The Republican journal., 1870-09-15

Kings staff to preccde me on the road to the
scene Of action, where | arrived myself soon
after O'Clock 1t was impossible TO ride
fast, all the roads being blocked with artil-
lery, ammunition wagons, ambulances, etc
As rode on to the crest of the hill which
rises sharply about 600 or 700 feet above the
little hamlet Of Chevange nestled in Il grove
\ below.
A MOST GLORIOUS PANORAMA.
burst on my view. As General Forsyth OF
the United States army remarked to me later
in the day, it would have been worth the
coming, merely to see SO splendid scene,
without ''battos magnticcntly stern array
In the lovely valley below US, from the knoll
on which | stood with the King and his staff,
we could see not only the whole Valley OF
the Meusc Cor Maas is the Germans love to
call the river that Louis NV stole from
thcm), but also beyond the great woods OF
Bois de Loup and Franchcval into Belgium,
and rs far rs the hillv forests OF Numo on
the other side Of the frontier Right at our
lcet lay the little town of Sedan, famous
for its Notifications by Nauban and rs the
birthplace of Turenne--the great Marshal.
1t is known also rs the place where sedan
chairs originated. As we were on y about
two and 4 quarter miles from the town we
could easily distinguish its principal offices
without the aid Of our field glasses On the
left was Il pretty church, its Gothic spirc of
sandstone offering 4 conspicuous target for
the Prussan guns, had Gen. Moltkc thought
fit to lombard the town. TO the right on
the southeast Of the church, was a arge,
barrack, with the Notifications OF the citadel.
Behind it and beyond this to the sout l-casi
again was the old chateau of Sedan, with
picturesque, round-turetcd towers of the
|,
tour-poundcr krupp led-picccs The build
ING, | believe, is now an arsenal Beyond
this was The ctatlel-the heart OF Sedan, ON
Il rising hill above the Mctlse to the south
east, but completely commanded by the hills
on both sides the river which runs i'll front of
| the citadel.
GRAVE FRENCH BLUNDER.
The French had flooded the low meadows
in the valley before coming to the railway
bridge ut Bazellic, III order to stop the Ger
mans from advancing on the town in that di-
rectlon With their usual stupidity (tor one
can find no other word for it.) the French
had failed to mine the bridge at Bazeille, and
it was ct immense service to the PruSsans
throughout the battle. The Prussians actu-
ally threw up carthworks on the iron bridge
itself to protect it from the French, who
more than once attempted early in the day
to storm the bridge, in the hope of breaking
the BaVarlah COMMUNICATION between lhe
right and lett banks OF the MeuSc. This
they were unable to 20 ahd although tAell
cannoll-shot nave almost demolished the par
apct, thc brld9c llNeH was never nlttfally
dana9ed
POSITION OF TILE CoNTENIING FORCES
~, " H. ,'L, To,.fIn ~ ,h;aI,
I"S !" ~ 4'ooi,, ~ ',a1.oI tl," p,,.arias b.,
noStnd two botterins of Gnnun1or rifcG
broecIl- loading steel krupp guns, which kept
up a duello till the very end of the day with
the Siege guns Of Sedan across the Mouse.
Still further t. the right flank or rather, to
the east (for our line was d circular onc--;t
crescent at first, with Sedan in the center
like the star on the Turkish standard), was
an undulating plain above the village of Ba-
zclle. Terminating about mile and Il halt
from Sedan, at the woods near Hubecourt
midway-that is to say, in Il line from Ba'
zeille north-there is Il rayine watered by Il
tiny brook, which was the scene OF the most
desperate Struggle and OF the most trghttul
slaughter Of the whole battle. This stream,
whose name have forgotten. if it ever had
one, runs right behind the toWu OF Sedan.
rom the Wo@ds pi / fi3I@felSe on lhe horlh
pcii''l" w 'oN ~" ~ u't'c'' "Hh No1-
,,s 'l
4n thn ,oI,n,, nf yh;nh h,,.n i,,.t s,nl-o,,