The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-23
THE HORRORS OF WAR.
Graphic Scenes Delineated by Edm ond ABB
-"The Reverse of the Inedsr'-The Prince
Imperial Under Fire.

Imperial Under Fire.
Mr.. Edmond About is by iall odds the most
graphic and brilliant correspondent who has
made his way to the front. lie contributes to
the NoRicur dU Soir letter entitled by an
Pnglish translator THE Reverse of the Medal"
in which, from Forbacb, Saarbrucken, and Saar-
guemines, he gives a number of interesting
anecdotes and describes the scenes by the way.
lie says:-
''Now one begins to see the reverse of the
medal, and the features of the war are not SO
smiling as last week. As the carts fle past, a
young officer seated before the Cafe Francais
recognizes the face OF one among the wounded.
He rises, draws near, and cries, ''You? Isit you,
- here?" The other, who carries his arm in
q sling, and seems to suffer cruelty, scarcely ap-
pears to notice this warm sympathy; he muir
murs q few words confusedy and lets his head
fall forward. The cart goes on.
"AmoDg the number was boy, at most eigh-
teen years old, with bright and quick express
sion of face; and what fire there was in his
large black eyes! One of the townspeople
volunteer Yes he replies, and lets himself
fall upon the hay of the wagon. Another, not
yet twenty years old, is carried ON n truck; he
is hit in both legs, and seriously. This one
makes jokes but only he; all the others are
struggles against his fate witness, for instance,
that little foot soldier whose right arm is
broken, and who cries. Give me my rife! /
can XIII tnem very well Win tne lett lInQ.
But after twenty-four hours Of the hospital,
pain overcomes the most heroic natures.
"Three Prussians are in the convoy. The
face of one is liyid and swollen, like that of Il
man who has been fifteen days in the water;
Chassepot bullet has gone through his mouth;
drink is given him through straw; he does not
complain. This poor creature, who has no longer
any feature of the human face, seemed indif-
ferent to his lot. One of his comrades, the day
before yesterday, came to Forbach on the same
hand-truek with the lieutenant of franc-treurs,
who was killed under fire. The living man,
leaning on his elbow beside the dead, looked
alternately at the corpse and at the inquisitive
crowd without groaning-without moving
muscle.
Nothing is more touching than the care of
the French soldiers for the wounded, whether
friends or enemies. Those who can walk they
helps the Others they carry with the gentleness
soldiers who also risk their lives without any
hope of glory, are equally attentive. They
break the windows of the carriages lest the
wounded should want air; they provide them
with fresh water; they ask permission to re
main with them to relieve their wants on the
journey.
THE honor of the day, it is only right to de-
clare belongs to the Prince Imperial. The SOL
dier is no coqrtier; you will know how to ap-
preciate at its just value this little dialogue
which | caught in passing
] say the Emperor was jolly plucky.'
'Parbleu it's his business.
But the young one-I saw him; he was in
the hottest of it, and didn't duck TO the bullets
That now-thats good =
Another story, of charming simplicity. 1t
! is of the Prince
! "'But, General he said they're firing at us
"'Yes, your HIghness, replied General Fros-
sard.
''Think of the manner in which princes are
! brought up, the homage with which they are
wearied, the thousand proofs which establish in
their eyes the doubly sacred inviolability of
their little persons; measure the profound
astonishment which must rise in a princely
breast at the sight of these projectiles of
which the very least, in falling so near, com
| mits the crime of high treason, aud then say
If war is not an admirable school, and if en-
perors are wrong to offer their sons to the
enemy. good lessen OF equality, followed by
an example of courage. Thus, then, there are
men so daring as to fire upon the Prince I'M
Perial?' Quite so, your Highness. Very well;
let us see.' And the boy stands still in the
midst OF the bullets When L say the boy |
mistake; he was man when he returned from
the field.
"SARREGUEMINEs, Saturday-3P P. M.-Details
are not wanting of this miserable day OF Weis-
senburg, but leave to others the care of in
structing you. had some acquaintance with
General Abel Douay. / passed day or two
with him at the Convent of st. Odille in the
autumn of 1865. He was fine, worthy sol
dier; very firm, but very gentle; devoted to
France; more strongly attached to duty than to
life. 1t is believed here that he went to seek
death in the midst of the foe rather than drag
on to the grave the shame OF defeat.
although / am terribly new in war, and al.
though my studies of our armies have TO be
made in the face of thousand oppositions,
have already been enabled to learn many detail:
and to collect few ideas.
ing for invasion. 1t is we who declare war, and
yet we wait at home until the Others make wal
| upon US. For twenty days now we have beer
playing the fool this side the frontier, instead Of
dashing at the enemy. We were not ready