The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-17
Won MOLTKE,
The German Field Marshal in His Old Age
His Personal Habits.

AOAN
Berlin Correspondence (Oct. 25) London Times.
Field Marshal Count Won Moltke, who is in
excellent health of body and mind, will cele-
brate his eighty-fourth birthday tomorrow.
He is staying at his estate at Kreisau, near
Schweidnitz, in Silesia. and will 90 to-mor-
row to visit his neighbor, Count Bethusy, in
order to avoid congratulations, which, in
common with all kinds of nomp and pa
geants, he dislikes. Before the autumn ma
neuvers, from the middle of August
to the middle of September, he disappears
every year from public view. and
even his friends and familiars do not
know where he is. This time is devoted to
travelling, and especially to mountain climb
ing, in which exercise he usually excels his
young companions. He is not proud of his
past active and splendid career, but regards
what he has done as mere performance of
his duty. Although he has a substitute in
the quartermaster-general, Count Waldersee,
he likes to decide all important matters him
self. Essays by officers of the general staff
and opinions of the heads of departments
are constantly sent to him for criticism, and
he writes on the broad margins in a small,
clear hand. observations remarkable not only
for professional acuteness, but for beauty of
style and precision of thought.
He rises early, takes a walk in his W
grounds at Kreisau, or sometimes, when in
Berlin, in the Thiergarten, and then works
generally till the hour of his simple dinner.
He seldom smokes after that meal, snuff be-
ing the form in which he, like Frederick the
Great, enjoys tobacco. When he works he
always has his snuffbox near him. In the
afternoon he receives or pays visits. In the
evening he likes to play whist with his
nephew, Captain Won Moltke, and other
friends. Even during the French war be
was accustomed to play whist when possible,
and his adjutant, Colonel de Claer, had to
provide suitable players. The officers of
the general staff would report the news
to him as he sat playing; and
when his turn came to go out of the
game he would follow the reported move
ments of the enemy on a map spread out in
the next room, and plan with mathematical
precision the required counter-movements.
Thus, on the 25th of August, 1870, the re-
ports of McMahon's march to the Meuse
found Field marshal Won Moltke at whist.
Report after report made the enemy's inten-
ton clearer to him, and late in the evening
he went to the King and told him that the
army must march not to Paris, as had been
intended, but to the Mouse. This important
resolution, so swiftly taken, which led to
the colossal victory at Sedan, is the best
proof of how quickly the Field-marshal
could grasp a completely altered situation
and act accordingly.
After the Emperor, Field Marshal Won
Moltke is beyond question the most popular
man in Germany. The King of SaXony is
specially attached to him, and never fails to
visit him when both are in Berlin. When at
court festivals the magnates file past the
Emperor, and other royal personages, the
King of Saxony, when present, always rises
at the approach of the F~ield-marshal, and
this gives the signal for the whole court to
follow his example.
Count Won Moltke is a widower, and has
no children. He was happily married for
t~wenty-six years to a lady whose maiden
name was Burt, who died in 1868. Being
very simple in his tastes, he spends little on
himself, but is ever ready to help his rela-
' tions,