Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-10-20


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CfOBER 90, 1870 -s
PRINCE FREDERIC CHARLES OF
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The dispatches bring news Of the death
By typhoid fever, At the Chateau Of Fer
rieres, Of one Of the most brilliant of the
German commanders nov in Rvaace. and
onsbf ths noss distinguished Of the many
distinguished soldiers Who have sprung
from the royal and military stock Of the
Prince Frederic Charles of Prussia, who
co0nanded the army OF the eonfederased
Germsas before Metz, was the eldest son
Of the oldest living brother Of King vii.
liam Of Prussia BY his marriage with q
princess Of the house Of e-Weimar.
Prince Frederic Charles the younger
was born in March, 1928. In 1854 be
married the Princess Mary Of Anhalt- Des.
san. BY whom he Ind four children, all ol
whom survive him. The Prince. although
still comparatively young man Of forty.
two. has closely linked his name with the
military renown Of Prussia. He first BE-
came prominent in lS4S. in the Schles.
wig Holstein campaign, by his vigorous
procedure in important movements. In
1S49 the Prince was a staff officer of the
present King, then Prince of Prussia, and
fought in Baden against liberty and the
people. He was at Wiesenthal, where he
was wounded in little affair in which he
distinguished himself by his daring cour-
age. AT the head Of a squadron of only
81 Royal Prussian Hussars he captured
400 Badenese republican infantry. This.
of course, raised the confidence of his SOL
diers to almost personal devotion.
They were delighted to see Prince of the
blood sabre in hand and running the same
risks as common soldier. The Prince
gave proofs of the highest military talent
and energy in the memorable campaign Of
1854 in Schleswig- Holstein. He was ap-
pointed Commandant of the Third Army
Corps. of which, after the resignation OF
Won Wrangel, he took full command
His brilliant conduct in the Duppel trench.
es earned him a serious place in military
history, and entitled him. as much as such
services can, to the gratitude of the ma
tion. At the commencement Of the cam
psign of 1866 against Austria the Prince
received command in the First Army.
From his boyhood the Prince had shown
passion for arms. His very sports had
soldierly tendency, and he would lay
his boyish plans for the maneuvring OF
his small bodies Of troops. while he was
managing his play batteries, against the
opposing forces of his young comrades.
and the issue of the day was often deci-
ded in his favor by some deep-laid flank
movement which threw the adversary com
pletely into his power. With years as we
have seen, this youthful taste was enlarg.
ed INTO bolder and more decided action.
He became . man of war in the true sense
Of the word. Untiring in the discharge
of his duties, sincere and affable, it was
found that his forethought had prepared.
in most grave emergencies, all that the
exigency of the moment required. He
was literally idolised by his men. who met
him with beaming eyes, and would run
any risk to win his favor, knowing as they
did that the Prince shared all their perils
and privations. One word of praise from
him was doubled in value by their knowl-
edge of his own experience of the value OF
bravery. His handling ofthe Pirst Army
Of Prussia in the campaign which ended
with koniggratz gave him really high
reputation abroad as well as at home, and
confirmed the European celebrity which
he had won by his careful military work
on the true method Of fighting the French
army. This book, to which recent events
have given a peculiar interest, exhibits an
extraordinary insight into the real condi-
tiou Of the French army at a time when
that army was generally regarded a. the
highest existing model Of all soldierly quail.
tiles. Prince Frederic Charles saw no,
less clearly than General Trochu himself
the weak points Of this dazzling organiza.
ton, the relaxing influences at work on il
Of its African aud Mexican experience,
and those leading defects Of the French
soldier which any commander undertaking
to make war in France must contrive to
turn to the advantage Of his own troops.
Naturally enough, then, in the presen,
war Prince Frederic Charles has played Q
very conspicuous part.
At the opening Of the campaign of the
Rhine the German armies were divided
into three corps, of which the Crown
Prince took the left, advancing agains
MacMahon BY Weissenburg; Steinmet,
the right, advancing against Metz and
Frcssard; and the King in person, with
Frederic Charles as commaudant. the Gen.
tire, covering Mayence and Treves. The
Prince issued his first order taking com
mand on the 9th Of August. Forbac}
had been fought, and Steinmetz bad mad.
good footing. weissenburg crushed Mac
Mahon's corps and laid open the road Il
the capital. We next hear of Frederi,
Charles in action near Pont-a-Mousson
midway between Metz and Nancy, on the
line of the Moselle, keeping Bazaine a
bay while the Crown Prince follows NJ
and finishes MacMahon's fugitives. II,
now aided in preventing Bazaine frou
crossing the Moselle. and in the hcav,
battles Of Grayelctte and Vionville, be
fore Metz, he was instrumental in fcrcin.
the French hack upon the Belgian from
! tier. After the crowning victory Of Sedan