New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-10
NEW ORLEANS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1870

lose their memories in few hours sleep.
The next day we were told the emperor
had gone to the kings headquarters to treat
for 4 surrender.
At eleven o'clock HIS household and ear
riages left the town, and we knew he was d
prisoner and the empire was no more.
About the same hour there was posted in
the street a proclamation from General
Wimpfen, saying that, notwithstanding
prodigies of courage, the army, having no
more ammunition, finds itself unable to re-
spond to the summons of its chiefs and force
its way to Montmedy; that being sur
rounded. he had made the best conditions
he could-conditions such as would inlet
no humiliation on the army. These condi-
tions prove to be the surl ender of the whole
army-nOt less than one hundred thousand
men-as prisoners of war, with all their
arms, baggage, horses. standards and guns.
Officers who sign an agreement not to
fight against Prussia during the war may
return to their homes The remainder are
to be sent 10 'garrisoned towns in Ger
many.
Many OF the officers refused to sign. pre-
ferring to sha6r the captivity Of their men.
On saturday the whole force laid down
their arms Not few soldiers, in their
rage, broke rather than give up their arms.
and the streets were Uttered with fragments
of all kinds of weapons; broken swords, rifles.
chassepots, lancets, helmets, cuirasses and
even umbrellas, covered the ground, and in
one place, where the Meuse runs through
the town, the heaps of such fragments
choked tho stream, and rose above the
surface.
The mud in the streets was black with
gunpOwder. The horses were tied to houses
anu gun carriages. but nobody remembered
to feed or water them, and in the frenzy of
hunger and thirst, they broke loose and ran
wildly through town. Whoever liked might
have horse, even officers horses, which
were private property, for the trouble OF
catching them.
When the Prussians came into the town
they were very sore and angry at the sight.
of all this destruction and waste. What
must have pleased them still less was the
state in which they found the military chest.
As soon AS the surrender was resolved on.
the French o,Iicers were told to make out
the best accounts they could and present
them Immediately. and receive payment.
Naturally. the statements thus brought in
soon proved sufficient 10 eInbt the treasury.
know of officers who demanded and re-
ceived payment t,l' horses that had not been
killed and baggage which had not been lost.
Decentralization showed itself in every
way. Even standards were burnt or buried,
al act of bad faith not to be palliated even
by the grief and rage OF a beaten army.
Their rage is great against no one more
than General de Failly. He had rooms in
the hotel where was staying Friday.
A great multitude of soldiers gathered
before the house, the doors of which was
closed. demanding General de Failly with
such shouts and menaceS that the landlord
thought it prudent to bring him out at
back window. The soldiers, could they
have reached him, would have torn him TO
pieces.
Since nv return 30 London l find it stated
that he was shot by one of his own men, but
no such event had happened on Saturday.
and could not well happen later.
1t was a relief on Saturday when the
Prussians came and occupied the town and
restored order.
am sorry to have to acknowledge that
all through the campaign the French has
acted much more like a cOnquerlng army In
q hostile country than the Prlssans
When fell into the hands of the Prus-
slams 1 found them courtesy itself. / wrote
the last of this letter in London.
All the annoyance | have experienced per
sonaliy. came from my own countrymen,
from the peasants above all. who saw spy
in every stranger.
On leaving Sedan and thence 70 the from
tier, in passing through the Prussian posts,
| Was stopped often. had but to say was
a correspondent of American journals, and
was at once sent kindly forward.
on the back Of my French Muevang pass
the Prussian staff had indorSed a Prussian
safe conduct. Afterward | was not obliged
even to show my papers. My word was
taken. and. once out OF Sedan. l came
speedily through. When left Sedan. Sun
day morning, things were getting rapidly to
rights. Streets were cleared Of dead horses
and men. Indescribable filth of the town
yra haT int na ShnDS
We're opening again, and discipline had
taken the place OF disorder.
] saw enough Of Prussian organization
and energy to change, if the grevious defeat
of noble army had not already changed,
the opinion I have go often expressed to you,
that ultimate victory for France was sure
have followed MGMahon from the day
when found him reorganzng his army at
Chalons 10 the fatal day at Sedan, when he
surrendered the last organized force in
France, save d -en.ualt of that shut Up IA
Metz.
Certainly when ! was at the camp OF
ChaIcns. and then at Rheims, | had OBJ
served tnat the number of strag-Iers was
enormous, and [ continually met soldiers
who did not know Wherc their regiments
were
/ had seen men and officers disabled by
wounds which the FgeRci. soldiers of.othcr
days would have tlesp;sed. l had remarked
now unr!dy and careless the men were al
lowed 10 b. about equipments.
These things, slight but significant to The
military eye, nad caused me, no doubt.
some miScIvlugs ID to the rapidity OF sue
cess we had right to expect
| saw, also, how prono French officers
were TO ay Old the fatigue of long marches
and the discomforts Of bivoaac. I remel1-
bcr how often have traversed the French
lines at dead of III ,!:t AMI early dawn, anu
never heard a quivive--never fallen III with
u party OF eclairries.
On the other hand, how often have seen
officers spend the time that ought u have
been given 10 thciC men in cafes ana p00r
village inns.
How often even officers OF the stat have
neglected their duties for paItry anluse-
mcnt, showing theInsci VCS ignorant sCme-
times even of the names Of the departments
in which they were, so hat have known
French general obliged TO ask his way from
peasants.
At he meeting Of two roads struggled
against ali This kind Of evidence, but the
end Is only 100 clear.
I'&inf;yl it "a 10 ma, but an bound 20 de-
clare my belief tsas any further effort
France may make Car only cause useiess
hloodahea, aBtl that d means Of escape from
her peril Must n0W be sought otherw Sc thaD
pF 6rn5.
Academy Of ssu.jc,
tn" El:erson minstreis give thelr 1rs5
t.f 81 TIVE We