The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-08
Z u r O Pc.
THE RERhLD'S WAR CORRESPONDENCE.
Progress Of the Siege of
Montmedy.
Sedan as 1t Appeared After the
Capitulati0n.
--~>-~>~>>~>~-~~~>->---
Enthusiasm Of the French for
the Republic.
The Burning Of BazeilIes by
the Prussians.
~~>~~~>-s>~~N~~~~~~~-,~-
Facts, Incidents and Anecdotes Of
the War.
Tho Burning of BaZeilIes by
the Prussians.
Facts, Incidents and Anecdotes Of
the War.
THE SIEGE OF MONTMEDY.
THE Progress OF the Siege-The Belgian From
tier-A Companion the Road-lEeetinE
Prussian Outpsst-Stoppcd by the Guard
Two Hours at the Outposfs.


Two Hours at the Outposfs.
PORT ST. HUBERT. Sept o. 1870.
After despatehng on Sunday morning my rcgu-
lar letter 10 you started on with the determination
TO try and see iOmething OF the siege OF Montmedy
1t is curious 10 remark that, although the gallant
garrison shut up In this little Tort has made one OF
the most plueky resistances known III the history
of war, very little notice has been taken OF their
bravery either in the French or English papers.
Not that for the last Two months IL has been my
luck TO see much Of either one the other. News
papers during war times, when all means Of COM
munication with the outward world are more or less
closed, come few and far between to those VINO are
following the operations OF an army But so far as
IL has been my luck TO see now and again stray
London or Paris paper. | have hardly seen men,
toned In ore OF them anything connected with the
defence which the garrison OF Montmedy is making
against the enemy.
My route from Boullon led me along the Belgium
frontier and within Its limits as far as Forenyille
ana thence to Vlrton. All the latter place which is
also within the Belgian fro liter. and some twelve
American miles from MontmeIy the sound OF big
guns could be heard quite plainly. II seems that
both the Prussaa troops besieging the place and the
French force that Is inside tue citadel have deter
mined to economize their powaer; for 1t was only
n0Wand then, at intervals OF perhaps five minutes
large ordnance, which was invariably followed by
the sound OF smaller gun. The latter as we after
wards learned, was the reply sent forth by the
French garrison after each shot from the enemy
outside. But that the firing both sides was pretty
continual may be judged from the following fact;--
Even as far or as Vlrson, which is twelve miles from
Montmedy, the air Is filled with floating cartridge
paper, which Is slowly Dorae up on the wind when.
ever the latter blows from the direction OF the be-
sieged town. This, so the Inhabitants OF y1rton
tell me, has been going for tile last tw snty days
ana when the cannonade was at It's heaviest the
quantity OF paper blown into the town used to in
wade even the rooms OF the houses wnen the win
dows were left open.
To obtain guide from ylrton to Montmedy was n
simple mpossib.llty. BY means OF a respectable
bride | got a mau who went with me as far IA the
frontier of France, which is about league and a
half from MontmeGy, but not one step urther woul
he go. However, fortune so favored me that I
fell In with pr.est--l Jesuit belonging 10 the con-
vent OF his order al Arlen-wno was going to Try
and get into Montmedy, where he had as he said
not little work cut out for HIM looking after the
spiritual wants OF the garrison aud in the course
aI my many Wanderings over the globe must say
mat never met with better travelling conn anion
than this worthy father who. in physical strength
was well CUT out for grenadier, and had been q
missionary IN the East Indies for many year. He
was by birth German a native OF the islenish
provinces, but spoke French like native; aud the
iacs Oh MS being able 10 talk 10 the Russians their
IatlVe tongue maze me not little confident thar
~ snouia be aoe 10 get az any rate permit TO
WAL was gong on al The siege. / hired carriage
NJ VlTton, tha5 TOOK Us far the frontier but not
one step iufther would The driver go, although he
PROMISED 10 remain Tor us Two days, when, II not
shot by tle russians, we promised faithfully 10
make our appearance and take him back to yirlon.
FROM tie HonticI village or hamlet G. He'd lorcny
N
Mouse, the eastern or southeastern outlet OF which
IS guarded by Montmedy But lust az We came IN
sight OF the town, ana when stIil league from IL,
we tumbled upon o Pfussian outpost of forty men,
commanded BY q captain, aud were at once stopped
by the advanced sentry, VINO took us nc once 10 his
chief. The latter asked to look at our papers was
exceedingly civil-he spoke English may observe,
perfectly Mall-but said That ms orders were most
peremptpry ana that lac could allow no one wIat-
ever, upon no pleiense OF Risslon, 10 pass toward
the lon IA OF Aontmedy. showed iilln a pass had
RON tle onicer commanding at Sedan, and note
from the same funcICnaty requesting any Prussian
commander came across u be OF whatever service
he couid 20 me- The captan said ne was very sorry
but that lie could aiiOw us 60 pHss though he
would send one OF his men DOM 10 Tie ca I'D 10 the
commander and ask hila whether we might he adj
10 see the siege ope ati0n5 ana my compan
ion 70 80 on to MontmedY. In the meantime ne onered
10 take Us 10 nude bil near his post, where, with
the heip OF good Held glass. We coud see all that
town. We accepted the Offer, and set on ut once a
soldier being sent on at the same time to The camp
mere 10 snow our papers To tue commandint, anu
ask leave FOR us TO see what was gong on at the
siege. But In point OF TACT, 10 cal what was going
on at Montmedy siege would be somewhat Of a
misnomer. The Prussians are no doubt blocSadlng
the place, ana from jIne to time they enter KIND
OF lively protest against the French garrison holding
out against them by firing few Shots out Of heavy
guns against the fortress. When this takes place
Ine French reply 10 the capnonade by an eoual
number Of shots, and from time 10 time change
the. programme by scndpg few shells on
their invaders. But active proceedings on either
side appear 10 have been discontinued. The Pris-
SLAMS have not carried the trenches which they
began To make at first, ana tile French have
ceased TO issue out OF the fortress against the enemy.
tho prussians say tbey VIII soon starve out the
French whereas the latter attest that they eau get
provisions from outside without the Russians being
at all the wiser Aud this believe TO be the case.
II would hardly be iar to indicate in point how
French manage TO get out OF and INTO Monmedy,
but there Is no doubt that they do in small
parties, ana thai they manage or have managed
hitherto, to Keep themselves pretty wen supplied
with the actual necessares OF lie. The Prussians
seem very anxious 10 take the place, and one "
their officers told me la confidence that before many
hours were over Montmedy would be taken by
assault. 1t IL, therefore, far IRON impossible that
this letter Is printed the place viii have changed
masters. S'ill IL must be admitted that the French
hold out wonderfully behind stone walls. Ii they
had done nalf well In the field as they have at
Sirasbourg, at Metz, at Toul al Nontmedy
and a. Bitche inc results g,i,a OF I'm, tne cam,
they now are. And the most curious part
OF the afar that each and every one Of these gar
risons now holding out SO Warranty, aud, ! Will
add SO scientifically, against the enemy has been
made mp, TO speak, OF the shaktngs OF the army.
In strasbourg there is but one regular regiment OF
line the rest or The garrison consists OF depots
Of regiments, Of recruits that have never been
drilled OF Guard Mobe, and chieny Of the debrs or
MacMaho - army. When the latter was defeated
&c Woerth great number OF the fugityes took
refuge In Strssbourg and have remained there ever
since, where they have become the bravest Of the
brave In the defence OF the place. Metz grant. IS
an exception 10 the rule. There the garrison ~ en-
Srey composed Of the regular army corps OF Ba-
zane anu Canrobert But at Tou, at Montmedy
and at Bitche the defenders all stray soldiers Of
various regiments and oil different arms, who have
somehow or other found their way into certain
fortresscs and doing their best TO defend the
same. At Bitche $50 have been told BY soldier
who managed TO get out OF that citadel with letter
for MacMahon) there are hardly two men In the gar
rison who wear the same uniform.
In about an hour latter we had plenty OF time u
see AZ well Is we could at distance all that was
going onj the messenger sent to the commander OF
ths blookading force returned, bringing verbal