The New York herald., 1870-09-05


In Belgium, and the last village before crossing the
frontier.
DETERMINATION.
Anything more splendid than the mems marching
| ~ would be impossible to imagine saw men lame
IN both feet hobbling along in the ranks kind CON-
rades less footsore carrying their needle-guns.
Ihose VINO were actually incapable Of putting one
'oot Deiore another had pressed peasa nts' wagons
anu every available conveyance into service,
and were following In the rear 80 as to be
ready Tor the great battle, which all felt sure
wouio cone 99 on tee morrow, The Bayarigns,
WHO, IL is generally believed, do not march 50
| well as they fight were in the centre, between us
al Chemery and Sedan, encamped around the woods
OF La Marfee, famous for a great battle in IG4l,
curing the wars OF the League When had seen
the last regiment dash through--or the pace at
which they went can really not be called march
lng ID the ordinary sense-I rode OF about quar-
| ter past eight in the evening for vendressc, where
the Kings headquarters were, and where i hoped
| TO 1nd house room.
DANGER.
When got within about a half a mile OF Ven-
dresse, going at steady trOt sharp 'Haltp' rang
ont through the clear air. brought my horse to
standstill, knowing that Prussian senries are not
to be trincd with. As pulled up twenty yards Off
heard the clicks Of their locks as they brought
their weapons to full cook and covered me. My
reply being satisfactory logged into vendresse,
and my mare and myself had soon forgotten seDti-
| nels, forced marches and coming battles.
START FOR THE BATTLE FIELD.
At seven Thursday morning my servant came to
wake me, saying that the Kings horses were har-
Messing and that his Majesty would leave IN half an
| hour for the battle field, and as cannonade had
already been heard near Sedan l jumped up,
seized crnsts Of bread, wine. cigars &C.. and cram.
med IN fakt tnU hrao lfoot
| the way.
Just as got TO my horse King william drove out
IN an open carriage with I0ur horses for Chevange
about three and half miles south OF Sedan. Much
against my will was compelled TO allow the Kings
stan TO precede me on the road to the scene OF
action, where arrived myself soon AFTER nine
O'Clock.
1t was impossible to ride FAST all the roads being
| blocked with artillery ammunition wagons ambu-
lances, &C.
As rode on to the crest of the hill which rises
sharply about six hundred or seven hundred feet
above the little hamlet OF Chevange, nestled in q
grove below,
GLORIOUS PANORAMA
THIS burst on my vcw In the lovely valley be-
low us, from the knoll which ! stood with the
King and his stair we could see not only the whole
valley OF the Mouse Tor Maas as the Germans love
TO cali the river that Louis XIV. stole. from them)
but also, beyond the great wood. OF Bois de Loup
and Francheva into Belgium, and as far as the hiy
forest OF Numo on the other side of the frontier
Right at enr feat lay the little town OF Sedan.
famous for its fortfcatiOns by vauban and
rs the birthplace OF Turenne-the great Mar.
sha. AS we were only about two and a
quarter miles from the town could easily dstin-
guIsh IT'S principal ediices without the aid Of our
feld-2asses. On the left was a pretty church. Its
Gothic spre OF sandstone Offering conspicuous
target for the Prussian guns had General MoItke
thought ut to lombard the town. TO the right on
the southeast OF the church, was large barrack,
with the fortihcations OF the citadel Behind il ana
beyond this TO the southeast again was the old cha
teau Of Sedan, with picturesque, rOund.turreted
towers OF the sixteenth century, very useless even
against fonr-p0under Krnpp fed-pieces. This
building, believe, IL now an arsenal. Beyond this
was the cltadelthe heart Of sedan-on rising hill
above the Meuse 10 the southeast but completely
commanded by the his on both sides the river
which runs in front OF the citadel.
FRENCH BLuNDER
The French had flooded the low meadows in the
| valley before coming TO the railway bridge at
| BazeIlie, IN order to stop the Germans from ad.
| vancing Oh the town in that direction. With
stupidity rOr one can find other word for il, the
French had failed TO mine the bridge at BazeiIle.
and 1t was Of immease service to the Prussiaps
threw up earthworhs on the iron bridge itself to
protect 1t from the French, who more than once
attempted early In the day TO storm the bridge IN
the hope Of breaking the Bavarian communication
between The right and left banks OF the Meuse
This they were unable TO do; ahd although their
cannon shot has almost demolished the parapet The
bridge itself was never materially damaged.
POSITION OF THE FORCES.
On the projecting spurs OF the hill, crowned by the
woods Of La Marfee OF which have Already spokep
the Bavarians had posted two batteries or six.
FOUNDER rined breech-loading steel Krupp guns,
which kept up duello TIL the very end OF the day
with the siege guns OF Sedan across the Meuse Still
further to the right ank rather TO the east (for
our line was circular one-a crescent at FIRST with
Sedan in the centre like the star on the Turkish
standard) was an undulating PLAIN above the VII.
lage OF Bazeille.
Terminating about mile and a half from Sedan.
at the woods near RubecOurt, midway-that Ia to
say, in line from Bazeie n0rth-there is a ravine
watcred by tiny brook, which was the scene OF the
most desperate struggle and OF the most .irghtful
slaughter Of the whole battle. This stream whose
name have forgotten, II 1t ever had one runs right
behind the town OF Sedan.
From the woods OF Flelgreuse on the north be-
hind the town rises hill dotted with cottages and
fruitladen orchards, and crowned by the wood OF
La Garenne, which runs down to the valley OF which
i have just spoken. Between this wood and the
town were several French camps their white shelter
tents standing out clear among the dark fruit trees
In these camps one could see throughout the day
huge masses Of troops which were never used Even
during the height OF the battle they stood idle. we
imagined that they must have been undisciplined
Gardes Mobiles whom the French generals dared not
bring ont against their enemy.
To the Prusslan left of these French camps, sepa.
rated from them by wooded ravine was long
bare h something like one Of the bills on Long
Island This hill, on which was some Of the hardest
fighting OF the day formed one OF the keys Of the
position OF the French army. When once it's crests
were covered with Prussian artillery the whole town
OF Sedan was completely at the mercy OF the German
guns, they not only above the town, but the
town was also within musket range OF them.