The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1877-09-14
osman Pasha ana Marshal Bazalne
From the Chicago Inter-Ocean.


The extraordinary story to the effect that
| Osman Pasha, the commander of the Turk
ish military camp at Widin, and the Turk.
ish commander in the battles near Plevna,
is Marshal Bazaine, the celebrated French
soldier, revives interest in the romantic ca
reer of remarkable man.
Marshal Bazaine was born in Versailles,
France, in 1911. He entered the army a
private by his own choice in 1881. His
first campaigns were in Africa. From 1885
to 1888 lie was in Spain from 1910 to 1854,
again in Africa from 1854 to 1857 in the
| Crimea then two years in Italy; six years
in Mexico; again in Africa, and then in the
Franco Germain war. He rose from pri-
vate through all the intermediate grades to
the rank of Marshal 1884, and was one of
Louis Napoleon's favorites. He was con-
tinuously IN the service of France for 81
years, and participated in 80 military cam
paigns. He was one of the most trusted
and most experienced soldiers of France,
and at the time Of the Franco-Prussian war
was to have commanded one of the two ar
mics of invasion. But when the Emperor
took the field in person, Bazaine was given
the command of corps. After the defeat
of Marshal MacMahon, Bazaine succeeded
to the command of the army of the Rhine.
This was on the 10Th of August, 1870.
From that date the conduct of the cam
paign was peculiar, and on Oct. 9th Ba-
zaine surrendered Metz, an army of 100, 900
men and 1900 pieces of artillery.
The surrender was a great humiliation to
France. Bazaine had declined to recog-
nize what he termed the insurrectionary
government of Paris, holding that there
"was no government; there was nothing" :"
He was accused of intriguing in behalf of
the Emperor, and of treason to France. He
was tried in 1878 on the charge of having
capitulated with the enemy without having
exhausted all the means of defense, was
found guilty and sentenced to be degraded
and shot. The sentence was commuted by
President MacMahon to imprisonment 90
years without military degradation.
His prison was on the Isle St. Margue-
rite, and he remained there until August O.,
1874, when, aided by his wife, a most de-
voted woman, he escaped. The escape was
planned and carried out by Mime. Bazaine.
The apartments occupied by the Marshal
opend upon terrace, which was built upon
precipitous cliff overhan ging the sea. AL
though a sentry was posted on this terrace,
the Marshal gained the edge Of the 'preci-
pice on the night of August 9,and descend
ed by a knotted rope to boat in which was
his wife. Nine. Bazaine, taking the oars
herself, rowed direcGly to a steamer lying
in wait, and the two went to Cologne,
where they awaited the arrival of their
children. The Marshal wIote letter to
the French Secretary of War, stating that
he would not have attempted to escape but
for the humiliating condition of his impris-
onment, and taking the position that his
trial was not fairly conducted, as the MEM
bers of the court were not his peers.
After time Marshal Bazaine and family
disappeared. There were many stories told
as to their whereabouts, but none more
probable than the one that identifies him
with Osman Pasha.
The Turkish Government, having avail
ed itself of the services of such an expert
enced soldier, would be very likely to place
him in command of great camp like that
at Widin, where his experience aad militia
ry training would have the best effect. II
Osman Pasha is Marshal Bazaine the epi-
sodes Of the Tussian campaign but add in
interest to the romantic careerof one Of the
veteran soldiers of France