arrested suspicion OF having cut the line.
rich wnegrower Of the district one OF the pris-
| oners. He charged as an ins.igator Of the act
\ ana forwarded TO Cha0ns for trial.
I was informed mere that train OF cars would
leave at nine O'Clock next morning. and that would
| be permitted TO 20 with II.
| 1t is now one O'Clock in the afternoon. / have
| walked through the town and conversed with many
! OF the inhabitants All that have heard only con-
| firms the news which have expressed In former
| letter.
HOPES OF PEACE.
At the very latest moment AT which write to the
HERALD bureau in London II Is reported the best
authority that armstice or fourteen days aura
ton has been agreed on, is about 10 be arranged
so as to permit elections be held In order that