The New York herald., 1873-12-11

bach not ordering the generals OF division OF the
Frossard. The inquiry has established the follow.
ing facts subsequent TO the taking OF she command
by Marshal Bazalne, and from which II results
| that he had before Captivating done all that
duty and honor commanded him to do
Emperor, who had ordered him to make a rapid
retreat. l. In retarding the departu OF the army
until the afternoon OF the l4th OF august. z. IN
not destroying the bridges OF which the enemy
could make use 3. In only using in coming out OF
Metz one line OF road for the march Of the army.
though four remained practicable. 4. In giving an
order to dsband the auxiliary train bearing the
ratlons OF the army. .. In not continuing MS
Marshal Bazaine permitted one OF his lieuten-
ants, Marshal Canrobert to be overwhelmed IN
pressing and reiterated appeals and while holding
In naction almost the entire Of his reserves. Mar
shal Bazaine deceived the Emperor and tine MIN
lister OF War up to the end OF August relative TO
his position and projects. l. In representing
himself as deprived Of victuals and ammunition In
start for aontmedy which led 70 the belief alter
the battle OF SAINT Prlvat. that he could easily
debouch in that direction; intelligence which de-
termined the march OF Marshal MacMahon towards
lister. on the 26th OF August, when he was aware
the march ss Gf ss Army perce eaohs ths
was writing TO Marshal MacMahon that he
could cut through them whenever ne wished:
come 60 the aid OF Marshal MacMahon after having
encouraged his advance, thus leaving to his unsup-
Marshal Bazaine abused the confidence OF his
leutenanJs in the council OF war held at Grlmont
on the 26th OF August. l. In concealing from them
the march OF the Army OF Chaons. 2. In not COM
transmitted transmitted BY him to the Emperor to the Minister
OF War and to Marshal MacMahon. 8. For stating
that the army had only ammunition for one battle,
though he knew that since the 22d OF August the
supplies were renewed. Marshal BaZaine had not
ordered or the 18th OF August the moment when
that the fortress Of Metz should be lett to itseli
measure prescribed by decree OF October 1865, IN
Marshal Bazaine neglected, when he entered the
entrencned camp to collect the resources OF the
environs OF Metz in order return to the fortress
the vicJuals which his army had not consumed.
Marshal Bazaine, wien he had decided not again
the ns % Gsesa %
| resources for his army. He permitted the proys-
ions to pe wasted-First, in not at once reducing
the amount OF the ratl0ns second, In not putting
the civil. population on raions; third, in per-
mtting his soldiers TO buy bread and gro
raIions; fourth, in giving wheat and rye
TO his horses when there was enough OF other ior-
Marshal Bazaine propagated news given by the
enemy to NJ. Debains, which was OF nature to
affect the morale Of the army, and much @ % Of which
1888. gave orders against listening to intelligence
brought by an enemy, Marshal Bazaine notwith-
standing asked information relative to the state
OF France from the Genera-in- Chief Of the enemy
| Marshal Bazaine after having recognized the new
| government, lent an ear to propositions brought
| from Ferrleres by one Regner and TO projects OF
restoration OF the Emperor lad down by this agent
pared to captalate with his army on condition OF
obtaining the honors OF war, when he had still
n for over anrtn month Ii ana IN
this Regnier the date to which his supplies would
last, thus communicating State secret 10 an indi-
vdual whose identity was only established by
| pass from NJ de Bismarck.
Marshal Bazaine renewed his offers Of capitula-
| tiOn on the Goth of September to General Stehle
| The Marshal isolated himself Systematically from
the Government OF National Defence-Flrst, in neg
lecting to profit by the numerous occasions OF COM
muncating with 1T either by means OF emissarles
or balloons; second, III not transmitting any pre-
else information the situation of the army IN the
| two sole dispatches he addressed to the Minister
OF War OF the 1st September and Goth October.
Marshal Bazaine renamed IN state OF inactivity
| all the time his army was still able to tight, and
made effort escape the necessity OF capitula.
tion, either in trying to pierce the lines or in de-
llvering series OF combats in order 10 break the
| blockade.
Marshal Bazaine betrayed the confidence OF his
generals commanding corps in the council OF
! October 10-First in conceang his secret parleys
! with the enemy's Commander-in-Cbiei, by the in
cdent Regnier, the reasons he gave for the de-
| parture OF General bourbak and by the depots OF
provisions laid up at Longwy and Thionville;
second. IN concealing from them that the negota-
attempted had been already positively attempted
by him, and Jailed. Marshal Bazaine gave General
which exceeded the manifest intentions of the
council OF war; Marshal Bazaine thus entanged
enemy, inevitably involving q territorial dis
| memherment, when he had no position or
in a few days National Assembly was to meet,
| to which belonged the decision OF peace or war.
of War Of the 18th or October in not communicating
| to them the contents OF the newspapers brought
back by General Boyer, and thus preventing them
] from controlling the false news he himself pre-
viously gave them, and further leading them to
| suppose that France was in state OF complete
anarchy, and that there was only one part to take
| tnat whicn he had already decIded-tO invoke the
mtercession Of the Empress. Marshal Bazane
| prOpagated through the army news brought
|
to be at least partly false. and which was
to the tn ,s spirits Of IT the army y
exercised control over the press to weaken the pub
lie spirit and discourage all sentiment OF resistance.
| The Marshal, during the months OF September and
| October held direct communication, through flags
Of truce, with the General-in-Chief OF the enemy,
the object OF which he kept secret, and there was
| multiplied correspondence OF which no trace re-
mains. Marshal Bazaine, when he had made up
General Jarrax, though the Chief Iommissariat
| oicer had Just announced to him that he dis
covered three or four days provision. Marshal
| BaZaine did not destroy the immense nldteriel OF
| war of the army and fortress from which the
enemy could have sucn resources to continue the
war; He delivered the nags OF his army to the
enemy after using subterluges to prevent his
| troops from destroying them. Marshal Bazane re-
fused accept or detachment OF his army the mil
iiary honors the enemy consented to pay them He
separated the lot OF mis- officers that OF their
| men. in handing up the army to the enemy. lie
neglected to stipuiate that rations should be dis
| trlbuted to the soldiers immediately when they
were given up 10 the enemy. Marshal Bazane
| magazines ON the 10Th Of October, and which were
subsequently delivered to the enemy, should be
distributed among his own soldiers Marshal
Bazaine. instead OF living in the midst OF his troops
alter the surrender OF the army so that he might
| intercede in their Iavor IN OF necessity,
| the first TO quit Metz Marshal Bazaine announced
fasehood IN his general order book so far con-
cerned the ultimate return to France OF the ma
| t6riel OF war; statement which might have had
as consequence two months prolongation OF the
humiliation OF this surrender, without any other
result than the preservation OF the ndteriet In
good state.
In consequence OF the facts established by the
preliminary inquiry our opinion that there are
good grounds Tor demanding that Marshal BaZane
be retired and convicted ior having signed
capitulation, the result OF which was the laying
down OF its arms by his army, and the surrender
to the enemy OF the fortress OF Metz without doing
before treating, all that duty and honor required;
crimes provided against and punishable by articles
200 and 10 OF the code Of military Justice
Given at Versailles the 9th OF NAV. 1873