The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-09-15


fires smoking, soup having not long ago
been eateL | continued ascending. and
everywhere passed reserve corps of intan-
try and artillery. | got higher and higher,
from hillocs to hilock, till reached bat
terry OF resdve, the guns of which we're un-
llmbered ali placed facing the rear of tt e
French LETT This battery was so pointed
as to fire over crest of rising ground on
which | stood, about a quarter of a mile
in front ofl little church yard. Here stood
also severlI officers of the different corps
stationed On my right and eft-all of the
reserve. FROM the point had now reach
ed charming scene was in view. The
krench line of battle extended right in
front of aud spreading on slope of ground
which forms One side of the basis of the
Neuse. In front of the center of the
French line, and lower dowa in the vale,
was the village Of Bazeies, then beginning
to burn, the P-ussian balls having set fire
to it. Parallel almost to the front of the
French position ran the Meuse, crossed by
a bridge lttl. to the left of Bazeiiles.
The French right was upon a kind of
wooded ground icld bv nltrailleurs. The
wooded ground extended near the grounds
of Sedan. The French left was lost to my
sight behind these irregularities of ground.
Toward the road to Bouillon, AS far as
could see right aud left IN front of NE
we're massed regiments Of all arms: but
toward the left, IN the second line was
very large force of heavy cavalry, dag
goons and cuirraSiers. The sun was shin
ing brightly, and everything plainly visi-
Bile. The gIitteripg of weapons, the bright
AMI snowy colors Of the French uniforms,
the white smoke curling under the blue
sky or lingering, vapor-like. beneath the
trees, the cracking flames rising from the
burning village of BaZaiiles, the whole
seen from commanding position, formed
a spectacle one seldom finds himself in
I osition to witness. The principal Prus
sian batteries were directly opposite the
French center on a plateau or table land
which terminated abruptly and made it a
very strong position. For some time can
continued on both sides At ,
0 o'clock a force of Prussian infantry ad>
vanced across the bridge in the village Of
Donzy and Immediately there began very
sharp fusiilade, lasting, however, not mere
than ten minutes. | think the French
must have lost ground in that encounter,
| could not see for some trees
that intervened; bat battery of six mi
trailleurs advanced and opened a fire
through the trees. Six voleys came all at
once. The Prussians fell hurriedly back
leaving whole ranks behind which had gone
down like leaden soldiers chiliren play
with. About 4:30 firing had ceased every
where. The village which bad been baz
ing all day was still smoking. The French
remained in the same position though the
day had apparently been without result
Its description Is a necessary prelude to
the bitter story of the morrow. At $50 [
returned to town. The Emperor, who had
arrived during the night, had issued
proclamation, which was pasted on the
wall, saying he had confided the command
)f the armies to the general whom public
opinion had seemed to select as the most
light as an officer, forgetting for while
MS position as sovereign.
The next morning, Thursday, | returned
as soon as the gates of the town were
opened, to my post of observation on the
elevation ground where battery was still
placed. The French positions did not seem
20 me much altered, but the right was now
IN the other side Of Sedan. At clock
;annonading began In earnest, some light
having taken place earlier
The Prussian batteries facing Us appeared
o me much more more numerous; indeed,
t seemed there were batteries everywhere
They roared from every point Of the Prus-
ian line, which then stretched nearly par
lllel, in front of the French. [ could follow
he falling of their shells, which exploded
Is they touched the ground and fell with
wonderful precision. | noticed how quickly,
.lso, they changed aud corrected their fire
A soon as French corps took up positioL
t was instantly assailed by shells. The
irst would perhaps fall few feet short or
beyond, but the third was most sure to
ind its way to the troops and do its awful
work among them. French shells, on the
contrary, exploded generally before they
reached the ground, and the smoke of the
explosion formed innumerable little clouds
1t different heig hts, some so high that
hey could do no harm to the enemy. |
noticed some inexplicable movements. A
lew squadrons of German cavalry made as
f they would charge French force which
was toward the left. Immediately two
regiments of French cavalry charged in
turn upon the German squadron, which
ell back and fed; but at the same moment
The German corps Of infantry opened
fire upon those too eager French
cavalry, and they came back badly shat
ered from their rash pursuit. About 9
D clock | could not help tancying that the
Germans were seeming to extend further to
The left, for, on asking whether certain
new batteries were French, | was told they
we're Prussians The Prussian line was
evidently curling round US. | have learned
since that the Crown Prince had crossed
the Meuse, during the night, about five
leagues from Sedan, and this had not been
known to McMahon. A large force Of
Bavarians must also have arrived after the
ment of the battle, for it was
Bavarian troops who began pounding us
from the left At halfpa 10 the advance
IF the Prussians was perceptible on both
wings. At tie same time some French
infantry, which was close to town on the
east side, gave way, it seemed to me rather
luickly. Soon after, shells were coming
from behind my left, and it became evident
the French position had been turned, and
that fresh German corps had taken posi-
ton in our rear. The reserves We're now
obliged to be directed against these points.
The battery near where | stood was already
in action, and | thought it quite time to
beat retreat The place was becoming as
dangerous as any in the field Among
guns close to me- the prussian shells hecan