New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-28
3yfw Orleans 4epubliea,..
effIclAl joAaHAl OF, the UNITED STATES
rnB VICTORY. AT SEDAN.
:. Kng ~Willaamss Personal Dispatch 70
Queen Augusta i'm Relation 10 inc
Struggle and the Triumph.

Tk1D vkCIOkk Al SEDAINs
Khe WillaaM's Personal Dispatch 70
Queen Augusta i'm Relation to tne
struggle and the Triumph.
We are, indebted to the Manchester
Guardian for the following full telegram Oh
the dispatch sent by the King OF rrussia "
Queen Augusta: s m svn.x
September 8, 1870
To Queen Augusta, in Berlin;
You will have learned through my Ihree
%.la,,raYns the whole extent of the great his
tcr;cai event which has just taken place. 1t
Il Tic a dream. even when one has seen 1t
,,rrolI itself hour by hour; but when con-
49, +hot after one great. successful war, l
could NOT expect anything more glorious
during INV reign, and that now see this act
follow. destined to he famous in the history
of the world, bow before God, who alone
has chosen my army and allies TO carry 1t
info execution. and has chosen lis as the III
struments of His will. 1t is only in this
sense that can conceive this work, and in
all humilityspraise Gods guidance and grace.
will now give you picture Of the battle
and it's results in a compressed form. On
the evening of the thirty-first and the morn
ing of the first the army reached its APP
pointed positions around Sedan.
The Bavarians held the left wing, near
Saxons, toward Moncelle and Daigny; the
Guards still marching toward Givonne, the
fifth and eleleventh corps toward st.
Nenges to Douchery, but at the latter place
there were Wurtemburgers, who covered
the rear against sallies from MezIeres.
Count Stolberg' g cavalry division was in the
plain Of DOuchery as right wing. the rest
Of the Bavarians were in the front toward
Sedan. Notwithstanding thick fog. the
battle began at Bazeilles early in the morn
ing, and a sharp action developed itself by
degrees, in which it was necessary to take
house by house. 1t lasted nearly all day,
and Scholer's Erfurt division Preserved
fourth corps) was obliged to assist. 1t was
at eight o'clock, when reached the front
before Sedan, that the great battle COM
menced. A hot artillery action now began
At ali points. 1t lasted four hours, and
during it we gradually gained ground.
A the above named villages were
taken, very deep and wooded ravines
made the advance of the infantry more
dificult and favored the defense. The vii
lagos of Selg and Floing We're taken,
and the fiery circle drew gradually closer
round Sedan. 1t was a grand sight from
our position, on a commanding helSht pc
hind the above mentioned battery, when we
looked to the front beyond st. TOrcy. The
violent resistance of the enemy began to
slacken by degrees which we could see by
the broken battaliOns that were hurriedly
retreatipg from the woods and villages.
The cavalry endeavOred to attack several
battalions Of our fifth corps, and the latter
behaved admirably. The cavalry galloped
through the interval between the battalions,
and then returned the same way. This was
repeated three times, SO that the ground was
covered with cOrpses and horses. all OF
which we could see very weh from our
position have not been able to learn the
number of this brave regiment, as the
retreat of the enemy was in many places a
flight. The infantry, cavalry and artillery
rushed in crowd into the town and it,
immediate environs, but no sign was gwen
that the enemy contemplated cXtrlcatlny
himself from his desperate situation 10y
capitulatiOn.
No other course was left than to lombard
the town with the heavy battery. In
twenty minutes the town was burning il
several places, which, with the numerous
burning villages over the whole field. pro
duced terrible impression. l accordingly
ordered the firing to cease, and sent Lieuten
nt-ColOnel Won Broussart, Of the genera
staff, with a flag of truce, to demand thu
capitulatiOn of the army and the fortress
He was met by a Bavarian officer. who re
ported to me that French pdriementair
had announced himself at the gate. Colone
Won Broussart was admitted, and on hi
asking for the commander-in-chief,h he wa
unexpectedly introduced into the presence
Of the Emperor, who wished to give him ;
letter for myself. When the Emperor asked
what his message was, and received TN
answer ito demand the surrender OF thu
army and Fortress he replied that on thi
subject he must apply to General az
Wimpffen, who had undertaken the com
mand in the place Of the wounded Genera
Mcmahon. and that he would now send hi
Adiutant General Relic. with the letter t.
myself.
1t was seven o'clock when Relic ant
BrOussart came to me- the latter a little IL
advance and it was first through him tina
learned with certainty the presence of tn
emperor. You may imagine the impression
which this made upon all of us, but particu
larly ON myself. Reille sprang from hi
horse and gave me the letter of the empe
ror, adding that he had no other orders
Before opened the letter l said to him
"But l demand, us the first condition, tina
the army lay down its arms The lette
begins thus: .N'ayant pas pu MOURN a L
tete de mes troupes, je depOse mon epee
vOtre Majestic" leaving all the rest to INC
of our meeting and begged that a plenipt
Tertiary might be sent with whom we nigh
conclude the capitalization.
After l had given the letter to Genera
Reille spoke few words with him as a
old acquaintance and SO this act is ended
i gave MOltke powers to negotiate, an
n directed Bismarck to remain behind in cas-
political questions should arise. then rod
to my carriage and drove here, greete
everywhere along the road with the lou
hurrahs Of the trains that were marchin
up and singing the national hymn. 1t wa
deeply touching. Candles were lighte
q, everywhere, 60 that we were driven throug
an imprOvised illumination. l arrived her
at eleven o'clock, and drank with thOs
about me to the prosperity of an arm
which had accomplished such feats. AS o
the morning of the second had receive
no news from MOltke respecting negOtis
tions for capitulation which were to TAX
place in Donchery, l drove to the BATH.
field, according to agreement, at eigh
o'clock, and met MOltke, who was COMM
to obtain my consent to the proposed CAPT,
ulation. He told me at the same time tina
the Emperor had left Sedan at five o'clOcl
in the morning, and had come to Douchery
as he wished to speak with me.
There was chateau and park in the
neighborhoOd, and / chose that place TO
meeting. At ten o'clock l reached TIL
height before Sedan. Moltke and Bislnarcl
appeared at twelve o'clock, with the capitu
lation duly signed. At one o'clock / starte'
again with Fritz (thc Crown Prince), am
escorted by the cavalry and the staff,
alighted before the chateau where the En-
peror came to meet me. The visit lasted
quarter of an hour. We were both muc
moved at seeing each other again unde
such circumstances. What my feeling
were-I had seen Napoleon only three year
before at the summit OF his power
more than can describe. After this NEE
ing from half-past two to half-past seve
o'clock, rode past the whole army. befol
Sedan. The reception given me by tn
trOOnS. the meetinu with f1e UuardS. mo-