, 1870-10-12
FRANCE.
Appearance Of a Captured French
Town.
Feeling Of the People.
The Position OF J1cfz.


some account Of the everyday scenes and oo-
one remarks in this French town,
now in the quiet possession Of the Ptu=siAus.
md used by them a. 4 sort Of centre for the
reception and distribution OF wounded SOL
dieis, Being also the scene of considerable
military movements Of troops and munitions
of war passing through to Paris to complete
the investment Of that city
The valley of the Mosel'e his faz more beau
tiful regions than that in this immediate vi
cnity. The charms Of agreeabIy-intermingled
hill aud vale, stream and mountain, of smooth
aud fertile fields and pleasant woods, attain
here delightful perfection, and haya scarcely
been marred by the scourge Of war, Which las
swept 70 1nerrilessly over many Of the finest
portions Of this province. There il hill
clo+e By the town which rises to very con-
zide1aLle height, and commands = view Of
Metz on lhe north and Of Toul on the south
have climbed to its summit aud been richly
for my 1abor by the prospect there
spread out before me. True, could see lit
tie Of the unfortunate cities which are
prelongirg 20 obssiuately their desperate
struggle. except here tie wall OF fortress or
tlere the summit Vi tower; yet from the view
EDHlA bEt ~ eAC GN44%VNA u kDH ElNVUu WHICH
they occupy. wAs ready to believe, as the
FrtnrL condt.entIy do, that Metz, at lesst. ID
wesl.nigll ,mpregnable. It standa upon tie
most advantageous p"esible ground aud holds
Positions which cauuot be approached BY the
template. Metz" said au intelligent French
gentleman NTH whom l talked short time
nso, t' i1as ne.ef in the past been perfectly
ilScstsd, sud never carried by assault. aud
neser can he. bY ANY army which tho prus-
Sims can bring against 1t -
Whichever ~At looked, on Ill tho roads of
the surrounding country, winding in graceful
curves among the bills, l could SEQ moving
far below long lines Of soldiers infantry,
c1rA11y, artillery traiua Of construction aud
supply ambujancer, and all other paraphar-
tslia Of war In the zelda on either side
these martial movements, laborer. were
peacefully at work; rich harvests we're war-
ing. thrifty vines were growing, Osef the
tridge Which CROSSES tile Moscllc from the
cart 4 regiment Of p1ussian hussars,- led by
their mounted band, were gaily dashing into
the tuw1s, wlits there slowly passed them ia
the opposite direct .iou. moviag toward the
cemetery at the font Of the hilI. funeral cor
taEe Of two wagous laden each with Ave or
Xix LACK bva.d coftins, led By monks
in white robes aud n,Aiaena bearing
flowers. matshal1ed by priests. guarded
by prltelan soldiers, and followed by
long train, Of the poru!ace: probably the dead
were Ere nch soldiers fallen in the recent bat
tier, whom tile conquered people eagerly
sought this opportunity to honor; for there
10 France and hatred OF Germsny ia the
breaste Of these Ffeuehmen alti French wom-
eu. a Itch not a1l their suavity aud tact c4n
Disguise Nheu tgntu Of wagons loaded
NTH French and Trlrriau wounded stops in
une Of the streets, the people lock around
thesu. and while they press upon thu poor
fellows wlo wear red cap. and breeches as
much al they will accept Of every arti-
cle that the soldier p,izes, from bread and
ftMit to tobacco. cctEee. aud wine, they
pass in scofu or riience the poor fellows WHO
wear leather helmets ard carry needle guns.
I happened, III Fruesian ctticer, to be quar-
tett1 IL French ula1.siou, and il had hsen
the invited guest Of Madame. aud learls bDnnd
to hes fapsi!S. could not have been received
with mere exceeding grace and courtesy, get
th' unerr,ts tigns Of misery aud dest.air
showed themselves IN every look aud word,
snd not al her pride could repress tho tsars
Which SAW ter shed 1t the sight OF car
ltaIe pahsinE IL the street, which coutsiued
1our MGuuced French oficcrA, Hbom a guard
Of pr11sriaN -o!tli+rp was c=corting to the hog
pitai. Alheemolselle, her daughter, on the
other hand, whore s3'irits were not entirely
l'r, ken by misfortune, was wiling to seek
distraction tt'.nl present sorrows and t'RnMi
in the cuuyersatlop Of ons who, though nm
Willingly an enemy. yet ftul,1 meat,s to saow
hi~ goodwill toward at n,ar AMI wo1n. nkind.
ies, Wien ele learned that WAS an american,
the reproaclesl me bitterly for coming hero to
aid the aet6stel Tr11ssians in tleir tnerc1sas
invasion, and, explain hs would that It was
only to the succnr Of the wounded Of both
kidts that mr. efforts were directed, ! could
cot convince her that WAS not as bad u the
wretrhes who are oye.runing French eoll with
srms IN their hsn1s-untiaA \ number OF French
souu2ed fu|I to my care, and she vas per-
1ni,ted freely to join HitA mine her lAbors for
their comfort and relief
There ~ comu.otions church here. con-
nec.ed aitla nome tfav, siacio'.s buildings for
Iutrly u.ed A. 3 divinity y-schonI, which, ut
,'resent. serye admirably tht. purposes Of a
hospital. In the church are received the
wounded, erllo arc brought from tho Held hos
riiats at the iate OF frpm 800 to 500 day.
TheE come raarly all. from tho vicinity OF
Metz, and consist Of thoeo who arc able to be
removed, WHO were wnnhdea in The battles
which took plsce in the middle Of august
from the cburcl, they arc distributed accorrl-
i"e 10 thris rordiiton. The most -trions cases
are retained IN tha hospital. Those who arc
atle to tnar1e tIc Journey arc sent back to
Tire reserve hospitals. cf which almost every
city in Germany has at least one
Although tue surgeons. tho attendants and
she sahita1y supplies are aoupdaut hero, ali !
the air is heait!,ful aid salnbtions, pa'ie..ts
Do not make the most encouraging pr1gress.
and chit fly, think. for these two rcasnns
ltrss, they have teen under very nnfavorabla
conditions before their arrival here, during
their " ouLds whell many Vi them necessarily
suffered from neglect, and wese tnirezsb!y
i.ouscd and cared for. Second. they
are away from home- separated fEutn
their companions in arms, sur,
rounded b. atrnuge faces. and to.nented
1r anxiety and su.pepse.-a1l powerful. de-
l'resHinE irtluence5 in their effect upon sick
snen- The psursians ata in \ strange land
the land OF their b!tteyest enenses+ The
French are attended snd SURROUNDED Almost
entirely By those who speak deiesteti, ur..
familiar tongue and wear hated Uniform
Ind. though I.etlinE eau exceed the caro- and
tenderness Of the Sisters OF Charity, whose
devotion they equally show, sat that forn1ida-
lie maiAdy, honesickne<e--aH incnrAbie bert
~ the A>ia.c cilolela-makes Farsges among
them almost AZ fnghtfn1 ~ those of theil
1odilE INJURIES The difference quickly tfioM.
itself When = poor fellow wLo has b-en lau'
g2liel,iug fur weeks i. permitted to uaslett. .ke
The journey Lomo. Tie light Of hone, bright
| criEg his face. replaces tie spirislees loot
with which he waA wont 10 turn toSard the
wall eacll morning AZ tue surgeon left l:s he'd
and be submits cheerfully to every discon
| Ior1, thi, king only how fae: he will get vel
and strong ,aea'na, II only ho can 10 plAeGe
lut AkAlS AaAA'4Al&A E%CESS 0AaA AA4E4A4s
and faces Of hi home: Occasionally escl
rumLeTs Of wounded arc brought IN tEst thert
! arc neither places to Put them nor n11rscd
| 10 care fur them All nigh
lnpc the Sisters arc at work in the church
| dressing their wounda-A service new ant
strange to that sacred precinct. and tho poE1i
! cos al the seminary arc st1cwn with straw, th'
est led oetainable. where they arc laid uuti
they can ,se placed elsewhere. Tls forme
occupAhts of this spot, the Professors an.
| trieste. and monks 1ndt students. in thel
| lory-ekirtcd roles, their broad black hats aas
White eurplices, haunt the sceno ot thei
former lal o,s, moving about among theGuatstf
the hea1s Of wounded. the eje-ecrateeca1rldor
and wasted grounds With mc'auchol
cne which las been most completely ;1nde
:he cou.rol Of the priesthood. IS is shown b.
tue el.siner. and csrclhxas and relics on
avcryN here encounters. and. also. am roun
to say, BY The superstition and deErada:lo
III tie peuple- Nh4t religion or rule /. to
paramount here in future It is itlpo.sihIo I
cay. hut il II sale to predict thst the Euti
.Lueks whics, The lson;i=t: Hierarchy Is seeeis
iag. from within or withcat. in these =Fea
i in! DAYS, will either charge It or destroy it.
/ lui,e t0 have something to FAY when
v.ite again. abuut the sanitary reEn}stlons {
i,,e PEueeian srn*, theiT system OF hotplsal
AID TIC voluntary aid which this people &:
:crd to the army by their societies auaioGo1
to our Sanitary Commission. AID may JUS!
! rcp11se thas there will be little it MY Ie;s,
tsum which those who we're familiar nth II
so.kiusn ct our soldiers aid societies Al
Sanitary Commission. during ouf own Vi
ran ot,aiu further knowledge or better met
ode. The Prussiaus arc, ipdeed- behind Il
arr in many important surgical aud hsgiei
eal particulars. Il. 5. L.