New-York tribune., 1870-09-06

disarm and capture every man IN French uni
form who sets his foot in their country, we
shat at once follow the enemy into neutral
territory with our troops considering that the
French have been the first TO violate the Bel
gian soil. | have been down TO have look
at the Belgian troops near the frontier
added Count Bismarck, "and / confess they
do not inspire me with a very high opinion
of their martial ardcr or discipline. when
they have their great-coats on, one can see
great deal of paletot but hardly any soldier
BIsMARcK's FIRST MISTAKE.
asked His Excellency where he thought
the Emperor was: ain SedanY "0h, no"
was the reply; "NapOleon is not very wise,
but he is not so foolish as to put himself in
Sedan just now.r For once in his life, Count
Bismarck was wrong.
At 2:45 the King came TO the place where |
was standing. He remarked that he thought
the French were about TO try to break out
Just beneath us, in front Of the Second Bayarian
Corps. At $50 Gen. Sheridan told me that
Napoleon and Louis were in Sedan.
BRAVERY OF THE BAvARIANs.
AT 3:20 the Bavarans below us not only
contrived to get themselves inside the
Notifications of Sedan, but to maintain
themselvest here, working their way for
ward from house to house. About a. there
was q great fight for the possession OF the
ridge above Bazeille. That carried, Sedan
was swept on all sides by the Prussian can
non. This point of vantage was carried at
440. When carried there could no longer be
a shade of doubt as to the ultimate fate OF
Sedan.
FLAG OF TRUCE.
About 5 o'clock there was again a sudden
suspension of the cannonade along the whole
line. Many were the specuations as to the
cause, but nobody seemed to divine the truth.
You must Judge of our surprise when, five
minutes later, we saw French officer escorted
by two Uhlans coming at a handsome trot up
the steep bridle-path from Sedan to our post,
one of the Uhlans carrying white duster on
a faggot-stick as flag of truce. The mesSen-
ger turned out to be a French colonel, come
TO ask for terms of surrender. After very
short consultation between the King and
Gen. Won MOltke, the messenger was
told by the General that, In mat
ter so important as the surrender
of at least $4,000 men, and an important for
tress. it was necessary to send an officer of
high rank. "You are therefore" said the
General. "to return to Sedan and tell the
Governor of the town to report himself lmme-
diately to the King Of Prussia. If he does not
arrive within an hour, our guns Will again
omen fire. You may tell the commandant that
there is no use of his trying TO obtain any
other terms than unconditional surrender"
The parIementaire rode back with this message
When he was fairly out of ear-shot his mis-
sion was most eagerly canvassed.
At $50 there arose a sudden cry among the
members of the Kings staff" Der Kaiser ist
da r'-and then came a loud hurrah. Soon
we began to look anxiously for the arrival of
the second flag of truce. In ten minutes more
Gen. Reilly rode up with a letter for the King |
of Prussia.
THE EMPERoR's SURRENDER.
As soon as the French General was in sight,
the slender escort of cuirassers and dragons
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, ready 10 receive Gen. Reilly. That
officer. as we soon learned, was the bearer of
an autograph letter from the Emperor Napo-
leon to King William. The Emperor Of the
French wrote: : " As | cannot die at the head
of my army, lay nay sword at the feet of
your Majesty" [' Ne pOurdnt pas mourir a Ia
t6te de mon ar1p6e, je rienS METRE mon {pee dur
pieds de rotrs MGjestf'l
Why Napoleon III could not die, as did
thousands Of his soldiers, sword in hand, with
Lis face to the foe, is not so clear.
On receipt of this most astounding letter,
there was a brief consultation between the
King, the Crown Prince, who had come over
from his hill on the arrival of the flag of
truce, Count Bismarck Gen. Won Moltke, and
Gen. Won Room. After few minutes CONVEX
sation, the King sat down on a rush-bOttomed
chair, and wrote a note (on another chair held
rs q table by two aides-de-camp) to the En-
peror, asking him to come next morning to
the King of Prussia's headquarters at Ven
dresse.
SHERIDAN CONGRATULATEs BISMARCK.
While the King was writing this note Count
Bismarck came up to Gems. Sheridan and
FORSYTH, and myself, and heartily shook our
hands. "Let me congratulate yOu most sin
cerely. Count said Gen. Sheridan. 81 can
only compare the surrender of Napoleon TO
that of Gen. Lee at Appomattox Court-House."
When it came my turn to grasp the Chan
cellor,s hand | could not help saying, after
had warmly congratulated him:
"You cannot but feel pride, Count Bis
marek. in having contributed SO largely TO
the winning of to-day's victory
"Oh! no, my dear Sir" was the mild answer;
I am no strategist, and have nothing to do
with the winning of battles. What | am proud
of is that the Bavarians, the SaXons, and the
Wurtembergers have not only been on our
side, but have bad so large share-the
largest share-in the glory of the day; that
they are with us, and not against us. That
il nv doing. | don't think the French will