The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-10-22
THE BATTLE OF SEDAN.

ILL DAI1bh VI NhDAIs
French Accounts-Drendfal Carnage ON both
MISUNDERSTANDING Rout of the French
-McMnhon's Surrender.
A New York Tribune correspondent, a French
officer in McMahon's army, who witnessed the
battle of Sedan on the French side, and the rout,
and was shut up in Sedan with the French army,
having been released, reached London with the
following account:
SEDAN, Sept. 3.-Early in the morning of the
3lst orders were given to bring into town all
wagons, trains, and oxen which had been left
outside the glacis. By this time the streets were
blocked up by troops of every kind, which had
entered the town during the night, | tried to ride
down to Porte de Paris, where the train was
stationed to carry orders. l was obliged to get
off my horse and make my way as best 1 could
between horses and caissons, which checked up
every street and square of the town. As I
reached the Porte de Paris, / met the wagon
train entering as fast as possible, followed closely
by the rushing oxen, and intermingled in Weep
ing and terror, the stricken peasantry of the
neighborhood flying into town for protection.
They little knew it was about the worst place
they could have chosen. The gates on that side
were Immediately closed, while the troops slowly
filed through the opposite gate towards Douzy,
where all McMahons forces were posted, expect
ing to be again attacked by the Prussians, who
had closely followed up the French army. About
ten O'Clock that morning some cannonading was
heard six or seven miles away toward the village
of Bazeilles. L went up on the rampant looking
over the country IN that direction. Thence I
could see the Prussian position, and with my
glass could watch the firing plainly, but conld
not see the French lines well, which were hid
from me by trees about a mile from town.. l,
therefore, at noon, walked out of town at the
Porte de Palan, and assembled, on nv left, the
rising Or0nnd which Ia close nv tho foup not
more than half a mile from the gate. 1 passed
through regiments of reserve infantry. Their
arms were piled and the fires smoking, soup
having not long ago been eaten. | continued as
cending, and everywhere passed reserve corps of
infantry and artillery. l got higher and higher,
from hillock to hillock, titled | reached a battery
of reserve, the guns of which were unlimbered,
and placed facing the rear of the French left.
This battery was SO pointed as to fire over the
crest of rising ground on which l stood, about a
quarter of a mile in front of the little church
yard. Here stood also several officers of the
different corps, stationed on my right and left,
all of the reserve. From the point 1 had now
reached, a charming scene was in view. The
French line of battle extended right in front,
spreading on the slope of ground which forms
one side of this basin of the Mense. In front OF
the centre French lines, and lower down in the
vale was the village of Bazeilles, then beginning
to burn, the Prussian shells having set fire to it.
Parallel almost to the front of the French posi-
tions ran the Mouse. The French right was upon
a kind of wooded ground, held by mitrailleurs.
The wooded ground extended near the grounds OF
Sedan. The French left was lost to my sight be-
hind the Irregularities of ground, toward the
road to BOuillion. AS far as l could see, right
and left, in front of me-, were massed regiments
of all arms, but toward the left on the second
line, was a very large force OF heavy cavalry.
dragons and cuirassiers. The sun was shining
brightly and everything was plainly visible. The
4 H. I-.-Ik ID -l~,--
colors of the French uniforms, the white smoke
curling under the blue sky, or lingering, vapor-
like, beneath the trees, the cracking flames arising
from the burning village Of Bazeilles,- the whole
seen from a commanding position, formed a
spectacle one seldom finds himself in a position
to witness. The principal Prussian batteries
were directly opposite the French centre on a
plateau, or table land, which terminated abruptly,
and made it a very strong position. For some
time cannonading continued on both sides. Al
two O'Clock a force of Prussian infantry advanced
across the bridge in the village of Douzy, and
Immediately there began a very sharp fusilade,
lasting, however, not more than ten minutes. i
think the French must have lost ground in that
encounter, although l could not see for some
trees that interviewed, but a battery of six mitrail.
leurs advanced and opened fire through the trees.
Six volleys came all at once. The Prussians fell
hurriedly back, leaving whole ranks behind,
which had gone down like leaden soldiers children
H1y "Aeh <hoOu ituAA- HdGb lOuA III lIu CCdcOO
everywhere. The village, which had been blazing
all day, was still smoking. The French remained
in the same position, though the day had ap-
parently been without result. It's description is
a necessary prelude to the bitter story of the
morrow. At h~alf-past five 1 returned to town.
The Emperor, who had arrived during the night,
had issued a proclamation, which was posted on
the wall, saying he had confded the m OF
the armies to the Generals whom public opinion
had seemed to select as the most capable, and
that he himself intended to fight as an officer,
forgetting for a while his position as sovereign.
The next morning Thursday L returned as the
gates OF the town were opened to my post of OBJ.
s~ervation on the elevated ground where the bat.
terry was still placed. The French positions did
not seem to me much altered, but the right was
now on the other side of Sedan. AT seven O'Clock
cannonading began in earnest, some slight firing
having taken place earlier. The Prussian bat.
teries facing US appeared to me much more
numerous. Indeed, it seemed that there were
batteries everywhere. They roared from every
point of the Prussian line, which then stretched
nearly parallel in front of the French. L could
follow the falling of their shells which exploded
as they touched the ground, and fell with won.
derful precision. l noticed how quickly, also,
they changed and corrected their fire. AS soon
as a French corps took a position, it was In.
stantly assailed by shells. The first would, per-
haps, fall a few feet short or beyond, but the
and do its awful work among them. The French
shells, on the contrary, exploded generally before
they reached the ground, and the smoke of ex-
plOsion formed innumerable little clouds at differ.
ent heights, some so high that they could do nc
harm to the enemy. / noticed some inexplicable
movements. A few squadron of Prussian cavalry