Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-10-14

and American friends was anxious Ia
know what the Federal Chancellor had
done about tho threatened neutrality Of
Belgium. aud my curiosity was soon
gratified. 81 have told the Belgian
Minister Of War;" said Count Bismarck,
''that SO long as the Belgian troops do
their utmost TO disarm any number o!
French soldiers who may cross the frontier,
| will strictly respect the neutrality OF
Belgium, hut If, on the contrary, the
Belgians. either. through negligence or
inactivity do not disarm and capture
every man in French Uniform who sets
his foot in their country, We shall at once
follow the enemy into neutral territory
with our troops, considering that the
French have been first TO violate Belgian
SOIL have been down 10 have look
at the Belgian troops near the frontier"
added Count Bismarck, land | confess
that they TO not inspire me with very
high opinion of their martial order or dis
ciplin. 1t is only when they have their
great coats OH that enc can see great
deal OF palctot, but hardly any soldier.
asked his Exccllcncy where he thought
the Emperor was, in Sedan? 80 no."
was the reply, Napoleon is not very
wise. but he j, not quite so foolish as to
put himself in Sedan just now For
once in his life Count Bismarck was
wrong.
At quarter to three 0clock the king
came 10 where was standing, saying
that he thought the French were going TO
try and break out just beneath us in front
of the second Bavarian corps. At ten
minutes 10 four, Gen. Sheridan told me
that Napoleon and Louis were in Sedan.
At twenty minutes past three the Ba-
yarans below us not only con,rivcd to
get inside The Notifications OF Sedan but
TO maintain themselves there, working
! their way forward from house 10 house.
| About four O'Clock there was n great tight
! for the possession Of the bridge above
/ Bazcillc and that done, Sedan was swept
on nj! sides by tho Prussian cannon.
About five O'Clock there was again n
Sudden suspension OF the cannonadc
along the whole line. Many were the
spcculations rs to.ihe cause, but nobody
! seemed TO divine the truth. You may
Judge of our surprise when, four minutes
later, we saw French officer attended
| by the UhlanS coming at n hard trot up
the steep bridge pnth from Sedan To our
post, one of the Uhlans carrying -
white dustcr on Il iaggot stick rs u flag of
truce. The messenger turned out to be
! French colonel, vino came To ask the
terms of surrender.
After very short consultation between
the King and Gen. Won Mollkc. the messe.
ger WAS told thai in a matter rs important
rs the surrender of at least 80 900 men and
an important fortress il WAS necessary h.
send IN officer OF higher rank. "Iou
are therefore 10 return to Sedan and tell
the governor of the town TO report him.
self Immediately to the King OF Prussia.
! Ii he does not arrive in an hour our gun,
will again open fire. You MY tell the
commandant iha, there Is 40 use OF hi,
trying to obtain any other teIn.5 lhan un
conditional surrender" The Parlcmcn-
u,rc rode back with the message. When
he was fairly out Of carshot his mission
was most eagerly cauvassod. At halt
past six there arose Il cry among tho
members of the Kings staff, Der kaizcr
isl da ~ and then came 4 loud hurrah.
Soon we began took anxiously for the
second ilag of truce, and in ten minutes
more Gen. Reilly came up with letter
for tho King OF Prussia. As soon rs the
French General was in sight, the slender
escort of curassiers and Dragons that
we had with us was drawn up in line,
two deep, behind The King.
In front of the escort was the staff, and
ten yards in front OF them again stood
His Majesty, King William of Prussia, to
receive Gen. Reilly. That officer, as we
soon learned. was the bearer of IN auto
graph letter from the Emperor Napoleon
to King William. The Emperor of the
French wrote: "As | cannot die at the
head of my army, | lay my sword at the
feet OF your Majesty"
Why Napoleon Ill. could not die as did
thousands OF his soldiers. sword in hand
with his face TO the foe, is not so clear.
On The receipt of this most astonishing
letter, there was brief consultation be-
tween the King, the Crown Prince, who
has como over Oh the arrival OF the flag
of truce, Count Bismarck, Gen. Won
Motkc and Won Room.
After few minutes conversation the
King sat down on n rush.bottom chair,
and wrote note on another chair, held
as table by two aides-de. camp, to the
Emperor, begging him to come next day
to the King of Prussia's headquarters at
Vendrez. While this note was being
written, Count Bismarck came up TO
Generals Sheridan and Forsythc and my.
self and heartily shock our hands.
..Let me congratulate you most sim
cerely, Count" said General Sheridan
81 can only compare the surrender of Ma
polcon 10 the surrender of General Lee at
Appomattox Court House." When it came
-. ..,.,, 80 ,xros> tba rbonoalloro hand