The New York herald., 1870-11-08


attempt at escape could be made.
CogREsPoSDESr-why
General CHAN3ARSrER-Becaus Bazainc had
really no artillery, no cavalry mounted ana only In
fact 90, 900 Infantry. He could do nothing against
these treo branches Of the Prssan service ia force
and well equipped
C0RREsP0SDtsr--Genera Changarnor. what was
the accurate or exact number OF French soldiers in
Metz az the moment OF the surrendera
GENERAL CHASGaRSIER--0ne hundred and thirty
five thousand soldiers. or these there we're twenty
five thousand disabled by wounds and ten thousand
laid up with sickness or different forms. The cav
airy and artillery were uselessthere were no horses
to render them available Bazaine was thus reduced
to sixty thousand infantry. There you have IT, str.
Were we not IN q bad atate ar the moment OF the
capItulationf Mon DIcu All our lne horses had
been eaten up. Our bread and breadstuns were
gone. We had no salt. Horsedesh, Monsieur, Is not
bad as an article OF food when II i eaten with
bread and salt, and when the animal had been In
good condition and tat before slaughter, but our
horses In Metz were not fat and we had neither
bread nor salt. The taste OF the horse meat was hor
rble Could troops thus fed stand well in any great
battle The world must have reason ST. You must
understand do not forget, that during the last ten
days or the Prusslan Investment the soldiers OF
N~~-'~~
to their knees The heavy rains and sheer starva-
ton forced us TO surrender. But. as have told
you there were ffty-cIght days when Bazalne could
have takea this Gne army out and saved France
How unhappy ~
Here General Changarnier became deeply moved
by MS feelings and almost overcome BY emotion.
Resuming after little time, Chalgarnlcr said:--
Look, In his sories Bazaine never made decided,
serious effort TO escape nom Metz. Every sortie
was merely u pretended movement, made for ap-
pearance sake, and nothing else.
'rhere were, SIR, four officers OF high rank in
Metz, as well Is Bazaine They were all III favor OF
system OF lnaction. had an opportunity OF OBJ
serving al the military movements. They were all
shams, every one. Bazaine and the generals and
officers, his friends were not acting as soldiers.
They werc only seeking and working for their own
public future.
CoRREsrosDENT-How were the sUrics con-
ductcdg
CBASGARNIFR-Always with small force and
evidently with no preconcelyed Idea that they would
he successful, although every sortie was finely exc.
cuted. True history must eak well OF the French
troops as fighting above all examples OF hcrosm,
but small sorties are useless measures Let me say
more about Ba2aine. He was not at the battle Of
the 18th OF August. lie was far from the field. So
count to queen Augusta stating he was ON the fell.
| was there myself and slept under a historic
tree, one that might now be known as
the drore des morris. In the dght OF the 18th OF
August 900 Prusslans were opposed to 15o ooo
Frenchmen. Let me tell Of the surrender. Four
outlets were liked for the exodus Of the Frencn
troops. The morning they deiled out OF Metz shall
never forget. Old man am, and old soldier too,
the sight l Witnessed will never pass from my
memory. IL moved me more than any event OF my
long life. Soldiers kissed and embraced their on.
GERS. There was one universal shout OF "vire Ia
France ~ 1t was something grand to see LOG, 500
men In tears for their country.
CoRREsPOEDENT--If BaZaine had moved his troops
to the field, what then?
CHANGARNIER--Ee could have sought to reach
Nancy where the country was rich and the fields
were covered with products. lie could there have
established strong position.
CoRREsPosDENT-Th you would say OF Bazalns
that it was the imbecility of selr-gory.
CHANGARNIlR--That Is 1t.
CoRREsroNDEsT-Of course, General, Paris is ROY
the great centre.
| CHANGARSIER-yes, II is The republic you sa,
! v well. II governs without police. But are not III
/! 0rleanists strong?
| CoRREsPoSDEET-Yes. Should Judge that OF
OF 100000 voters at least 900 would 10 for O
| Orleans monarch, the Orleans feeling Is strong
| France.
CnANGAENrER-Yes very strong. The province
! are all for calm and for WISE Just ana liberia
Orleans government. know Partisan polltics
know France. ana this sad and unhappy situation
can have no better relief than in the restoration
that line. You told me OF red rcpuDiicanIsm II
Paris and Of the republic that must conserve al
these incongruoUs clements This hour the pcopl,
OF Paris DO not know whether they want repub
or monarchy. They don't know what they want
Some are for the Orleans dynasty; Favre Is 10
party: the reds are for another. All over Franc
there are violent, lrreconci!able factions DO yO,
not believe that from these must come the res
toratons
CoRREsPoNDENr-Yes General in Paris it looks a
II this republic must fall. owing to the disunio
among the leaders.
CHASGARNIER-You are right. The republic car
not stand H.. 1t Is fact that IL cannot stand. II
already divided-already broken into fragments a
over France. There is no government to-day.
needs organization and harmony. The Orleanst
eau give these TO France. An Orleans monarch
peace. uuiet, repose and general happiness.
CoRREsroNDENT--Trayel from Paris to stras
bourg found the peasants all for peace, empnat
caly against the republic and against Napoleon
What does that meanf
CHANGARNIER-It means the restoration.
CoREEsPoSDESr-And how about Napoleon Hoy
was he at Mctzy
CHANGARNIER-He Is dead. with. the mention o
these words the venerable General gave signs 0
satisfaction, mentioning Napoleon's name with
frown.) NO, he continued, the Prussians may pu
Napoleon back into power again. but lie Will never
be recognized in Paris or throughout France.
CoREEspoNDENT-rhe man oil Sedan, then, is NJ
more.2
Changarnier at this raised his hands and shrugged
his shoulders
CORREsPoNDENT--Whatdo do you Think OF the present
military and political situation2
CH.NGARNIER-Very unhappy; very unhappy. W.
all appreciate America the best i,iend OF France
CoRREsPoNDEsT-Many Americans believe France
Will never surrender.
CHANGARNIER-Neyer neTerl All we can do now
is to nope.