Middletown transcript., 1878-04-27

! awaiting daybreak.
The French Army slept.
Suddenly it awoke.
1t was a captive.
The sun rose, splendid as it show
toward God, terrible as it shown to
ward man.
Let US define the situation.
The Germans have numerical
strength on their side; they are three
to one, four, perhaps; they confess t
having 250,000 men, but it is certain
that their line of attack was 80 kilom
etres in length; they hold the posi-
tons, crown the heights, FIJI the for
ests, they are covered by all sleeps
they are masked by all the shadows
they have matchless artillery. The
French army is in a hollow, al
most without artillery and ammunition,
naked under their grape-shot. The
Germans have ambush on their side,
the French have on theirs nothing but
heroism. It is fine thing to die, but
good thing to surprise.
This achievement at arms is a sur
prise.
Is it fair war? Yes, but if this be
fair war, what is foul war? the same
thing.
Thus much said, and the battle of
Sedan is rccounted.
We would stop here. But we can
not. Great though the horror of the
historian be, history is a duty, and
must be fulfilled. There is no more
imperious slope than this to tell the
truth whoever ventures upon it rolls
to the bottom. 1t must be so. The
Judge is doomed to justice.
The battle of Sedan is more than a
battle which is fought itisa syllogism
which finishes itself; dread premedita-
tion Of destiny. Fate never hurries,
but always attains its goal Its hour
strikes and it is there. 1t lets years
go by, then when least thought of, it
appears. Sedan is the fatal unexpect-
ed. From time to time, in history, di-
vine logic makes sorties. Sedanis one
OF these sorties.
So, on the 1st of September, at FIVE
o clock in the morning, the world
awoke under the sun, and the French
Army under the thunderbolt. |
Bazeille, takes fire, Givonhe takes
fire, Floing takes fire; the thing be-
gins by furnace. The whole horizon
is afame. The French camp is in this
crater, stupefed, scared, startled, in a |
funereal swarm. A ring of thunder
bolts encircles the army. Extermina-
ton hens it in.
This immense murder is carried on
IN all sides at once. The French re-
'ist, and they reterrible, for they have
nothing left them but despair. Our
guns, almost all Old-fashioned and car
wing badly, areimmediately dismount-
ID by the terrible and precise aim of
he Prussians. The density of the rain
# shells upon the valley is such that
the earth is ruled, says witness, "as
" rake" How many guns? Eleven
hundred at least. Twelve German
on the Moncelle only, the
bird and fourth abtheilung, frightful
trtilery, on the crests Of Givonne, with
lie Second Horse Battery as reserve
opposite Diogny, ten Saxon and two
Furtemburg batteries the curtain Of
rees in the wosd north Of Villers-Cer-
lay conceals the mounted aJtheilung
nth the Third Heavy Artillery as
eserve, and from this gloomy thicket
J poured a formidable fire; the tWen-
y-fve pieces Of heavy artillery form
artery in the clearing near the road
rom La Moncelle to La Chapelle; the
artery Of the Royal Guard sets fire to
he wood De Ia Garenne; the bombs
nd bullets riddle Suchy, Francheval,
'ouru-Saint Remy, and the valley be- I
yeen Heibes and Givonne; and the
'iple and quadruple row of guns ex {
md without break to the cavalry OF l
lily, the most remote point of the hori {
IN j
The German soldiers, seated or re- q
Imbent before the batteries, look upon f
le artillery doing its work. The v
rench soldiers fall and die. Among i
le corpses which cover the plain is t
le, that Of an officer, upon which they P
i'll find, after the battle, sealed pa l
er containing this order, signed by '
apoleon; "This September 1, rest for C
e whole army" The valiant Thir- Il
fifth Regiment of the Line disap- d
ears almost entirely under the crush a
g mass Of shells the brave marines W
I'D the Saxonsa and Bavarians in check tt
r an instant, but, being overfowed N
all sides, fall back; the whole adj tt
lrable cavalry Of Margueritte's divi- tt
IN, hurled against the German in K
ntry, stops and breaks down when tn
If way on its road, exterminated says
e Prussian report, "by well directed
d quiet fire." This field of carnage Z Z
s three issues, all ofwhich are closed:
: Bouillon road, by the Prussian e e