The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-09-13
THE WAR IN EUROPE
Details of NapOleon's Surrender
King Williams Meeting with
His Prisoner.
THE SURRENDER OF NAPOLEON.

L
une was at the Kings headquarters du
riag the great battle of Thursday, Sep
tember l, which resulted in the surren-
der of Napoleon and the French army
Generals Sheridan and Forsyth were
also with the King. After giving the
details of the battle for the possession
OF Sedan, the correspondent narrates
the incidents of the surrender. We
quote:
About FIVE o'clock there was again a
Sudden suspension of the cannonadno
along the whole line. Many were tic
speculations as to the cause, but nobody
seemed to divine the truth. You NAV
Judge of our surprise, when four min
utes later We saw a French officer, es-
corted by two Uhlans, coming at hard
trot up the steep bridal path from Sedan
70 our post, oneof the Ublans carrying
q White duster on figgot stick as flag
OF truce. The messenger turned out to
be a French Colonel, come to ask terms
of surrender. After a very short con-
sultation between the King and General
Won Moltke, the messenger was told
that in Il matter so important as the sur
FENDER of at least eighty thousand men
and an important fortress, 1T was neces-
sary to send an officer of high rank =
lyon are therefore to return to Sedan
and tell the Governor of the town to
report himself Immediately to the King
OF Prussia. Ii he does not arrive in
one hour our guns will again open fire.
You may tell the commander that there
is no use Of his trying to obtain any
other terms than unconditional surren-
der.'' The parlementidre rode back
with the message. When he was fairly
out OF earshot his mission was most ca.
gerly canvassed. At half-past six there
arose sudden cry among the men,
bers of the Kings staff, "Der Kaiser list
da, = and then came a loud hurrah. Soon
we began to look anxlously for the sec
ond flag of truce, and in ten minutes
more General Reilly rode up with let
ter for tue King of Prussia. As soon
as the French General was. in sight the
| slender escort of cuirassours and dra-
goons we had with us was drawn up in
line, two deep, behind the King. In
front of the escort was the staff, and ten
yards in front of them again stood his
Majesty, King William, Of Prussia, tole
ceive General Reilly. That officer, as
we soon learned, was the bearer of an
autograph letter from the Emperor Ma
lpoleon to King William. The Emperor
I of the French wrote:
."'As can not die at the head of my
army, lay my sword at the feet of your
Majesty, (alNe pourant pas moarire a
Ia tete dc non arnaes, jc ciens metre mon
epee dag pieds de votre Mejesta.
On receipt Of this most astounding
letter there was brief consultation be-
tween the King, the Crown Prince, who
had just come over from his hill on the
arrival of the flag Of truce, Count Bis
marck, Generals Won Moltke and Won
Room. After a few minutes conversa-
ton the King sat down On rush bottom
chair and wrote note on another. held
as table by two of his aides-de-camp.
to the Emperor, begging him to come
next morning to the King of Prussia's
headquarters at Vendres.
While this note was being written
Count Bismarck came up TO Generals
Sheridan and Forsythe and my.
self and heartily shook our hands.
Let me congratulate you most sincere
ly, Count" said General Sheridan. 81
can only compare the surrender of Ma
poleon to that of General Lee at Apo
mattox Court House" When 1t came
my turn to grasp the Chancellot's hand.
| could not help saying, after / had
warmly congratulated him: '.You can
not but feel pride, Count Bismarck, in,
having contributed so largely to the
winning of to days victory "0h, no.
my dear sir" was the mild answer, Il
am no strategist, and have nothing to do
with the winning Of the battle-what |
am proud of is that the Bavarians, the
SaSons and the Wurtembergers have
not only been on our side, but have had
SO largea sharethe largest share, in
the glory OF the day !; that they are with
us and not against u.s. That is my do
ling. ! 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
no one knew, and / think that no one
cared where THAT small, young man was.
When the King had written his letter,
he himself handed it to General Reilly,
who stood bareheaded to receive it, the
Italian and Crimean medals glittering on
his breast in the fading twilight Queen
Victoria's s image. and superscription have
not often been seen on the uniforms of
men surrendering without conditions.
Attwenty minutes to eigh. General
Reilly left for the beleaguered town, es
corted by the Uhlans. Then there was
La general demand for something to
drink, and Count Bismarck's aid de
camp produced two bottles Of Belgian
beer. One. of them His Excellency
shared with General Sheridan.
KING WILLIAMS MEETING WITH NAPOLEON.
BERLIN, September 5.-The following
dispatch has been received from the
King to the Queen:
'VARENNEs, September 4-S A. M
What thrilling moifient was that at my,
meeting with Napoleon. He was de-
jected, but dignifed: / assigned as his
place of immediate stay, Williamhoh.
near Cassel. Our meptino took Mace at
a small country place opposite the wes-
tern glacis Of Sedan. When summoned
to 1t | was in the saddle, inspecting the.
positions before the place. You must
imagine my reception among the troops
1t was indescribable. Their exultation
was overwhelming. At dusk ended a
five-hours' ride, and a. in the morning
returned hither. May God aid us fur
ther '.WILHELM."
NAPOLEON AT THE PRUssIAN HEAbQUAR-
5