The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-08-03

In Prince Blsmarck's letters to his
wife we find the following details of the
capture of the Emperor Napoleon III
after Sedan, in which will be seen the
actual condition of things stripped of
the glamour of historic pedantry:
"VENDREssE, September 8, 1870.
"DEAR HEART-i The day before yester-
day before dawn L left my quarters here,
returned to-day, and have in the interim
witnessed the great battle of Sedan, in
which we made about thirty thousand
prisoners, and threw the rest of the
French army-we had been pursuing
from Bar IL Duc-into the fortress,
where, with the Emperor, they were
obliged to surrender. AT 5 O'Clock
yesterday morning, after having till
O'clock discussed with Moltke and he
| French Generals the terms OF the capitu-
lation, / was awakened by General
Reille, whom l know, to tell me that
Napoleon wished to see me. Unwashed
and without breakfast rode toward Sc
dan, and found the Emperor in an open
carriage with three aides-de. camp, and
three on horseback, on the b. ghway this
side OF Sedan. l dismounted, saluted
hum as politely as at the Tuileries, and
asked what were his commands. He
desired to see the King. Uniformed him,
in accordance with the truth, that His
Majesty had his quarters three miles on,
at the place where l am now writing.
10 Napoleons question wnere he was to
60, | offered him, as | did not know
the neighboIhood, my quarters at
,Dunchery, a small place close to
Sedan. He accepted the offer, and
rode, accompanied by the six French
men, by me and Charles, who, in the
meantime, had followed me through the
solitary morning hours toward our side.
Before arriving at Doncnery he regret
ted his decision, on account OF the crowd
tnat might be expected, and asked
whether he might alight at lonely
workman's cottage by The road side. l
told Charles to inspect 1t, who reported
that it was poor and dirty. Ntmporte,
said N, and we ascended a narrow,
rickety staircase. we sat an hour
in chamber ten feet square,
with q zeal table and two rush
bottomed chairs; the otners were below.
A mighty contrast to our last inter-
view in 81, IN the Tuileries. Our CON-
versation was difficult, If was not TO
touch on things which should not pain
lfully affect the mau so terribly cast
down by God's powerful hand. / had
Isent Charles to letch officers from the
town, and TO request Moltke to come.
We then dispatched one OF the former to
Ireconnoiter, and discovered at half-a
mile,s distance, at Fresnois, a small
chateau In the PARK. Thither aecompa-
MED the Emperor with an escort
I.of life cuIras ssiers, sent for in
the meanwhile, and there we
concluded with Commanding Gen
| eral Wimpfen The capituiation, In con-
sequenceof which from forty thousand
to sixty thousand Frenohmen, with all
their baggage, became our prisoners.
Yesterday and the previous day cost
France one hundred Thousand men and
an Emperor. .Early this mornsag the
latter, with all his attendants, horses
and carriages, started for WILLIAMSBURG,
near Cassel.
sit 10 an historical event, q victory for.
which we most humbly thank God, and
which determines the war, though we
must continue 1t against the country
now without a ruler.
81 must conclude. With heartfelt Joy
learned from your and Mary's letters
Her berts arrival with you. As my itele-
gram has told you, l saw Bill yesterday
and embraced ham in his !Majesty's
presence, bending down from my horse,
while he sLood sIlll In the ranks. He is
well and luli Of spirits.
"FareweIs my heart. Yours, &C."