New-York tribune., 1870-09-06
THE GREAT BATTLES.

ing IL would be lmpOSSllhe 10 uhdSlAe. sd"
men lame in both feet hobbling along In the
ranks, kind comrades less footsore carrying
their needle-cuns. Those who were actually
incapable of putting one foot before another,
had pressed peasants wagons and every avail
able conveyance into service, and were follow
ing in the rear, so as to be ready for the great
hattie. which all felt sure would come off
on the morrow. The Bavarians, who, 1t
is generally believed, do not march so
well as they fight, were in the cen
ter, between us at Chemery and Sedan, en-
csmped around the woods of La Marfee,
famous for a great battle in 1641, during the
wars of the League. When l had seen the last
regiment dash through-for the pace at which
they went can really not be called marching"
in the ordinary scnsc-l rode off about quarter
past eight in the evening for VendreSse where
the Kings headquarters were, and where |
hoped TO find house-room for man and beast,
especially the latter, as being far the most i'm
portant on the eve of great battle.
When ! got within about half O mile Of
VendreSSe, going at a steady trOt, sharp
Haltm rang out through the clear air. |
brought my horse to- a stand-still, knowing
that PrusSian sentries are not to be tifed
with. As pulled up 20 yards off, heard the
clicks of their locks as they brought their
weapons TO full cock and covered me. Ny
reply being satisfactory, logged on into Ven
desse, and my mare and myself had soon for
gotten sentinels, forced marches. and coming
battles one Of US OH the straw, the other on
the floor.
THE START FOR TIE BATTLEFIELD.
At seven Thursday morning my servant came
so wake me, saying that the Kings horses
were harnessing, and that His Majesty would
leave in half-an-hour for the battlefield, and
as cannonade had already been heard near
Sedan. | jumped up, seized crusts OF bread
wine, cigars, etc, and crammed them into my
holster, taking my breakfast on the way.
Just as | got to my horse King William
drove out in an open carriage with four
horses. for Chevange, about three and half
miles south of Sedan. Much against my will,
l was compelled to allow the Kings staff to
precede me on the road TO the scene Of action,
where / arrived myself soon after o'clock.
1t was impossible to Tide fast, all the roads
being blocked with artillery, ammunition
wagons, ambulances, etc. AS l rode on to the
crest of the hill which rises sharply about 600
or zoo feet above the little hamlet OF Chevange,
nestled in a 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 a scene, without
battles magnifcently stern array" In the
lovely valley below us, from the knoll on which
l stood with the King and his staff, we could
see not only the whole Valley of the Meuse Cor
a.. y tO no
Louis XIV stole from them) but also, beyond
the great woods of Bois de Loup and FIanch-
eval into Belgium, and as far as the hllly forest
of NumO on the other side OF the fTontler
Right at our feet lay the little town OF Sedan,
famous for its fortifcatOns by NauDan ana as
the birtbplace of Turenne-the great Marshal.
1t is known also as the place where sedan chairs
originated. AS we were only about two ana
quarter miles from the town we could easily
distinguish its principal edihces without the
aid of our feld-glasses. On the lett was
pretty church, It's Gothic splre OF sandstone
offering a conspicuous target for the Prusslan
guns, had Gen. MOltke thought mt TO lombard
the town. To the right, on the southeast OF
the church. was large barrack, with the tort-
1ications of the citadel. Behind 1t and beyond
this to the southeast again was the old chateau
of Sedan, with picturesque, round-tuTeted
towers of the sixteenth century, very useless
even against four -pounder Krupp teld-pieces.
This building, l believe, is now an arsenal.
Beyond this was the citadel-the heart OF Sedan,
on a rising hill above the Meuse to the south
east but completely commanded by the hills
On both sides the river which runs IN front OF
the citadel.
A GRAVE FRENCH BLUNDER.
The French had flooded the low meadows
IN the valley before coming to the railway
bridge at Bazeille, in order to stop the
Germans from advancing on the town IN that
direction. With their usual stupidity for one
can find no other word for it, the French had
failed 10 mine the bridge at Bazeille, and 1t
WAS of immense service TO the Prussians
throughout the battle. The Prussians actually
lbrew ND earthworks on the iron bridge itself
70 protcct it from the French, who more
han once attempted early in the day to
storm the bridge, in the hope OF breaking
The Bavarian communication between the right
and left banks of the Meuse This they were
unable TO do: and although their cannon-shot
have almost demolished the parapet, the bridge
Itself was never materially damaged.
POSITION OF THE CoNTENDNG FORCES.
On the projecting spurs OF tne MI, CIoNHeu
by the woods Of La Marfee of which have
already spoken, the Bavarians had posted two
batteries Of 6-pounder rifed breech-loading
steel Krupp guns, which kept mp duelo till
the very end of the day with the siege guns
of Sedan across the Meuse. Still further TO
the right flank, OF rather, to the east (for our
line was circular one-a crescent at first,
with Sedan il tie center like the star on the
Turkish standard was an undulating PLAIN
above the VILLAGE of Bazeille. Terminating