The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-19
STRASBURG.
THE STORY OF THE sIEeE-A PICTURESQUE MAR
RATIyE By BERTHoLD AUERBACH.

THE STORY OF THE sIEeE-A PICTURESQUE MAR
RATIyE By BERTHoLD AUERBACH.
Berthold Auerbach, who has been sum-
moned TO the headquarters of the Grand
Duke of Baden, has commenced series of
letters on the siege of Strasburg. The most
recent abound in picturesque incidents aud
narrative:--
AUeUsT 21.-No Sunday bells rang out in all
Alsace to-day; not the less do the villagers
stream out from every hamlet towards the
churches. The peasants are astonshed to see at
church so many of our soldiers, and of higher
and lower officers, all attending without orders
Wonderful coincidence, the Gospel lesson, tenth
Sunday after Trinity, was Luke, 10Th chapter
and 41st verse:-"And when He was come near
He beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, IL
thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy
day, the things which belong unto thy peace,
but now they are hid from thine eyes, For the
days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies
shall cast trench about thee and compass thee
round, and keep in on every side, and shall lay
thee even with the ground, and thy children
within thee; and they shall not leave in thee
one stone upon another; because thou know
est not the time of the visitation" Is it not
strange that upon this day this text should fall
for on this week will events move forward, per-
haps even the destinies be decided by Strasburg
the city stolen by the French. Aud within it
stands a hallowed relic of German architecture
1t is said that Commandant Ulrich has
declared that when Strasburg can
no longer be defended from the German
forces, he will blow up the Cathedral and lay
the crime upon the Germans. That would be a
sad prospect The inclosiDg in of which the
Gospel speaks falls not By Lampertheim stand
2200 peasant wagons. Round about in all the
villages and on the roads cannon of every cali
bre up to the heaviest siege advance, with abun-
dant ammunition. An exchange of dispatches
hurries to and fro. Our pulses beat quicker; we
have plunged into the whirl of an historic drama.
The arrogant Governor of strasburg Citadel
must no longer feel secure, at least he is throw
ing out ballast. This morning 100 German SOL
diers, who had served in the Foreign Legion,
with the threat that if they turned
round they should be Immediately shot
down. The poor wretches stood be-
tween two fires. Some of them wore
French uniforms, and were naturally regarded
by our troops as Frenchmen. As they neared
our outposts,- who knows how many would get
fired upon / saw two of them brought in.
They were born Pomeranians, and fell into the
hands of their own landsfolk. The expulsion of
these people may be regarded as a symptom
that discipline inside the fortress is in very
precarlous condition. And yet it is said the
commandant, simply because the French arms
have suffered defeat in the open field, now de-
clares that they will vindicate their honor in
the fortress. But after what fashion? By the
sacrifice of beautiful city and of thousands of
its inmates. Is that to be called vindication
of honor? How much effort is made on our
side to show forbearance is evinced in the re-
newal of strict orders to spare even in the min
utest detail the property of the Alsatans.
PARLEYs.
AUG. 22.-At 10 o'clock this morning some
commotion is visible on the roads, and in the
houses at the end of the hamlet of Mundols-
helm, where one looks out upon the Black Fo-
rest range, among the higher and lower officers,
the surgeons, nursing staff, etc., and to and fro
one sees in rapid movement the little wiry, iron
firm figure Of our commander, General Won Wer-
der. A spare, close-shaved, ruddy presence,
with blonde moustache and sparkling eyes, he
thpr do
receiving reports. Il Two horsemen
gallop mp, one. a burly, powerful figure,
holds a white flag. trumpet is slung
round him. He remains on horseback. The
down from the saddle, and hands over de-
spatch. 1t is our cartel bearer, with trumpeter
who has just returned from the fortress The
group fall back. General Werder aud Colonel
Leszinsky read the despatch apart. Werder
from time to time gives short, decisive mods
What does the despatch contain? Those who
know are not allowed to diyuigee. One thing is
good. Commandant Uirich writes French and
German equally well; his dispatches are long,
ours are brief. The groups disperse and re-
form. The Grand Duke of Baden gallops
hearty and intelligent goodness of soul
which speaks out from the features
of the man has acquired already during the
campaign heightened expression. 1t requires
all the unselfsh openness of character of this
Prince to maintain SO freely and frankly the
position he has here chosen out Without any
independent command, he is the embodiment
in many ways of the central, cohesive forces of
this Baden division, who, though less brilliant
task be assigned to them, have one eXacting the
utmost skill, courage, and endurance The
Grand Duke is greeted with fitting honors. All
the other officers betake themselves to the resi-
dence of the commandant 1t is quiet in the
street. Soon sympathetic group forms itself
round young man with careworn visage. He
is another Strasburg exile named Schiel, born
in Zurich, and has been for two years
clerk in the house of Stahling &
Co. While passing through the streets with a
Prussian friend, he was overheard speaking
German, was instantly arrested. and with four
Others was thrust into small cell in the Maison
Ciyile the so-called New Tower. Here was
wooden sloping bench, on which one man
could lie, two could lean against it, the fourth
taken, with fifty others, to a prison
Among them were many brewers men from
Bavaria, torn from their wagons and carried to
jail; they were in their shirt-seeves and leather
aprons. The Lausanne Missionary Society had
sent to that of Strasburg four men as aids. No
They are spies" They were arrested and i'm
prisoned In vain the society reclaimed them
reveal nothing. =
ACTION, NOT WORDS.
AUG. 23-Evening.-It is decided. Enough o.
poufparlerS. Our patience is worn out. To
night the bombardment opens, at first from the
artillery at Kehl. Commandant Ulrich who
requires us to display every species of humanity
while he exhibits none himselt, requested yes
terday that he might send the women and chill
bility of our undertaking this, there is the quar-
tering them or conducting them away, for nei
ther of which we have the means. Many othel
inconveniences are obvious, aud besides this il