The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-05
MARSHAL BAZAINE.
An Interview in Prison with Nap0-
'fFS Icons General-in- Chief.
his vsrsion Of the Defeat at Gravelotts and
swrsndsr Of Metz, and His Reply to the
'5 Charges Upon Which He Il Arraisnsd. 'ooa

His versaon Of the Defeat at Gravelotte and
Surrender Of Metz, and His Reply to the
~ Charges Upon Which He Il Arrsignsd. '9oa
A correspondent Of the London Times has fol-
lowed the HERALD's plan by intervening Marshal
Bazaine, ct the house In Versailles where he has
benin confinement under military guard for nearly
year. After describing his cordial reception by Q
soldierly man Of sixty, with deeply furrowed brow
and grave aspect, he proceeds:-
The Marshal opened the conversation In gene
rAl manner, expressing 10. very clear language us
opinion respecting the dlversties 81 mintary TEN
were too nervous to pront equally with races Of
and that Tor . long time TO come, owing to this
physlOlOaical condition, In accuracy OF aim with
saxon or Slave armies; and 10 proof Of that view
he referred to the perfect camness with which the
S Ss ss Fss eysa Y
esivins y % n what can 81 ssrycs
replied that my visit was not rom simple curiosity
question him respecting some Of the rumors which
ether feeling than one Of absolute impartiaiity,
would simply repeat what u might please him TO
q s3uS arc. r. q sS
spectful manner OF proceeding, butit is the only
one y when rapid !ntercnangs Of IDEAS can %
great readiness asked him, as it true that during
twenty Kilometres distance from the battle Held,
am the mat pisoe.n replied he. II do not, play
for Inc 81
for MS the battle OF Amanyilliers. was from noon
ieosing the battle Seid Drscisely Where osDs neral
should be, giving orders during the whole time,
and preserving my communications with Marshal
DAT priv ND
1is-aux-Chenes, and thus occupied tie only posi-.
not quit poson un the bass Sss
ended, and there was not singie General
SsSuS veurs suggest an so aS
business Of = csneTal Chief to fight SWORD in
1t RezOnville, where, finding some batteries had
been abandoned, rushed forward sword In hand
BY vigorous efrorts should nave remained pris.
oner IN the hands OF the Brunswick Hussara"
"Bnt, NJ Y Marechal, there are some, officers who
& % saned nS' and qss W. nsd
won q victory, they were greatly surprised In the
tSSenns 20 na ses anne e
Amanvilllers or Gravelotte,'' said the Marshal
never intended by me for an OtIensive movement.
II could never have thought OF lighting with 10000
% soa whose pu'ss aaa te army Of 2socvv ns
S hwy insfsncn@" "nat l wished to do was 70
2AAAk
many Of the enemy's men as possible, taking care
to spare our own then alter several affairs OF that
g be by
repasslng the Moselle, and. throwing myself briskly
into Alsacs, to relieve strasburg and to cover Al.
! had in view. During the engagement at
Amanviliers the regiments simply, therefore,
%srKss out @ them snd nou
had prearranged, but they made no advance.
One corps only 1.-THE Fourth made pretended
ton OF the enemy, but as to the others they took
part in a defensive engagement. which succeeded
most murderous conflict OF the whole campaign
"But when you assumed the command YOU must
have had Instructions to enable you TO act ip
concert with the other corps, and am astontshed
that You should speak OF arrangements as pecu-
Harry your own. and which would constitute
isolated and independent action" II had abso-
lutely no instructions. When, on the 18th,
] saw our beloved and unfortunate Emperor,
hscMakon or to Marshal Canrobert. but t the EN-
per0r insisted and gave the orders. When asked
him for instructions he said, DO your BEST At
and embarrassing. After Reicnsh0ilen and For
bach we mad no longer any right wing, and the
their turning movement, which resulted in my be-
ing invested: wrote at that moment to Marshal
MacManon that sn0ud endeavor to retire not not
north. When the Marshal, alter some hest
taton and after having sought 70 fan back upon
ready in the direction Of the fOrtresses OF the
o oWrsA part ART VINO had not the power Of
joining him, being invested, had then only to
rely upon my own Judgment" t u ds u SAD tha e
you personally on the 23d despatch from General
Gackahon, which explained to you the line you
The Marshal shrugged his shoulders. II never re-
ceived couriers; never saw Scalabrino nor any
Ss Sor
August. Alter that day received many, be-
cause 1t was the interest Of the Germans to allow
that point. No one has ever been brought face to
ACE with me who maintains that he had delivered
any despatch from Marshal MacMahon to me be.
fore the S0th.n "You said just now that You had
but 90, 900 men to oppose to the German armies,
pp there were maze Sns s nnv 90 G
nghting men, There is q transaction which has
greatly excited public curiosity and which Is even
eyes, yes,n replied the Marshal, after moments
silence, 'and myself cannot yet explain It,. A
passpcrt rom M dc Bismarck, and who wished to
speak with me-. He told me that he came from
Chiselhurst, and that not daring to bring with MIN
auy written papers he had been furnished as a Gre
Dental with photograph Of Chiselhurst, with o
dedication by the Prince Imperial, whose hand.
writing l recognized: that he came on behalf OF
the Empress, VINO asked me to send to her either
Marshal Canrobert or General Bourbakl. NATURALLY
thought that there were some negotiations going
and conceived that had no right to tnwart
them nor to be made acquainted with them:
into the presence Of NJ. Regnier, and
then ! left them. Half an hour afterwards
/ saw Marshal Canrobert, who declared that
he was too old and too fatgued to undertake the
Journey / then sent for General Bourbaki and
after Jew minutes conversation he came and
told me that he was willing to go. He set out, IN
fact; and from that time never saw either M.
Regnier or General Bourbaki again, and all know
OF the business is what have gathered from the
newspapers.n We remained silent for few mo-
ments and then said, "You have been greatly re.
preached for having been willing to obey the EN-.
press In this matter.v "And whom could
obeyf The government of the National De-
cation with me and I knew nothing Of It,
i was cut Off from the world, and, only having
fumors to inform me OF what was going on, for me
the EMPRESS Regent was still Regent.u lyon are