Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1870-09-24
CHARLESTOWN, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1870.
The Battle of Sedan.
The Scene in he Captured Cty-N fmpr
or under Fire, Gc.


or under Fire, 6c.
An officer Of McMahon's army, writing o'
the late battles and the surrender at Sedan,
gives an interesting inside view OF affairs on
the fatal first Of September at that place. We
extract several paragraphs descriptive OF
events not hitherto entirely covered by our ca
bic dispatches. The writer says, in regard
to the position Of Napoleon, who had arrived
at Sedan on the night Of the 3lst Of August,
that he issued, soon after his arrival, "a proc
lsmation, which was posted on the walls, say
ing that he had conhded the command Of the
armies to the generals whom public opinion
had seemed to select as most capable Of lead
ing them. and that he himself intended to
6ght as an stficer, forgetting for while his
position As a sovereign.
The Defeat.
The battle which occurred on Thursday, as
already described, proved the coup de grace TO
McMahon's ARMY Sedan Was surrounded on
all sides, and though the French made dcs-
perate hght, before midday they we're routed
at all points The correspondent st this point
Of the account ssys
To one entering the town as did, there
was no longer any battle 10 describe. IL was
first A rctrest and too soon a rout thought
myself lucky to get away from the field rs !
did for an hour afterwards the rout of those
forces that hal been near by me Was complete.
Already soldiers were crushing against each
other in the struggle TO get inside the town.
Dismounted cavalry we're trying to make their
wsy. some even by the rsmparts, espns down
from the counter-scsrp; others forcing their
way in by the postcrn gates. From nook Of
the rampsrts. where | rested 4 moment, saw
also cuirassicrs nmpins-horsee aud all-into
the most the horses breaking their legs and
ribs. Men were scrsmbling over each other.
There we're officers of all rsnks-cclonels, and
even generals. in uniforms which it wss i'm
possible to mistake, mixed in this shameful me-
lee. Behind ali came guns with their heavy
carriages and powerful horses, forcing their
way into the throng, manning and crushing
the fugitives on foot
Terrible Scene in Sedan.
To add to the confusion and horror, the
Prussian batteries had by this time advanced
within range. and the Pru,sisn shells began
filling among the struggling masses Of men,
On the rsmparts were the National Guards,
manning the guns Of the town, and replying
with more or less effect to the nearest Prus-
sian batteries. II WAS scene horrible enough
to have suited the fancy of Gustsve DUre him
self. could form but one idea Of our unhap-
py army-that it WAS the bottom Of 8 seething
cauldron.
The Emperor Under Fire.
a I T,,,,J tbo knt.l
learned that the Emperor, who started carly In
the morning for the field Of battle, had return
ed about the same time that did, and passed
through the streets with his staff. One of my
friends was near him on the place Turenc
when shell fell under the Emperor's horse,
and bursting, killed the horse Of a general who
r1ipS PehpIo hIr6o in %Tonnd T ana aifd smiled though
NV friend thought he saw tears in his eyes,
which he wiped away with his glove. Indeed,
he had cause enough for tears on that fatal
first Of September 1t was at this time when
we waited watching painfully for the shell
which would have sent us all together into an
other world, that Geteril dc Whimpfen came
past making
i. 4 Vdin Efort
to rally and in:prit his flying troops. lie
shouted. " Vive Ia France En- avant" But
there was no response. He cried out that Ba-
zaine was taking the Prussians in the rear
News which had been current all the morning
at intervals, coming now from the month OF
General dc Whimpiicn, seemed to be believed,
and few thousand men were rallied and fol-
lowed him ont of the town. People began 10
have hone, and for one brief momont we be-
eved the day might yet be saved. Need ]
say that this intelligence was patriotic false
hood Of brave General De Wimpiien? Mad
with anguish. and in direct opposition to the
Emperor's orders, he had resolved TO rally
what men he could and make a stand. He
could not have known that he was bound III
the grasp of at least 300, 600 men.
4 Desperate Sortie.
The bugle and the trumpet ring out on all
sides. A few thousand men hoarken to the
sound. The sortie took place thus: They
went out at the Porte de Balan. The houses
of the suburb are already full of Prussians, who
fire at the French out of every window. The
church, especially, il strongly garrsoned, and
its heavy doors aTo closed. The general sent
off De Guiroye to bring two pieces Of cannon.
These soon arrived aud with them the door Of
the church was blown in and 200 Prussisns
were captured and brought back with the
French, who in spite Of all their efforts, were
themselves soon obliged to retireinto the town.
1t was the las; incident Of the battle-the last
struggle.
When, after a time, It became clear that
there was no sign Of Bazaihe, tho hopes OF the
French again departed. A sul!en sort Of fight
still went on. The guns Of the town answer
ed the Prussians. An aid-de-camp Of the Em-
peror went by on foot, and heard him ask
the officers near by to help him in putting an
end to the fire. Such being the Emperor 5
wish, at length the white flag was hoisted on
the citadel.
Ar NrGU- Here il one of Thackerays