The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-05-30
SERGEANT HOFF:
AN EPISODE OF THE sEIGE
OF PARIS.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH ny
PROF. JOHN y. TARRANT.
CONTINUED.

CONTINUED.
During the progress Of Iiof-s story,
we had reached the plaieu Of Villiers.
lie wanted to see the place of his capture
once more. II was beautiful autumn
afternoon. The setting sun was rcdden-
ing the horizon, and this vast plain, but
recently harvested, wore look Of sig
ifcant gloom. There were scarcely any
trees left. all having either been cut
down or hacked to pieces by grape shot.
All along the sides Of the hills, and e.
pecially upon the summit, were to be
seen coteries Of little mounds Of various
shapes. each mound surrounded by a
white wooden cross bearing an inscrip-
tion in pencil. A few only Of these bore
German names. Here lie heaped together
the bodies Of Al those who GU that day
fought for their country and fell in the
struggle; here they lie mingled, the dark
clad Saxon chasseur, the scarlet Eouave,
the Bavarian dragoon, wrapped in his
great coat Of blue, and the little Mobile,
with his grey capl While making our
way over the spot, our feet feet struck
against bursted shells, old platters, pie
c.s Of shriyeled leather formerly belong
iag 10 caps. or helmets. In places the
indented soil was furrowed by ugly look
ing ercpssses, around which flew swarms
Of flies. Here were buried many bodies,
aud the peasants say that here the soil is
very fertile. Gradually, the plateau is
being leyeled, the number Of mounds
being diminished. and the plough is each
day extending it, burrows still farther.
Only few more harvests and these ira
ces of death will have entirely disap-
peared under the combined efforts Of man
who forgets and nature who forgivos.
With his usual caution, when Hofl
saw that his capture was a certainty, he
very quickly made away with his papers,
his eherrons. and every thing else that
might betray his identity, knowing too
well the fate Prussian generosity would
reserve for him should he ever be recog-
nised. His presence Of mind saved him.
As soon as he was captured his pockets
were ransacked, and rs he had nothing
about him except his watch and his knife
they took possession Of these. 1t is use
lees to say that they were never restored
to him. This is the custom with those
Germans; from great TO small war is
with them q vast business transaction,
and victory is glorious only in proper
ton to the resulting profits il brings.
Hoa followed his captors for the space
Of two hours in their movement to the
rear, where he was enrolled with other
prisoners and sent to Lagny. Here were
gathered into the church two or three
hundred men who had fallen into the
hands of the enemy at the beginning Of
the action. Hoh recognized among them
the Captain who in the morning had al,
lowed himself TO be surprised, and upon
whom the exasperated men were heap
ing bitter reproaches. lie was weeping.
Another officer, lieutenant, was sitting
apart from the rest and looking very
sad. The Germans accused him Of hav-
ing escaped from Sedan after the capitu-
lation, and Of having ordered his men
to kill the wounded, and they were about
10 shoot him. The informer against him
was an Alsatian, a'little eighteen years
old follow who had volunteered for the
war. Such circumstance, TO the hon
or of the French army, was rare, and
during the bitter experience Of our long
captivity, our unfortunate comrades re-
mained united in sympathy, but there
are wretches everywhere who will act as
the young Alsatian did. A few, with,
out any evil intent, permitted themselves
o be too easily seduced by the winning
manners Of our enemies. They were
ontrapped into talking with them and
rinking with them, and thrown off their
,uard by the wine, they would some.
lines say more than they meant. When
the little Alsatian traitor came back in.
to the church, whence he had gone out
for dinner. he was drunk, and his new
friends. the Germans, took care to give
him a bed of straw, while the rest slept
on the bare stone floor.
Would the Prussians take pity ON the
poor lieutenantl Would they be ashamed
70 condemn Il man upon the sole evi
dence of drunken boyS The fact is,
that before executing their threat Il
shoot him, they thought to interrogats
other soldiers, whose explanations doubt
less satisfied them, for the officer was
spared All along the route, however,
they kept very close watch over him.
Early in the morning, and attended
by strong escort the prisoners lefi