The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-12-07
THE INTERVIEW OF SEDAN.


the interview or Gen. Wimpften
with Count Bismarck and Count
Moltke after the battle and lmmedi-
0tely before the surrender Of Sedan.
1t will be remembered that Gen.
Wimpticn was the Commander-in-
Chief Of the French army ut the time
of the surrender:
We were introduced into a paTlor
on the ground floor, where we await
oil for about ten minutes the arrival
of the man who was to acquaint us
with the wishes of King William.
At last Gen. Moltkc entered, accom-
panied by Count Bismarck, Gen.
Blumenthal, and several officers.
After cold salute, Count Moltke in
quired Of Gen. dc Wimpllcn whether
he had propcrpoWcrs and credentials,
and upon the aflirmatOry reply of the
latter, asked to verify them. This
being done, General Wimptlen pre-
.ented Generals Ca5telnau and Fau-
re. Count Multkc desired 10 know
in what capacity these two generals
were present. General Eaure replied
that lie had come as Chief OF stan 10
Marshal Mcmahon, simply to accom-
pauy General Wimpilen, but without
any official character. General CAS-
telnau then said that he was the
bearer of a verbal, official commuhl-
cation from the Emperor, but that 1t
was only to hc made at the end OF the
conference, in which, however, he
was not otherwise authorized to take
,'ort CounI NIoItkc presented Count
Tismarck and General Blumcnthal
nv simnlv noipting with his finger to
..ch of ihem. We then took seats
oromrI a .nuorc. c.t1hIc,coycrcd with
~ad cloth in the following order: At
nns aida oC fine table Count Moltkc,
80 his left Count Bismarck and Gen.
tohlm ii,, sat Gen. Wimnllan, alone; he
Kind hin, and almost in the back
rrnurd were Generals Castclnau and
T,mre and other French officers.
There were also in the room seven or
eipht Prussiau officers, one Of whom,
nnnn sion from Gen. Blumcnthal,
ntored himself near the maullcpiccc,
on Which he leaned forward to take
down ali that was being said during
tbo nonfarnncc, After all were seat
cI nnrfort silence prevailed for q
n,omont and il was fHt that Cen
W,imnfr%n was embarrassed rs to how
to hngin m the conversation. but Count
NoItFe sonminr determined not to
bro,k silence.
r',,, ,,,i,,,,e,,,, I.,r,i,. 7 ehouId
,,' Neiiei"t v, tlo t"rnr52 Of mo air
tlhe W ni,i, MI'GH w STaingtv thn King
.,eBn,.sio rSi%n intonis r. rrort Ms.
i
,,,o ''I; TIr Wh"Io army to be prison-
Pr vri,h anna and b9p"apc. tie Off
60, w m,o, ~, rctoin their arms as a testi-
GERS ;ai '"T If cst%ent for their COURAGE,
mona. v, ,yi,l iii I" rrjsoucrs Of war like
out they WIN ~
the men. ,yin,rGau-'Thcao terms
- "eiv, ,ipry - hard and it seems to me
are are WY Ky I'rnnrh .'" army deserves some
thinr t,,I, hettcr for It's courage. Could
nltns en-. . snrrrndor he obtained on the
s'ita',.iu,, 10y " iu cnnjit;ous:
1ott1T t.Srhn ,,'E to,yn and the fortress, with
li,;,Ir,r,, ne iom !" shoIl @ bo handed over tc
vou m You shall allow the army tC
% retire with It's arms, baggage and
f.ga ON condition that it will moi
.aryn a~ojn during the war against
prresia The Emporor and the Gcn
.rois will nugarc tIIrir word for Tho
.r'nv and thc officers will pledge
,ho,ose,,,ea nersoually and IN writing
- i,non the came terms. The army
.,;iI ho conducted in any part o
Wnonoo va, w doeirnofrd bv Prussia, or t.
lam, ian. thGro to remain until tlt
ssaI,i"i'on AisJI,r"i' Of naocc.u
eoII,'t1," Ma tho, ~ horor, to cntcr into detail
'io .J;',a r',I.' h ia Il, nrnnoeition seeming t.
Fee. ior Pho conclusion of peace nca
sonsn, hnt General Moltkc remain
NJ manu- ,In and coulcuted himsel
rd lihpaSiniii that he could make n
hna Mio,, ,ei, =, lie conditions. Genera
T,mi":aS1tr Tm:iS5'tr,, in ranowqd his request. II
W. it"tlo tatpnonInd tothcsympathi.a to whicl
ilis' ilis ,piiinonoJ "pi,[,rIJ nositnn might inspir
pt nls peIWvI,iIti Wnitto
toul,. ",,, IV',,,,ir,n--T arrived here on
c'o,' Jo,,n w ,'i d,rn from thc interior G
~ wv '"I7 ~, 1iIitcI,v reputation un
Africa. w. 'hnan' snGlcst, and here
til now nae ,'1 tal-d command in tn
am ordef"a 70 ~; - ana am fa.all
mluuic i "t at'onI q NV name TO n disas
Iorcen '''.Inr w. "v,,I,' tI'o whole rpgponsi
trouS SUI Gii.'i' ON, cn,ol,oIIri to rs
pl.i.S VI ,.Tnrt " lr, havint mvsclr prcpai
sum- " i't,I"t 't,,n thnt , Ied toiG. You, VIII
Ell 'lie u',,'ro ,oi I';i'S ,i,,ona Won can under
arc aTtlItl.t' ,l'n AM, one the bitter
stailo ec''u' , mn'itinn' ,'',,;i |' II is possibl
scss oi NY ,nySorlon D9' nv vsod fate hy gran
.or YOU ,U@pr r'n,,c homGroLlc terms. VIII
Lhs 1i,c n,, I,,', not 10 ilo / know yer
wou'u won u, s4G H." ,''r nr;naimnl cause of on
s,,ta" wen t1,"C ,as .n he tIll nj The outset {
., uis''1.tt 1.'tt,o "M "f thn valiant Marshal vii
tlle nJod ,n's,,o "I hnr,rn me. lie woui
roil'i,',..b,vr unt n"rh"n. have been the victo
h',t hUt' ha p., n'iIht m nj least, have UperatC
= o,o. nonI ,.I '.a rat5eat As for me, if / ho
enmmanded Mt the outset, | do n
so,i''" saw thai r sIouid have done bctt
IT, 80 NJ; WorsboI NcNTohon and game
.' u''l hattie Jsho,,ld have prepared
lhe Dt.' .t. nr Of loa.t being better a
fetreaI with orr troops. I shou
'4uante'. Nod in uniting them
nave sucree,' ','a oti;,rf TO clitcT n sorti
one suPtt,itH astTot nm bound to assun
ihs'eln vi 'I,i IA Ike midst of Il
Ithe % Go.,'i l,,ithnnt knowing tha situati,
Dattie "i'n"'' tn,-all mini