The Republican journal., 1870-09-15
THE GREAT BATTLES.

The correspondent of the New York Tri-
bune. with the Prussian army, telegraphs the
following account of the tremendous engage
death Of McMahon and the surrender Of the
French emperor and his army
LONDON, Saturday, Sept. ), 1870
The following dispatch is from the special
correspondent of The Tribune at the head
quarter of the King of Prussia, eight miles
from Sedan, Thursday night, Sept, /. 1870.
FORCED MARCH.
On the evening of Wednesday, from to s
O'Clock, | was at the Crown Princes quarters
at Chemery, a village some Is miles from Sc
dan to the south-south-West on the main road.
At half-past five we saw that there was
great movement among the troops cncampcd
all around us, and we thought at first that the
King was riding through the bivouacs; but
soon the 51th regiment came pouring through
the village, their band playing Die 9r0cM nm
Rhclm ls they marched along with q swing
ing stride | saw at once by the mems faces
that something extraordinary was going on.
1t was soon plain that the troops were i'll the
lightest possible marching order. All their
knapsacks were left behind, and they were
carrying nothing but cloaks slung around
vivants had retained their camp-kettlcs. But
if the camp-kettles were lett behind, the
cartouche-cases were there hanging heavily
in front of the mems belts, unbalanced, us
they ought to be. by the knapsacks. Soon |
learned that the whole Prussian corps-those
lent from Prince Frederick Charlcs's army,
he Second Army and the Crown Princes
were making forced march to the left in the
direction of Donchcry and Mezieres, in order
| to shut in McMahon's army in the west, and
so drive them against the Belgian frontier.
| learned from the officers of the Crown
Princes staff that at the same time, while we
were Watching regiment after regiment pass
through Chcmcry, the SaXons and the Guards,
50, 900 strong, on the Prussian right, under
Prince Albert Of Saxony, were also marching
rapidly, to close on the doomed French army
on the right bank of the Mouse, which they
had crossed at Remilly on Tuesday, the 50th
in the direction Of La Chapellc, Il small viii
lage of $50 inhabitants on the road from Sc
dan to Bouillan in Belgium, and the last vii
lagc before crossing the frontier,
Anything more splendid than the mems
marching it would be impossible to imagine.
saw Elcn lame in both feet hobbing along
in the ranks, kind comrades less lootsore
carrying their needle e-guns. Those who Were
actually incapable Of putting one foot before
another, had pressed peasants wagons and
every available conveyance into service, and
were following in tho roar, so ao to - luauy
for the great battle, which all felt sure would
come of on the morrow. The Bavarilns,
who, it is generally believed, do rot march
50 we'll as they fight, were in the center, be
tween us at Chemery and Sedan, cncamped
around the woods of La Marfee, famous for
Il great battle in 1911, during the wars Of the
League When had seen the last regiment
dash through-for the pace at which they
went can really not be called ''marching" i'll
the ordinary scnse--I rode off about Il quar-
ter past eight in the evening for Vcndrcssc
where the Kings headquarters We're, and
where | hoped to find housc-room for man
and beast, especially the latter, rs being far
the most important on the eve Of u great bat
/ tie.
When | got within about half u mile of
'IIalt y rang out through the clear air. |
brought my horse to u stand-still, knowing
that Prussian sentries are not to be tritlcd
with As | pulled up 20 yards off, | heard
the clicks of their locks Us they brought their
weapons to full cock and covered me. Ny
reply being satisfactory, | logged Oh into
Vcndcsse, and my mare and myself had soon
forgotten sentinels, forced marches, and COM
inr battles, one of us on the straw, the othcl
on the floor.
TIE START FOR THE BArTLE-FIELD
AT seven Thursday morning my servan
came to wake me, saying that the King
horses were hamessing, and that his Males
ty would leave in half-an-hour for the battle
, field, and as Il cannonade had already beer
heard near Sedan, dumped up, seized crust
of bread, wine, cigars, etc, and cramme,
them into my holster, taking my breakfas
on the way.
5 Just. as got to my horse, King William
f drove out in an open carriage with fou
c horses, from Chevangc, about three and
n half miles south of Sedan. Much againS