The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-29
STORY on The FALLEN CITY.
A Brief Sketch of the Franco
Prussian War.
The Campaigns Under the Empire and the
Struggles Of the Republic.


seems naturally to divide ITSELF we look back
at IT, into two grand acts The first begins with the
declaration OF war and the outbreak into open
conflict Of the long smoulderng national hatred and
jealousy OF France and Germany. Then comes, ON
the I'd OF August the first crossing OF swords at
Saarbrdck, telegraphed TO Paris as 'French
victory" aud immortal In history as the scene OF
the Baptism Of treh Of the Prince Imperial The
following day the Germans entered French territory,
and from that time down to the browning disaster
Of Sedan, the war Is but one dreary chronicle of
French humiliation. On the 9th August the troops
Of the Crown Prince attacked De Faillys corps at
Weissemburg and overwhelmed IL by sheer force
OF numbers De Failly retreated and, his forces
having made q junction with MacMahon's corps,
took up position at WOerth. On the 9Th August
the French sustained the two crushing defeats OF
Woerth and FOrbach. In the former the
Crown Prince utterly routed MacMahon, ana
in the latter General Steinmetz indicted
an equal disaster upon General Frossards
corps For eight days after these reverses the war
paused, and on the 18th Marshal Bazaine who had
been stationed with the Gardes at Metz, was APP
pointed General1ssimo of the French armies He
decided to retreat CnalOns with his own large and
splendid army; but tue decision was made too late
On the 14th his troops were crossing the MOselle
he was attacked by Steinmetz, and two days after
wards II was seen that by a rapid movement the
Germans had got between The French and Chaons
The French made desperate attempt to force a
passage, but In vain. On the 18th OF August the
great battle OF Graveotte was fought, and upon it's
ending In a disastrous French defeat Bazaine found
himself compelled to shut himself and his army
within the defences OF Metz.
Meanwhile MaoMah0n's army had recovered some
what from Its first disaster, and. having been
reorganized, set or to relieve Bazane by a round
about route. Two German armies-one under the
Crown Prince, from Chalons and another under the
Crown Prince Of SaXony, from before Metz-has-
tened to engage MacMahOn VINO was accompanied
by the Emperor in person. On the Both the Crown
Prince Of Saxony surprised De Failly's corps at
Beaumont and routed him, and on the following
day took place the battle OF Sedan, which ended in
the surrender OF the whole OF MacMahcn's army and
OF the Emperor himself. These are the bloods aimed
steps by which the eagles OF Prussia have climbed
10 European supremacy
The second act OF this eventful drama OF strife
and death and hatred opens with the overthrow OF
the empire and the march oil the Prussians upon
Paris. And that has closed, as did the first,
in the brilliant triumph or the German arms.
No doubt the full details OF the siege OF Paris. as
daily chroniced In The HERALD. are still compare
lively fresh in the minds of readers But 1t Is
WE'LL now that an Emperor Of Germany Is about to
pass through its gates in military triumph, to briefly
recount once more the thrilling progress Of this
most wonderful and interesting episode Of modern
warfare.
Scarcely had the fallen Emperor been despatched
to his prison at Wllhelmsh1he, and the captured
army consigned to the fortresses Of Germany, than
the Crown Prince at once began his advance upon
Paris. That advance was made without check
Day after day the Prussian troops marched forward,
naturally cau up before the mind of the onooker
the resistess progress of fate. In about a
couple of weeks, on the 18th Of september,
their advanced line was only few miles from Paris
A day or two Of sharp skrmishlng succeeded; but
the defenders OF the city in position to risk
battle, and the Crown Prince permitted to draw
his lines closer and cossr round the walls until,
the 10th of September. the investment was CON-
pete and Paris was isolated by glittering grdle OF
Prusslan Dayonets from the outside world.
vigorous measures had however, been taken by
the Parisans TO make desperate and protracted
defence. Following upon the disaster OF Sedan and
the captivity Of the Emperor they had, in
the name of France, renounced the. empire
and amid the widest enthusiasm of patri-
otism declared q republic On the Attn OF
September government Of national defence
was appointed, headed by General Trochu. and COM
posed of Jules Favre, Gambetta, Rochefort, Jules
Simon, Mons. Cremieux. Picard and few more
obscure names. Trochu's reputation as military
man and his undoubtcd patriotism inspired the
greatest confidence. He appreciated, perhaps, more
clearly at that early day than most OF his
leagues and compatriots the peril in which Paris
stood Under his auspices the preparations for de-
fence were srrenuously pushed forward. Night and
day thousands Of aborers toiled yet further CON-
pete tine elaborate forticatons that the foresight
of M. Theirs years before mad caused to be begun.
Provisions Of oil kinds were rapidly collected and
stored. The patches OF forest that formed
the suburbs were burned down lest they
should give cover to the enemy. Ammunition was
increasingly manufactured, and in every public
square the work of drilling the volunteers for mill
tary service who had answered the call OF the gov.
eminent from every quarter Of the city, carried
on from dawn TO sunset
Thanks to these signs OF hope, the approach of the
Prussians, instead of renucing the Parisians to
despair only Lit the fires Of patriotic ardor into
fercer and brighter fame 70 the DOUBTS OF foreign
military critics they gave but one unninching
repy-that Paris would never surrender.
Trochu encouraged this resolution to re-
sist to the last extremity by several high
down proclamatons the wording OF which,
In these last days OF humiliation, reads sadly ludl
crous He is said to have thought at this time that
600 men would be enough to hold Paris against
any beleaguerlng force, however stro0g, and that
the stores already gathered would certainly last six
months, or even longer
When at last however, Paris was actually cut Off
from the rest of the world, II was plain that her
citizens realized for the first time what isolation
meant. They had laughed at the possible Inconve
nences Of such condition OF airails and had said,
with smile and shrug OF the shoulders, that the
world would miss the pleasures Of Paris and the In
fuences OF civilization and refinement which she
shed all over Christendom far than Paris would
miss the presence and the money of the Darbarians.
But when nearly all the foreigners hurredly ned
from the doomed city, when the telegraph wires
were cut and the mail lines stopped running and all
the thousand and one consequences of the siege
messed upon their minds with ever-increaslng
force they began to appreciate the gravity OF the
mass TO which the misgovernment OF The empire had