New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-10-15


derived from member of the staff of the ex-hin-
peror Napoleon who present with nm al 'ne
battle of Sedan. He is the Of an ex-Mnister OF
the Empire, one of the Olivier Cabinet well known
in England. He arrived here a few days back ana
am authorized to give publicity to the detalls oe
low, in order to contradict various inaccurate Nci
siOns Of the events referred to which nave appeaeU
both in the English and Continental press. Auo
statement was made TO me this morning IN FRENCH
verbally. wrote it down, and will endeaVOr 10
translate it as literally as possible:
AT a. the morning Of the battle OF sedan' my
informant who slept al hotel in the town. was suddenly
reused by loud noise I'm street beneath his wlnuo"
On looking out he found the Emperor and his suite pass
ing along He dressed in great haste and was soon with
the staff from whom he learned that the batte OF 'ne
two previous days had begun afresh at q a. m Masna
MacMahOn brought in severely wounded, Dut per
fecty sefpossessed He al gave orderslh presence
Of the Emperor Gen. Ducrot that the troops shouu
he Immediately massed, and retreat upon Mezeres'
and expressly directed that they should not &C
cent battle He further ordered that Gen
Ducrot with a certain force should Immediately occupy
the nights which overlook Sedan Measures were taken
at once TO carry out his Instructions when Gen. de
WrraAS appeared on the scene. He promptly adj
dressed Gen Ducrot saying, Il have undertaken 'he
command OF the army. Besides, am an older ueheIa
than YOU and hold the position you are about 10 take
70 be entirely wrong On contrary the troops must
be commanded TO advance directly The order was gwen
and the advance made with what fatal results anew
hours showed but justice TO Marshal MacMahon 10
make known the accurate foresight he showed The pat
lie soon began all points and with intense vgor espe-
ciay on the side OF the Prussians Toward II o'clock
Gen. de wimpfen communicated 10 the Emperor that
the French troops had the advantage In every direction
this time shells were falling fast near and round the
position occupied by the Emperor and his staff but
all escaped, far unhurt Suddenly the Emperor per-
ceived French brigade suffering fearfully from the fire
of the enemy. The men fell like wheat battered by
storm. The Emperor asked an officer Of artiey 'Uou
piennent ees projectiesP No knew. shortly after
another artillery officer answered Sire the balls which
fan them and us come from new Prussan battery
erected a distance from Of 1900 meters The
Emperor incredulous he could not believe in their
murderous effects at such remote range He, however,
Immediately ordered 10 play upon this newly
discovered battery but TO purpose. The balls
chiefly fen into the river Meuse, at q distance OF
only 1900 meters The Emperor then joined the
division and marched steadily forward. Balls con
tinued to fall and around him, but he stu re-
manned untouched. There seems no doubt at present
that he did expose himself at the moment with consider
able courage Again assured that the French troops
were gaining advantages at all points he said to his stan
that he should return Sedan TO breakfast ana would
remount his horse and take the field again IN an hour
He had scarcely entered Sedan when he found soldiers
flying in all directions utterly panicsricken They rap
AIDE resounded from the very nights which Marshal Mac
Mahon with admirable prescence, had ordered TO be
occupied by the French troops, but which were now
in possession Of the Crown Prince and portion OF his
corps darm6e. This advantage was fatal Then and
there the battle was virtually lost. The Crown
Prince continued 10 rain fire upon the town, without IN
rmisson and the streets strewn with dead Fresh
crowds of soldiers arrived fright without arms adding
TO the general confusion and wild terror. About 10
O'Clock the Emperor appalled, by the enormous slaughter
around him. and the bombardment at the same time IN
creasng in force summoned the generals &C., OF his
staff, and asked in simple language, What was to be
done y All Immediately decided in favor Of cspitula
ton and the Emperor at ordered Capt Laurston
10 mount the ramparts and hoist the white nag Pre-
vousy owing to the extermnating fire directed by the
Crown Prince, especially the troops surrounding the
town. general rout had taken place All the efforts OF
the officers to rally fruitless and the BELIEF
was general and proclaimed throughout the ranks that
they were betrayed. 1t quite certain that the Crown
Prince had resolved upon the complete reduction OF the
town at all costs had not the surrender ensued The
superiority Of his artillery had been terribly proved His
guns were loaded the breach and could be fired five
times against those Of the French once. Further, in
nearly all these battles the proportion OF Prussan troops
TO the French has been four TO and taking into
count the greater artillery power Of the Prussian6, II
has been that their total advantage 20 70
one against the French not responsible for these
calculations Imerey write them they have been given
20 me- believe them to emanae directly from the staff
One hnci beyond dispute that the French never could
have had any substantial prospect OF victory from the
beginning; and such facts afford additional evidence
OF the iniquty the absolute madness OF embakng In
n war Of offense under similar conditions. The En-
neror sat I'm the courtyard the Prefecture at the time
the white nag fixed upon the ramparts, his staff
standing apart His face buried in his hands, and
he appeared completely overwhelmed by the catas-
trophe and equally perpeIed During the battle, owing
10 the severe disease from which he suffers he COM
PEELED 10 dismount several times and moral Prosraon
was now adaed 10 great physical fatigue.
Then came the interview between him and the King
10 Prussia They were entirely alone the whole time.
The staff remained in adjoining whichlwas sep
araed by partition Of glass. No one heard word OF
what passed My informant there and am there
fore enabled 20 assure you that all the accounts and
dialogues which have been published relative 10 what
bappened at this solemn conference pure rather
i,,nrra Inventions The Emperor retired . prisoner
and an exile Alas for France that he should have
changed his previous prison for throne Morbid sym
pahv for the fallen must not stay the pen ofJustice.
the present week wounded arrived
here have visited the amhuances myself Yesterday
and to-day have conversed with nearly all the men.
They are chiefly hit in the legs and thighs but the
majority will rapidly recover are lhnping about
ON the sands now in the bright Summer sunshine with
which tins place has been favored for the fast week
The sea is as tranquil lake. and the pure air OF
the best restoratives these poor fellows obtain
Almost all we're wounded Sedan, and yesterday two
or three assured that they had ratons served
10 them nearly three days before the battle. One
told me he had small leg Of mutton his knapsack on
the morning Of the fight how be got II he did
plain but he was obi gcd 10 throw away when had
Ia mount hill ON account Of its weight The opinion
here il strong among them that they betrayed"
THE SURRENDER OF SEDAN.
INDIGNATION OF THE FRENCH OFFICERS.