The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-02-09
WITH THE PRUSSIANS.
Scene After a Fight.
From all the Year Round.

obscured the clear blue sky. and Yer
sailles looked her best as she basked il
the sun. To be sure, the black ant
white flag of Germany iOated over
head, and a park of Prussian field ar
tlllery filled the Place d Armes but th,
good people Of Versailles had lons
been accustomed to such sights. an(
although many "A mournful look wa
cast at the sombre flag, and many
sigh was given for the time when tn,
gay tri-colOr should once more take it,
proper place, the good townspeopl'
knew their interests too well to show
any signs of hostility to the foreigners
1t was past noon, and the grandees o
the German army, after lunching n
the Hotel des Reservoirs, were tran
gully enjoying their cigars. Prince
Hohenzollern had mounted his BLACK
charger; the Prince of Wurtembure
stood beside his spotless snow-whitt
Arab, buttonlng his glove preparatory
to start the very wind seemed tc
pause and listen.
The frightful roar of heavy gur
broke the spell At the first discharge
[ held my breath. The little butcher
boy with his basket stood suddenly
still, and, with head forward, in an at
tltude of the utmost attention, listened.
Young ladies, starting for a walk in the
palace gardens, stood irresolute as to
whether they should proceed Their
minds were soon made up, however. rs
the heavy "boom, BOOM broke the
tranquility again and again, while little
white clouds, marking the descent of
hnr oh IL
trees. Hark what is that distant
trumpet noteI 1t comes nearer, the
bugler stops exactly opposite me, and
putting the brass trumpet to his lips,
blows the warning note of danger A
minutes pause, then his message seem
ed to work like electricity The grandees
threw away their choice cigars, buckled
their long swords tightly round their
waists some returned to the reservoirs
to drink last stlrrlp-cup; others
mounted their steeds, and darted off to
head their regiments few stood still,
to listen to the heavy thuds of the
great guns from Fort Valerien, or to
grasp some friends hand preparatory
to parting which, perhaps, would be
for ever.
alive with "A swarming mass. Soldiers
poured into it from all sides Each
man knew where his division, his regi-
ment, his company stood; there was
no noise, no confusion. Eth man was
in his place, not one seemed missing.
Elk bayonets :" "March :" And the
serried ranks of mighty Prussia, with
their helmets, bayonets and shining ac-
coutrements glistening in the suns
rays, their standards unrolled and then
drums beating the advance, marched
with firm step, to meet, in many cases,
an agonizing death. There was ne
thnching, no bravado; each seemed i'm
pressed with the sort of work he had &c
do, and seemed to have made up his
mind to it; the frightened lip and the
fixed eye were all that told their rcso-
luton. The townspeople shud-
dercd as they passed.; and many
fair French girl turned pale as
she, no doubt, thought of Francois,
who had only left her side three months
ago, and would now have to meet these
dreaded Prussians." Then came the
field artillery. Each gun followed by
its eight artillerymen, six sturdy horses
trotted the cannon along; then rode
by the cavalry, the dreaded Uhlans il
the van, and following in their wake
the dashIng dragons and the ponder
ous cuirassiers. One splendid looking
landwehr officer caught my eve as h
passed. | had often noticed him be
fore he had face on which calm
courage was indeibly stamped, and his
form was herculean. To-day his bright
glance was, for some reason. dimmed
bv sorrow. | know not what emotion
brought it there. | felt drawn to him
irresistibly. [ followed him with m,
eyes till his black helmet had faded il
the distance.
THE BATTLE.
The town cleared rapidly of troops
only a guard was left at the palace, anC
few pockets piled their long needle
guns before the gates of the town
There was II buzz in the crowd whict
lines the st. Germain road. whict
hushed suddenly at the sight of a SINAI
cavalcade of Uhlans. On they came,
with lances erect, their little black and
white pennons tiuttering in the breeze
then appeared large open chaist
drawn by four horses. The King anG
General Moltke were inside, grave ana
engaged IN earnest conversation; they
scarcely noticed passing salutes. Eel
lowing the carriage came the Hing:
staff, composed Of officers dressed in al
the varied costumes of the great army
Next rode the grooms, each leading 81
extra horse, and a squadron of Uhlaus
brought up the rear. Again the Grove
became excited, and as the sound of bat
tie seemed approaching, cries of 'sNive |.
France" and "a bas les Prussiens.
echoed through the streets an,
avenues, but again the storm lullel
as another body of horsemen ap
peared over the brow of the hill.
was the Crown Prince and his staff
They rode quickly by. | followed al
two of the officers were friends of mine
and beckoned me to accompany them
We galloped to Il spot whence We coUlC
see the battle spread ont like map
MasSed on the slope of Mont Valeriel
stood large body of twelve thousant
French' They stood Immediately IN
der the guns OF tn fort and were flank
ed on their left by two or three compac
but smaller clumps of {. IS. In fron
OF these, at the bottom of the gree
slope, IN southwesterly direction, tn
French attacked with great spirit tn
line regiments of the ninth and tent
Prusslan divisions. The Prussian out
posts and advance posts were driven i
on the main body, and the French tao