The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-09-17
Scenes In SfraSbOurg.

Berthold Auerbach, the German novelist,
writes series Of letters about the siege of
StraSbourg, from which we make the fol-
lowing extract. 1t shows what is the daily
history:
"AUGrsT 25.-Before Strasbourg-morn-
ing. StraSbourg burns. In this word are
crowded all the horrors, tcrrorS, anguish OF
heart, we experienced in the past night.
My eyes yet smart from the tire-tlashes, my
hand trembles still. So was it to be Again
is there night Of st. Bartholomew-for
such was the one just passed-With detesta-
tion to be craven i'll history, but not through
fault of ours. On those who must needs
deck their heads with glory, OH their heads
alone lies the blame. The worst injury an
enemy can inf1ict upon 4 man, upon peO-
pie. is TO force them to acts from which they
rccoll with aversion. We are in the position
of Il man who declines Il duel, and yet is
compclcd to shoot down his adversary.
Unhappiy, it must be done. But yes
te!day we made offers to the commandant
OF StrasbOurg to come out, or send
a trusty officer, TO convince himself that
resistance was in vain, and that we could
only with the utmost pain bring ourselves
to fire even part of Strasbourg. He re-
Dlied-an inspection of our position would
he construed as the first probability of his
surrendering the fortress. He had, how
ever. resolved to defend it to the last man
and the last cartridge. 1t was said yester-
day that the broad pillars Of smoke testi-
fed that Kehl was again set on fire by the
French. We kept quiet until the break of
evening. The columns Of flame in kehl
fared up wide, mounting heavenward,
and necessarily We're fre-balls hurled
thither from the citadel. Now began
on our side the tire-tlash for flash,
blow for blow. They were returned
with interest. There, the citadel blazes
up; the fast-falling night revealed every
tirc-tlamc. Bombs scared alott and de-
scended. Now, the city was on fire north
from the cathedral. 1t must have fallen on
intlammablc material, for instantly the
flames shot heayenWard. From this point,
who could paint the scene? Here and
there it blaZed up; we saw four, five con-
f1agrations two united, and presented Il
vast roaring furnace. The wind blew from
the west and tanned the flames they darted
up iorkcd tongues fire. a spectator cried
out. See there how the cathedral towers
aloft above the clouds Of smoke, how
venerable, as if mutely threatening and re-
proving the men who hrlrl reckless flames
against each other If the cathedral
does but remain unharmed,' was the cry
that ran from mouth to mouth, and
meanwhile feelings OF deep compassion
were expressed for those within the city.
In spirit we are transported among those
now wailing in vaulted cellars, a> they
heard the thunder of the guns, ignorant
where the fires were raging, perhaps even
their own homes. And in the streets the
fires must be left to rage unchecked. Who
could strive to qucnch them while each
minute further discharges are falling! How
many crv out to their own dear ones, seek
them. and are like beings beWildered
in their own homes. What shrieking,
what misery! If one could but compress
together the heart-throbS Of the people,
far louder, quicker, mishtier must
be the stroke than the deep roar of the
guns, which, necessarily discharged, lit up
the gloom, here-there till the eye colAu
no longer follow. Midnight had set Ill be-
fore we decided TO 90 home. We could see
each other us in full moonlight. The fields,
the VINEYARDS, were lit up; the church OF
MundolSheim, with its white graVestoneS !;
suddenly the light grows still brighter.
Now that we had not seen the flames for a
time. they appeared broader, stronger,
more yollciouS. 1t was difficult to tear
oneself away from the tcarfully grand
spectacle, and yet it must be. The
villagers we met proteSSed to know which
palt of the city would be saved from the
flames. We strove to believe their assu'
RANGES that the precincts OF the cathe-
dral, above all, itself, would remain un,
injured. And yet for Il moment 1t had
seemed TO lis that the cathedral terrace,
which had been the observatory OF the
enemy, was on fire. 1t was, however, an
illusion. The flames illuminated our home
ward way. The sky was overspread with
light clouds of blood red. The tlre must
have been visible beyond the Rhine, ta1
back into the Black Forest"