Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-11-02
PARTICULARS or TIE SURRENDER
or METZ

on Sedan conditions OF ali tnc garrison anu
all of Bazaine's army, comprising three Mar
shals of France, GO generals, 600 officers and
l73, 900 troops. The Germans were astounded
at this result. The army and fortress capitu-
lating to the investing army was larger than
itself by only small fraction.
At 10 o'clock on the 10Th the forts were
taken possession of by the arIllery OF the
seventh army corps. At one o'clock the third
division, which will depart for the southwest
after the fourth division, was received III a
splendid pageant by the Prince, on the Nancy
and Metz road. near Tourletride. Ihereupon
the Garde Imperial marched out OF Metz with
their arms, wtich they deposited at Froscate,
passing in review before the Prince. This
honor was accorded to them alone, all the rest
having deposited their arms in the Metz arse
nal and then marched to their environments
outside the town to await transportation. The
Garde Imperial was received by the Prussian
troops with respectful dignity. Not jeering
syllable was heard nor an eXultant look seen.
Previously. at the Princes review, the cheer
ing was loud and persistent.
At four O'Clock III the afternoon the French
companies, st ii mounting guard at the various
gates OF the city ami at tie depots and arse
mails, were relieved by two regiments OF Prus-
>
tered the town and appointed Military Coy
crnor, General Won GAstrow, Commander OF
the 7th army corps, took possession OF the
Government, city and fortress.
According TO the statement OF General on
Gastrom, vino held Bots DeyanN on the MORN
ing OF the I9th of August, Bazainc could then
have avoided being enclosed in McI. lie
could, moreover. after he-~was there. readily
have maize sortie. and reIoincd McNahon
easier by tar than Mediation could have joined
hltu. After most Of his cavalry and artillery
horses had been eaten of course 1t was more
difficult still. His movement, are said 10 have
lacked determination i'll the last two sortles.
and this is charged 10 q complot in behalf "i
the Regency according to winch this army was
To Try and remain IN St0tu quo until the con-
cluslon OF the war in Western France, and
then to become valuable, with Prussia ; con-
sent, tor the Bonapartlsts purposes.
Bazaine himself, in that ease, was to be
governor of the Imperial Prince and virtual
Regent. the Metzlans seem to believe this,
and their most influential people have avowed
such belief. Bazaue has never been seen IN
camp except on extraordinary occasions,
never at all in the ambulances, which are
partly constructed in numerous railway box
wagons on the Place Royal and equally sell
domhas he been seen in the city.
He rarely if ever said word OF encourage
ment to his troops. Canrobert sometimes
cheered their patience a little, and they would
cry 'tVive Canrobert. :" a bias Bazaine. - To-
ward the last he dared not, for fear OF assass-
nation, show himself to his own men, and
the terribly relaxed discipline is assured by
the cause OF his hasty rendition.
When a weeks rations for all were on hand,
on the morning of the 10Th, five soldiers lay
dead of starvation at Montzany, while the
"A. 4 i. Il
four day. ra.ons were given to the entire
army that morning, while they had received
none for two days previous; but on that morn
ing nothing had arrived in town. This proves
the charges current III town. that spectators
had seized much food and that Il rational
system OF app0rtionment, such as existed dur
ing the last ten days if introduced at first and
combined with acquisitions, would have pre-
vented much waste and enabled the fortress
to hold out much longer.
The staff used to feed their horses on bread
at first. Recently, prices had reached the fol-
lowing maximum Sugar, 30 francs peri pound:
salt, 10 francs; one ham, 800 francs; one po-
tatoes, As centimes; one onion 60 centimes.
a little pig was caught near Gravelotte and
sold Tor 748 francs. For five weeks amputa-
tons have been performed without chlorotorm
or ether and wounds have been dressed with
out carbolic acid.
Thirty thousand persons have died in
the town alone during the siege, the greater
part from the lack of proper care. The pre-
yailing diseases were vaTiola, spotted typhus
and dysentery. Scurvy has not prevailed,
though even then the sick have for over three
weeks received their horse steak and horse
broth without salt.
1t is reported that the discovery of a salt
spring at Shepelien was a hoax got up by put
-. Il, ,fny
When the rendition became known the people
were furious. The National Guard refused to
lay down their arms, and in the afternoon of
the 2Sth a dragon captain appeared at the
head of body OF troops, who swo:e they
would sooner die than yield.
Albert Collignon, editor of the ultra demo-
cratic siege daily (Journsl de netz), rode
about on a white horse, firing hi, pistol and
eAIlortlng them to rally ana seek victory or
death to escape impending shame. lie was
followed by women singing the MarselIaisc,
which produced terrible excitement. Inc
doors Of the cathedral were burst open AMI
the tocsin and death knel were Tung nearly
all night. When General Coihneres appeared
10 paCny them three shots were fired al hln.
lnaiiy 10y the aid of two line tsiu1ents he
Quietly dispersed the mob, Dut all nlsnt sounds
OF grief Indignation and terror continued.
RvspectaUle women ran about the streets,
tcaIing their hair ANA hiusing their bonncts
and faces under their feet, and asking, wildly,
NV nat Will become OF our Children: soldiers,
drunk and sober wandered hther and thlher
III Irregular groups, with their caps of
and their sabrcs broken, sObhing and weep
ing like children, aud crying, = U ma paarre
.Nst=. There is no longer a Franco The
civil tunctonaries asked each other across the
streets, vino will be our master: VI no viii
govern US Whittier shall We flee MOTTO witness
this ruin? 1t was as ii they had not seen or
known a Prussian They demanded to know
ii their already destitute harder must still
nourlsh the troops, and whether they would
be persOnliy maltreated ii they were unable
to furnish what was required. They were re-
lieyed immediately by hearing that thousand
wagons were ready at Counceles to bring pro-
visions hither, and also that there are funds in
London waiting to be applied to their relief,
in response to an appeal OF the Mayor, Buery
and other communes, published in English
and American journals.
The entire besieging army gave up their
bread latluns to iced the French captives.
rnis deeply touched the Metzians, and did
much to relieve their fears. At noon, on the
Prusslan railway, an inspector made a tour