The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-01
THE BURNING OF BAzEILLES.

AlIesed eyed Horrible Brutality Of the Pru.slans
The following is a translation of the text OF the
Duke OF Fitz-James' letter on the burning of
Bazeilles addressed to the London Tin"s in French
The Duke OF Fltz-James, it may be observed, is
neither Napoleonist nor Republican. He is the
head OF the semi-royal family of the Fitz-Jameses
descendants of the great Marshal Duke Of Berwick,
the sOH of James ii OF England
Sir:-1 have come from Sedan. Since we left
Chal0ns have not quilted our courageous though
unfortunate army. Charged in company with the
Prince Of Sagan with the duty of placing the am
balances of the international Society tor aiding the
wounded wherever they might best render the SER
vices which entitled them to general gratitude, l
have seen every field Of battle from Beaumont to
sedan, upon which our soldiers, crushed by num-
bers, have fallen g,oriously for France. / might
sir give long, mournful recital OF all that have
seen; but in the face OF the new dangers which
menace my country, l will only speak OF what
took place st BaZees. l wish 10 utter but
one cry OF Indignation BaZeies is near the Meuse,
about eight kilometres from Sedan. on the evening
of August 81 the brave villagers, seeing the enemy
arrive, assumed their uniforms as National Guards
and aided the army In their defense against Bava-
rian corps and against the Division Shaeler and
Erfut, OF the 4th Corps OF the Prussan Reserve.
The French army was repulsed. The enemy entered
Bazeilles, and then began scenes OF horror aud OF
excess without name which stain forever those
who commit them. The Bavarians and Prusslans,
to punish the Inhabitants for defending themselves
set fire to the village. The greater portion OF the
National Guards were killed; the population
had taken refuge in the cellars: women and chit
dren all were burned; of two thousand souls,
scarcely three hundred are left who tell how they
saw Bavarians pnshing back whole families into the
fomes and shooting down women who wanted to
run away. saw with my own eyes the smoking
ruins Of this wretched village there is not single
house standing. stencil OF burnt human flesh
makes the stomach revolt. have the bodies
Of the inhabitants cacined their doOrsteps. This.
Mr. Editor, cannot allow to remain unknown. War
has its rgors, but 1t has also its rules based on the
laws CT honor and humanity. Those laws, you Ba-
varians, you Prussians who were at Bazeies, have
in oeen otn K1ateu you lou p vSa mdrG osgraSeu
tory, to Judge you. l ask whether you
have the right to lay down a principle that
you may slaughter the women and children OF vii
lage whose inhabitants, seeing you arrive, defend
their homes and their country. In every case the
National Guard Is regular troop, regular as the
fourth and fifth ban CT your Landwehr You had
even, In the name OF your own terrible system, the
right to burn Bazeilles you killed for.killing sake
you conducted Yourselves like savages, and not like
soldiers. This, Mr.. Editor, is what feel duty upon
me to write and to submit to the Judgment of all
men. Most respectfully, Due DE FITZ JAMES.
Paris. Sentemher IL 1870.