The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-09-15
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The Great eurrender.


surrender Of Napoleon and McMa-
hons army given BY the New York
1ritune's correspondent, who wit
messed it: es
aAbout 5 o'clock there was q sud-
den suspension Of the cannonade
along the whole limo, and many
were the speculations as tn the cause
but nobody seemed 10 divine tho
truth. You may judge Of orr sur
prise when, four minutes lator, VIC
saw French officer, escorted by
two Uhlans, coming at hard trot
up the steep bridge at n path from
Sedan to our post, one OF the Uhlans
carrying q white dustcr on faggot
stick as a flag Of truce. The mes
senger proved to DO a French Colonel
come to ask terms of surrender.
After a very short consultation
between the King and General Won
Moltkc, the messenger was told that
sin a matter so important as the
surrender of at least $4,000 men
and important fortress, it was ncces-
sary to send an officer of high rank.
You are therefore to return to Sedan
and tell the Governor Of the town to
report himself Immediately to tho
King Of Prussia. IF he docs not
arrive in a hour, our guns will again
open fire. You may tell the com
mandant that thero is no uso of his
trying to obtain any other terms
than those of unconditional surron-
der" The Parlaimontino rode back
with the message. When he was
fairly ont Of ear shot his mission was
most thoroughly canvasscd.
At halfpast six there arose q sud
den cry among tho. members of the
Kings staff Of aDer kaiter ist d."
and then camc loud hurrah. Soon
we began to look anxiously for the
second flag Of truce, and in ten min
utes more, General Rsilley rode up
with q lettcr for the King Of Prussia.
As soon as the French General was
in sight, the slender escort of GURUS.
siers and dragoons we had with US
was drawn up 10 line two deep
behind the King. On the front
Of the escort was the staff and
ten yards il front of them again
stood Ills Majesty, Kieg William Of
Prussia, to receive General Reiiley.
That officer, AZ NO soon learned, was
the bearer Of an autograph letter
from the Emperor Napoleon 10 King
William. The. Emperor OF the
French wrote rs follows:
II cannot die at tho head OF my
army. LAY my sword at the feet Of
your Majesty. lie pardnt pas mou-
riere Ia tete de mon sarmee. Jie
vien nsettere mon epHc aer pieed dc
votre Maidsta."
Why Napoleon should not die, as
did thousands Of his soldiers, sword
in hand, with his faco to tho foe is
not clear. On the receipt Of this
most astounding letter, there was y
brief consultation between the King
and tho Crown Prince, who had
come over from his hill on the arrival
of the flag OF truce, Count Bismarck,
Generals Won Moltke and Won Room.
After q few minutes conversation, shc
King sat. down on q rush bottomed
chair, and wrote q note on another
chair, held as table by two Aides
de-Camp, to the Emperor, begging
him TO como next morning to the
King of Prussia's headquarters.
While this note was being written,
Count Bismarck came up to Generals
Sheridan and Forsyth, and myself,
and heartily shook our hands. NaLct
me congratulate you most sincerely,
Count" said General sheridan al
can only compare the surrender of
Napoleon to that OF Gen. Lee At Ap-
pomattox Court House. Whom it
came my turn 10 grasp tho Chancel-
lor's hand, I could not help saying, af
ter warmly congratulating him, "You
cannot but feel q pride, Count Bis
marck, in having contributed SO
largely TO the winning Of to-day's
victory" 20, no, my dear sir" was
the mild answer, II am no strategist,
and have nothing to do with tho win
ming of battles. What am proud
Of is that the Bavarians, the Saxons
and the Wurtembergers are not only
on our sidc, but have 50 large a part
1.-The greatest share. The glory is
that they are with and not against
us. That is my DOING do not think
the French will say now that tho
South Germans will not 6ght for our
common Fatherland." I asked his
Excellency who Their Louis was taken
with his papa, aud was told that no
ono knew, and think that no one
cared whore that small young man
was. When tho King had written
his letter, no himself handed it to
General Kelley, who stood barc-head-
cd to receiveit, tho Italian and the
Crimean medals glittering on his
breast ID the fading sunlight. Queen
Victoria's image and snpersorption
have not often been seen on the uni
forms Of men surrendering without
condition.
Alto minutes to 8 Gcneral Kelley
left for the beleaglred town, escorted
by the Uhlaas. The duster which
had served as u flag of truce was Of
fered to me CD o souvenier OF this
most memorable day, but it had ~
strange resemblance 70 other busters,
and 1 declined the preferred relic.--
Then there was general demand for
something to drink, and Count Bis
marck's aid-de-camps produced two
bottles Of Belgium beer, ono Of them
his exccllency shared with General
Sheridan, General Forsythe and my
self, saying that he drank to the
closer union Of the three great Teu-
tonic peoples. Early next morning
started for Belgium. Az l rode
along l suddenly came frst upon u
lot Of Uhlans, then two Pigeurs in
the green and gold imperial livery,
directly behind thom came the trav-
cling carriage Of his majesty, with
Napoleon Ill. on his way to report
himself a prisoner at King Williams
headquarters at Vendros, little dir
ty village some eight miles from So,
dan.
Tho census Of Washington has
been completed. The population is
III 1QS nm increase NJ 80 O73. or 81