Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-09-14

Louis were i'm Sedan. At twenty minutes
past three, the Bavarians below have not
only contrived to get inside the fortifica-
tions of Sedan, but to maintain themselves
there, working their way forward from
house to house. About four there was a
great fight for the possession of the ridge
above Bazlle that done Sedan was swept
on all sides 10y the Prussian cannon. This
point of vantage was carried by the Prus-
slams mt 4:40, and when carried there
could no longer be a shade of doubt rs to
the ultimate fate of Sedan. At about five
o'clock there was again sudden suspen-
sion of the cannonade along the whole line.
Many were the speculations as TO the cause,
but nobody seemed to divine the truth.
You may judge of our surprise when, four
minutes later, we saw n French officer es-
corted by two Uhlans, coming TO a hard
trot up the steep bride path from Sedan to
our post. One of the Uhlans carrying a
white duster on a iaggot stick as flag of
truce to the messenger, turned out to he a
French Colonel come TO ask the terms OF
surrender. After very short consultation
between the King and Gen. Won Moltke,
the messenger was told that, in matter so
important rs the surrender OF at least So
CSC men and an important fortress, 1t was
necessary to send an officer of high rank.
You are, therefore, to return to Sedan and
tell the Governor of the town to report
himself Immediately TO the King of Prus-
~ia. If he does not arrive in an hour, our
guns will again open fire. You may tell
the commandment that there is no use of his
trying to obtain any other terms than an
unconditional surrender. The Parlemen-
taire rode back with his message, and when
he was fairly out of earshot his mission
was most eagerly canvassed. At half past
6 o'clock there arose sudden cry among
the members of the Kings Staff, Der Kali
ser Kest Da, and then came loud hurrah!
Soon we began to look anXisusly for the
second flag of truce, and in ten minutes
more Gen. Reilly rode up with a letter for
the King of Prussia. AS soon as the
French General was in sight the slender
escort of cuirassieurs and dragons we had
with us was drawn up in line two deep be-
hind the King. On the front of the escort
was the staff, and ten yards in front of them
again stood his Majesty King William of
Prussia to receive Gen. Reilly. That Off
Ger, as we soon learned, was the bearer of
an autograph letter from the Emperor Ma
poleon to King William. The Emperor of
the French wrote: GAS | cannot die at the
head of my army, lay my sword at the
feet of your Majesty" Ne pOuvant pas
MOURN Ia tete de armee, je viens METRE
mon esse aux pieds de votre majestic. Why
Napoleon III could not die as did thous-
ands of his soldiers, sword in hand, with
his face to the foe, is not so clear. On re-
was a brief consultation between the King
and the Crown Prince who had came over
from his hill on the arrival of the flag of
truce. Count Bismarck, Gen. Won Moltke
and Won Room, after a few minutes con-
versation, the King sat down on rush
bottomed chair and wrote a note on another
chair held as table by two aides de camp
to the Emperor, begging him to come
next morning to the King of Prussia's
headquarters at Veundres. While this note
was being written Count Bismarck came
up to Generals Sheridan and Forsyth and
myself and heartily shook our hands.
LET me congratulate you most sincerely
Count" said General Sheridan, 81 can only
compare the surrender of Napoleon to that
of General Lee, at AppomattoX court
house, When it came my turn to grasp
the ChancellOr's hand, | could not help
saying, after l had warmly congratula-
ted him, "Hou cannot but feel q
pride, Count Bismarck, in hav-
| ing contributed so largely to the
winning of to-day's victory" "Oh, no,
my dear sir, was the mild answer, 81 am
no strategist, and have nothing to do with
winning battles. What l am proud of is
that the Bavarians, the SaXons and the
Wurtemburgers have not only been on our
side. but have had so large a share, the
largest share, in the glory of the day-that
they are with us, and not against us. That
| is my doing. L do not think the French
will say now that the South Germans will
not fight for our common fatherland.n
asked his EXcellency whether Louis was
taken with his papa, and was told that nc
one knew, and ! think that no one cared
where that small young man was. When
the King had written his letter, he himsel
handed it to General Reilly, who stood
bareheaded to receive it, the Italian anC
Crimean medals glittering on his breast il
the fading sunlight. Queen NictOria's i'm
age and superscription have not often beer
seen on the uniforms of men surrenderinl
without conditions. At 20 minutes to S
Gen Reilly left for the beleagured town
{ escorted by the Uhlans. The duster which
had served as a flag Of truce was offered t
me as a souvenir of this most memorial,
day, but it had a strong resemblance t
f other busters, and declined the profferet
2 article. Then there was general demant
2 for something to drink, and Count Bis
2 marck's aid-de-camp produced two bottle
t of Belgium beer. One of them his Excel
lency shared with Gen. Sheridan Gen
: Forsyth and myself saying that he dranl
| TO the closer union of the three great leu
t tonic peoples Early next morning,
s started for Belgium. AS / rode along
S suddenly came first on a knot Of Uhlans
: then on two signeuersin the green and gOl
= imperial livery, and directly behind theI
: the travelling carriage of his Majesty, wit
e Napoleon, on his way TO report himself
= prisoner at King Williams headquaTteI
o at Nendres a little, dirty village some eigh
t miles from Sedan.