The Evansville journal., 1870-08-20


ave rarely seen. At Remagen there I
we're a few hilarious old gentlemen,
the dignitaries of the Vicln-
ty, who added boquets and sWeetcakes
o their donations Of beer, and sang
patriotic songs In cracked voices,
which were quite refreshing. At
and towns nearer Coblentz
The people were more sober and Sc
rious, and men bade their wives and
children good-b bye. and got quietly in
TO the train, as if they were going on
a long and important journey. But
the reserves and the "landWehr," COM
ing IN from the country side, made the
air ring with their songs, and would
have done so had the enemy been In
sight. They sang grand old German
chorals Gas well as marching songs)s
In which the sweep of waves and rus
tie of leaves were plainly heard, and
they sang with fervor. Cheer after
cheer burst out from the wayside as
the train sped on. Old comrades met
and parted suddenly at the stations
with God love thee" and Get not
slain on the slaughter-feld." Women,
in their blue gowns and fantastic caps,
stood crying silently behind trees and
in out of-the way corners at the sta
tions, so as not to let their departing
ones see their grief. And then the
train whirled Us away, the Seben &C.
berge were lost to view; Rolanseck
faded; the Rhine, which. by the way,
is at very low ebb, broadensd out into
the beautiful expanse which it exhib-
its just below Ehrenbreitstein. and
toward the close Of the afternoon we
ran under the old gates of Coblentz.
where We are indeed made sensible
that there is war in the land.
coBLENTz AND ITS POSITION.
Every one knows of Coblentz, on
the Rhine, as q quaint old town, with
a rocky fortress opposite, on the river
bank; but all the world does not
know how very important IL is as
military post. 1t is at present the
headquarters of the General COM
handing the Seventh, Eighth and
Eleventh Corps of the Prussian ar
my, the brave Won Bittenfeld, who
is also the Governor General of the
place. His command is one of the
most extensive in the country, and in
LnG W6E Will GOnG@GAblT 4RNS@4s
The Seventh Corps now occupies the
whole of Westphalia, including Dus--
seldorff. The Eighth keeps guard
along the Belgian frontier, and on
the Rhine up to Coblentz, and even to
Mayence on the side next France;
and the Eleventh has Hesse Darn
stadt and Hesse Cassel in its care.
The Eighth Corps, too, guards that
whole section of country be-
tween Coblentz and the French
frontier, and Luxembourg, extend
ing its lines up to Treves, Saar-
Louis, Saarbourg and Forbach, Won
Bittenfeld's command at present,
covers all the ground which
it is expected the French will attempt
to gain during the first week Of hos
tilities. 1t extends over an immense
tract and comprises about lot. 900
men, counting the regiments on their
war footing, In case of an advance
into Prussian territory, Coblentz and
all the region round about would at
once become ofthe most vital interest.
That part of the territory intervening
between Treves and CoblentZ and
known as the Dogs Back" In Ger
man, is sure to be the scene of conflict.
Nothing can be more picturesque
than the situation of Ooblentz. 1t
lies at the confluence of those two
rare rivers, the Moselle and the Rhine,
and there is an antique bridge over
the latter, which some wicked old
elector built hundreds of years ago
and defended by an ugly little castle,
perched on the bank. The Moselle
runs up into the contested ground,
and across the French frontier into
the very strongholds of the enemy;
and an excursion up its course
would be the properest thing at this
moment were il not that the water
has been too low for six weeks to ad-
NIT even small boats. The French
have been here In past time and their
artillery has snarled in impotent rage
at the "Jungfrau" fortress. 1t has
yielded once, when republican army
was battering its walls, but the Prus-
sian flag has never been lowered from
it to a French foe. Ehrenbreitstein,
commanding SO magnifcently the
Rhine and the country through which
it runs, and the chain of forts around
the town, built by the Prussian King
in 1916, in commemoration of the alli-
ance, make most formidable defenses.
There are four forts governing the
towns approaches, Fort Constatine,
Fort Alexander, Fort Francis and Fort
Asterstein. These are now undergo
ing thorough Strengthening through
out. Although Won Bittenfeld is
pouring men rapidly up to the from
tier, thousands remain here and near
by, and do not seem likely 70 move at
present. The provision magazines
here are crammed, and long trains of
forage wagons are coming In this
morning from the other side the
Rhine and were rolling over the
bridge of boats all night. The Prus
sian system for the transportation of
supplies is admirable. The mode of
procedure in this section will illus
trate it. As soon as q movementto or
of troops on the frontier
begins, the farmers in all the adjoining
back country are notified that they
must transport a certain amount
of supplies to q given point. Each
farmer owns according TO his circum-
stances, one or two forage wagons, all
built alike, and kept in his possession,
subject at any moment to the Govern
ment call. The burgomaster of
certain district receives notice from
the army headquarters that so many |
supplies must be at a certain point at |
3 fixed time. He notifies the farmers,
who drop their work, organize a regu-
lar military baggage train, and push |
forward six or eight leagues if neces-
sary, when they are relieved by an
other relay of the farmers of that dis
trict, who have also been warned to |
be ready. The first relay then returns
home, losing only a day or two from
It's work, and can be ready again at a
notice. Hundreds of these
wagons are now drawn up in line be-
fore the provision magazines here; at
noon they will be en- route: Yester-