New-York tribune., 1870-10-31
HOW METZ FELL.
STORY OF THE SURRENDER.


Ipr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
'' LONDON, OCT 80, 1879
.;o, .orrosnonaent of THE TRIBUNE
before Nets telegraphs this day: oh the even,
mo of the 25th inst. the German Chiei Oh o"'u
hal left Frascati (abont five miles south-wesV
of Metal very much discouraged, scarcely hopnig
for any agreement as the French appeafeu 'o
b. intractable and obstinate. Nevertheless l
knew from private sources that Metz coulu
not hold out, and expected the capltuiatlon
THE PRELIMINARY CONFERENCES.
Az noon Bazaine sent the Prince an auto
xroph letter asking another conference; and
accordingly the Germans sent Gen. Suehle,
Chief of staff Of the Second Army, and Count
Wartensleben, Chief of Staff of the First
ARMY. to FIascati once more. The interview
lasted three hours of the afternoon. At first
il was stormy on the part of the French com
uissioners; but it resulted in their conversion
10 the main points of the German terms. The
first difficulty was concerning officers keeping
their side-arms, on which Bazaine insisted.
The point was finally referred 10 the King,
and conceded by him in dispatch received
Of o'clock on the morning of the eth.
TERMS OF SURRENDER.
BY agreement the conference was resumed
early the same morning, and lasted till 8 p. IN,
when the capitulatiOn was signed for the alb
solute rendition of Metz and all its fortifica-
tions ornaments, stores, and munitions; and
for the surrender on the conditions of the
capitulation of Sedan, of all the garrison and
all Bazaine's army, comprising Marshals of
France, GO Generals, 6000 officers and $4,000
troops. The Germans are astOuDded at this
result--an army and fortress capitulating to
All investing army only fraction larger than
itself.
The French commissioners were BaZaine's
Chief of staff, Gen. Jarnas, Col Fay and Maj.
Sanuele, on the part of the commander OF the
fortress. On the 2Sth, Maj. Landkuhl, Chief
of EngneersO of the Second Corps, was to enter by
stipulation at 10 o'clock to withdraw the mines
from under the forts, preparatory to the safe
entry of the Seventh Corps who will remain to
guard the city and prisoners, while the rest of
the First Army departs Immediately for Paris
and for the South, where the headquarters of
Prince Frederick Charles will be at Lyons
At o'clock the French army were to lay
down their arms. All this has been postponed
"a hours, in consequence of want of readi-
ness on the part of the French authorities
owing to internal disorders.
On the 29th the forts were taken possession
of by the artillery of the Seventh Corps. AT
/ o'clock the Third Division (Which will de-
part toward the SOuth-WesG and the Fourth
Division were reviewed in splendid pageant
by the Prince, on the NancyMet road, near
Tour-le- -Brede. Thereupon the French) I'm
perial Guards marched ont of Metz, bearing
their arms, which they subsequently laid down
at Frascati, and passed in review before the
Prince. This honor was accorded to them
alone. All the rest laid down their arms IN
the Metz arsenals, and then marched to their
cantonment outside the town. to await trans
portation. The Imperial Guards were received
by the Prussian troops with respect; not
ieering syllable was heard, nor an improperly
exultant look seen. Previously, at the Princes
review of the German troops, the cheering
was loud and long-continued.
At 4 p. m., the French companies that were
still mounting guard at the various gates OF
the city and at depOts and arsenals were re-
leved by Prussians, two regiments of infantry
and one of cavalry having entered the town.
The appointed military GovernOr-General, Won
Zastrow, the Commander of the Seventh Corps
took possession and control of the city and
fortress, where, he tells me, he expects to find
the portrait of one of his ancestors who was
at some early period also a military Governor
Of Metz.
EAZAINE's INTRIGUEs.
The tragedy was completed, but there is an
other side to the story which still remains to
be reviewed. According to the statement of
Gen. Won ZastrOw, who held the woods of
Vanx on the morning of August 10 (after the
battle of Gravelotte), Bazaine could have
avoided being inclosed in Metz. After he was
thus inclosod, he could have, according TO
Metzian statement, made a sortie and joined
MacMah0n more easily by far than MacMahon
could reach him. After most OF Bazanes cav
slry and artillery horses had been eaten, this
proceeding was of course more difficult still
his movements are said to have lacked deter
minatiOn, and, in the last two sorties, to have
been even frivolous. This is charged to plot
in behalf of the Regency by which tins army
was to try TO remain in stdta quo until the con-
clus0n of the war in Western France, and then
was to become available, with Prussian con-
cent, for BOnapartist purposes Bazaine HIM
self expected in that case to be the Governor
of the Prince Imperial and the virtual Regent.
Nearly all the Metzians seem 10 believe this;
and their most influential people have avOwed
such belief to me- Since the time Of the III
vestment, Bazaine has never been seen in the
camps except on extraordinary occasions; never
at all in the ambulances which are in part con-
structedn numerous railway box wagons on the
Place Royale. Equally seldom has he been seen in
The city. The civil authorities had TO find him
al the Barrier 81. Martin; he did not appear
al the City Hall once He rarely il ever, said