New-York tribune., 1870-09-05

the PruSS1ln rlRnt, under GTlnce hDeTt OI
SaxOny, were also marching rapidly, to close
on the doomed French army on the right bank
of the Meuse, which they had crossed at Re-
mlly on Tuesday, the 3Oth, in the direction of
La Chapelle, q small village of $50 inhabitants
on the road from Sedan to BouillOn i'll Bel
GUM, and the last village before crossing the
frontier
Anything more splendid than the mems march
ing it would he impossible to imagine. ! saw
men lame in both feet hobbling along in the
ranks, kind comrades less footsOre carrying
their needle-guns. 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
battle, which all felt sure would come OIL
on the morrow. The Bavarians, who, 1t
is generally believed, do not march 20
well as they fight, were in the CEN
ter, between us at Chemery and Sedan, en-
camped around the woods of La Marfee,
famous for a great battle in 1641, during the
wars of the League. When ! had seen the last
regiment dash through-for the pace at which
they went can really not be called marching"
past eight in the evening for Vendresse where
the Kings headquarters were, and where L
hoped to find house-rOOm for man and beast,
especially the latter, as being far the most I'M
portant on the eve of a great battle.
When got within about half mile of
Vendresse. going at steady trOt, a sharp
"Halt!n rang out through the clear air.
brought my horse to stand-still, knowing
that Prussian sentries are not to be tTlf1ed
with As pulled up 20 yards off, | heard the
clicks of their locks as they brought their
weapons to full cock and covered me. My
reply being satisfactory, l logged on into Ven
desse, and my mare and myself had soon for
gotten sentinels, forced marches. and coming
battles, one of us on the straw, the other on
the floor.
THE START FOR THE BATTLEFIELD.
At seven Thursday morning my servant came
to wake me, saying that the Kings horses
were harnessing, and that His Majesty would
leave in half-an-hour for the battlefield, and
as a 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 i 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,
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
II WAS impossibe to ride fast, all the roads
being blocked with artillery, ammunition
wagons, ambulances, etc. As i rode on TO the
crest of the hill which rises sharply about 600
or 700 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
limited States army remarked to me later IN
the day. it would have been worth the coming,
merely to see so splendid scene, without
''battle's magnifcently stern array" In the
lovely valley below us, from the knoll on which
| stood with the King and his staff, we could
see not only the whole Valley of the Meuse (or
Mas as the Germans love to call the river that
Lois XIV stole from them), but also, beyond
the great woods of Bois dc Loup and Franch-
eval into Belgium and as far as the hlliy forest
of Numo on the other side of the frontier
Right at our feet lay the little town OF Sedan'
famous for it's Notifications by Vauban ana as
the birthplace of Turenne-the great Marshal.
1t is known also as the place where sedan chalrs
originated. As we were only about two ana a
quarter miles from the town we could easily
distinguish its principal editices without the
aid of our field glasses. On the left was a
pretty church, its Gothic spire OF sandstone
offering a conspicuous target for the Prussiah
guns. had Gen. Moltke thought fit to lombard
the town To the right, on the southeast OF
the church, was q large baTraCk, with the 1ortl-
fcations of the citadel Behind it and beyond
this to the southeast again was the old chateau
of Sedan, with picturesque, round-turreted
towers of the sixteenth century, very useless
even against r-pounder Krupp feld-pieces.
This building, | 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 nils
on both sides the river which rams IL front OF
the citadel.
A GRAVE FRENCH BLUNDER.
The French had flooded the low meadows
in the valley before coming 10 the railway
bridge at Bazeille, in order to stop tAe
Germans from advancing on the town IN that
direction With their usual stupidity dor one
can find no other word for it, the French had
foiled to mine the bridge at Bazeille, and 1t
was OF immense service to the Prusslans
throughout the battle. The Pfussians actually
threw up earthworks on the iron bridge itself
10 protect it from the French, who more
than once attempted early in the day to
storm the bridge, in the hope of breaking
the Bavarian communication between the ughi
and left banks of the Meuse. This they were
unable TO do; and although their canuon-Shot
have almost demolished the parapct the bridge
itself was never materially damaged.
POSITION OF THE CONTENDING FORCES.
4.-..- 1900. r. a., J;Il .ro,,-r al