The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-04
A DISCIPLINED THUNDERBOLT.
Archibald Forbes Gives His Impressions o
the Red Prince,

Archibald Forbes Gives His Impressions of
the Red Prince.
London Daily News.
Were called on to define Prince Frederick
Charles in two words should style him dis
cpllued thunderbolt The first time ever saw
Prince Frederick Charles was on the afternoon
of the battle of Mars la Tour. About noon on
that bloody day Bazaine out there In front OF
the auberge of Gravelotte had hidden adieu to
his master, the Emperor, and had ridden for
ward to the great plain whose face lie the
villages of Flavieny, Vionville, Mars la Tour,
and Rezonvllle, to find that the Prussans were
standing athwart the plateau blocking the out
ward march of his army toward Nerdun; that,
indeed, hours before Alvensleben had hidden
Reinhanen commence the offensive with his
Brandenburger horsemen. For five hours
desperate battle had been raging furlonsiy.
Alvensleben had been indeed true to his duty.
With his single army corps during those dread
full hours of fighting and slaughter he had been
barring the progress of the whole French Army.
Five and twenty thousand Germans, out there
mostly on the bare plain, had given pause to
hundred thousand Frenchmen. But at what
cost! AlvenSiebens two divisions, Stulpnagels,
and Buddenbrocks had lost one third of their
strength. The infantry had been pressed that
he had been forced to adopt the terrible expedlent
OF hurting cavalry at the muZzles OF the chasse
pot. From Bredows gallant horsemen he had
not asked too much They had achieved their
mission; they mad pierced line after line of
French infantry, and had sabred the gunners of
the batteries behind: but they had ridden back
into their position short by one half of the
strength with which they had commenced their
heroic charge. The village of Flavigny was a
shamble its cutters running blood. The plain
around it was strewn thick with dead and
wounded Well might Alvensleban, with anx-
ious eyes, scan the verge of the plateau for rein
fOrcements, for he was engaged up to the hit
not man stood in reserve. He was holding
on grimly, but it was with the grip almost of
despair.
At tn head of the ravine up which the road
winds from Gore down in the valley on to
Flavigny up there on the plateau, l lay among
the brushwood watching the lurid scene. Sud
denly behind me on the steep ascent of the road
/ heard the clatter of many troops. A cavalcade
was approaching at a hand gallop. Out to the
front alone rode a SQuare-ShOuldered chief In a
red tuuc. sitting his big bay with a firm, easy
seat. His strong lined face was intent, yet
calm; he spoke over his shoulder to the man rid
ing on his flank. twas Prince Frederick Charles
at the head of his staff who had ridden up from
Ponta- Mousson, following his own maxim of
moving direct upon the cannon thunder. Out
on to the bare plateau he rode, among the
whisting bullets and the bursting Shells and as
II by instinct gallOped straight for the knoll be-
hind Flavigny. where Alvenseben stood in the
fire surrounded by what remained of his staff.
1t waS strange, but, as if by the advent of this
man, the face of the battle magically
changed. Broken troops fell into order and be-
gan to push forward. The batteries massed and
concentrated their fire on points where it told
Reinforcements he had ordered as he had ridden
forward came hurrying on to the plateau and
Joined in the fight. cheering as they deployed
and opened fire. LIE Bpuf had been pressing
down from the northward, and threatening
Avenslebens flank but not Kraatz K oschlan's
battalions were available to confront him, and
when they had been too severely punished to
maintain their position a headong cavalry charge
crumbled up the head of LIE B9uf's attack. The
sun went down field retrieved for the
Germans by the cool, sklful generalshp of
Prince Frederick Charles In the twilight he
swept his front clear by the charge of cavalry
division in line, and then the wea1ied soldiers
were able to take up their bivouacs.
saw the Prince that night ride into Gorze.
where his quarters were for the night The
little place was a pandemonium Only in the
center of the narrow street was there clear
thoroughfare Along the house fronts were
ranged double row of wounded men, lying
there on the rugged pavement The blaze of
toarches, as the surgeons and the krankentrager
moved about, shed lurid light on a scene of
singular yet awful pcturesqueness. AS the
Prince rode along the poor wounded fellows
recognized their chief, and feeble cheer ran
along the lines Of the MANNED. The stern
soldier was moved. To the right and to the left
he threw his words of kindly commiseration and
encouragement. He told his kinder" that the
day had been won by the Prussian arms, and
bade them be of good cheer for they had done
their duty as good soldiers of the Fatherland.