The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-08-23
THE ONLY ACTOFPRUSSIAN MERCY.
An Incident of the FrancO-Germa

An incident of the FrancO-Germa =
War.
The last number of the Revue de
Deur MOndes gives a very interestine
Renaissance of the Franco German
war IN discussion of a somewha
desultory phase of it-that of tn,
guerilla contest waged by armed peas
ants. The incident took place a
Longpre, large village about ten miles
on the road from Abbeville toward.
Amiens, at period just after the fail
OF the latter city into the hands O
Gen. Manteuffel The inhabitants o
Longpre, having suffered from certain
Prusslan acquisitions, took up arm.
Individually with the intention o
avenglng themselves and preventing 8
repetition of the demand. They re
solved, to quote their own words, as
reported by NJ. Louandre, s'ou,use1
sur les Uhtans, and they succeeded by
occupying bits of ground near the roads
with armed parties, in driving off sew
eral patrols of the dreaded cavalry
One OF them in particular, who haG
sworn to avenge the loss of a horse
upon the Uhlans, and in his turn te
cause as many of them as possible, il
his own phrase, to dismount, kept his
word to the full. Vengeance of thi,
sort OF thing was, of course, to come
sooner or later; but the commandant
at Abbevllle, willing to protect the bold
villagers as long as possible, sent 8
detachment of five hundred Mobiles tt
garrison Longpre against any small
Il of 70 81,
llmlnary skirmIsh, in which an advance
guard of Prusslans-very probably 6
mere reconnaissance, as 1t seems to us
was repulsed by the Mobiles, was
followed next day by real advance
made by Colonel Prestel, who was
sent from Amiens with three
companies of infantry and a strong
body of cavalry to take the
place. After short fight, in which
some of the Mobiles behaved decidedly
i'll, he effected his object. But it was
late Iii the day, and the bulk of the
Mobiles got off towards Abbeville,
leaving one hundred and twenty of their
number III the hands of the Prussiaus,
and abandoning to their fate the un
lucky villagers. Trusting to the dark
ness, some OF these threw the fowling-
pieces which they had used in the fight
into bitches and hid themselves in their
cottages. Others more prudent fled
across the marshes of the Somme for
security. The Prussians plundered
the place, but forebore to destroy it.
from fear, says M. Louandre, of the
garrison of Abbeville; but, as we iudge
from what came later, much more
probably from motives of humanity.
Retreatlng that night as far as Alraines,
the next village towards Amiens, they
carried of their prisoners, of course.
adding to them twenty-five hostages
picked out of the male adults found
in the village, for the express purpose
Of being publicly shot at Amiens, as a
punishment to the offending place.
The prisoners were kept i'll the village
church at Airaines, where the cure
proved to he a man of good address
and venerable air, who at once inter
ested themselves warmly III favor of
the unfortunate hostages. In vain.
however, did he address himself that
night to Colonel Pestel. The colonel
was polite, but MEMORABLE. g An eX.
ample has to be made, and they must
60 on to Amiens, and undergo their
fate On repeated solicitation, how
ever, the curate obtained the promise
of life of the oldest of the captives, a
vIllaGer of sixty-tive. Not daunted by
bis poor success, the venerable man
renewed his suit i'll the morning. when
the troops were preparing to march off
The old man was given up to him. He
turned to the colonel, and begged
hard for the lives of all the rest.
After all, they have but defended
their own homes. Would you slay
them for that in cold blood? The laws
of war cannot-I appeal to the God of
mercy as my witness-justify such a
deed" The Colonel listened for some
time IN silence, then stretching out his
hand he said: You may have them
all; let them go to their families
The French writer, with national ex-
aggeratlon, speaks of this as the sole
act of mercy shown by the Prussians
during the war. Colonel Pestel is the
same who SO CALAMITY defended Saar-
bruck at the beginning of the war with
three companies against Frossard' S
whole corps advancing under the eye of
the Emperor. 1t is but a new proof
that the highest courage and the
truest humanity are often to be found
together.