Telegram-herald., 1888-03-12
foRsss, "REMINISCENCES.
The Corrsspondsnts Reeoiieetions of the
Emperop--Littls Phn ia the field.

Emperop--Litti Phn ia the field.
Nav YORK, March 1.-THE Beraid pub
fishes some "reminiscences OF King William
in the war with France. from the famous
war correspondent. Archibald Forbes, now
at Tallahassee, Fla. Among other things
Mr.. Forbes says.
ION the night alter Gravelotte he slept on
sofa in wIetched little pot-hOuse OF
RezOnville. and would have gone supperless
ID bed but for a chance fowl found rOosung
IN the back yard. The only luxury he car
ried with him, If luxury II can be called.
was ms narrow little camp-bed, which his
old valet could set up IN i've minutes.
The hrst action of the Franco
German war which he witnessed was the
colossal struggle OF Grayelotte. While
Prince Frederick, with the Third Army
t0rps, was striking hard at the French
right from Vernevilie to ST. Marie Au-Chene,
King William remained ali day with the
first army, which Sleinmelz Was hurting
against the French left, holding the woods
and bare soping plareau OF Stubert. Late
in the afternoon the fierceness of the light
| ing and the uncertainty OF the issue drew
William right up 10 the edge of the ravlne.
| between Gravelotte and the plateau OF Stu
1 bert. There be sat among the soldiers.
| mounted on bis black horse, watching the
| fierce and all but futile efforts of the stout
infantry men of Won Cohen aud Glump TO
make head against the hurricane OF hre
| with which the French swept the smooth,
! sloping glacis which the expanse OF the
| plateau afforded.
| All of sudden they led through the
/ German combatants out there in the PAN
demonium of slaughter over against US. q
/ spasm of panic-that impulse to W hich in
tne strain of excitement. toe best troops are
1 liable. Panic like the fire on u prairie ran
| back across the rayine and caused a mo-
mentary sdare qua pett among the unen-
| gagged troops about the King. Shells came
| crushing into the dislOcated ranks, and for
| the moment an outburst of disorder had
sway. William was borne back in the
pressure demonstrating yehemently with
/ uplifted voice anu flat ofswoId. Bismarck
/ was said TO have got out astride gun, and
| the royal staff was temporarily broken up
| The panic was over in a few minutes and
order restored. bat the French had strength
ened their grip on the plateau.
The issue of the battle was still in sus-
pense when, under the last RAYS of the set
| ting sun. the last reserve OF Germans, the
| second corps, came up al double to the
| brink of the ravine. In the lurid glare of
the blazing village, King William stood by
the wayslde and greeted his stalwsrt
| Romeranians. High over the rattle OF
drum, the Dlare OF bugles and crash of
cannon rose an eager burst of cheering as
the soldiers greeted their soldier sover-
eign, and then followed the chiefs down
| into the full depths ofthe terrible chasm.
The strain OF the crisis was dreadful.
A moment later Field Marshal Won
Moltke. his face for once quiyering with ex
element, spraDg from the saddle, and, run
! ming toward the King, cried out:
Its good for US. We have won the
plateau. and victory is with your Majesty"
The King sprang to his feet saying: God
be thanked"
One afternoon of the Sedan kind, King
| William and his staff looked down from
! the hill of Frenois on the amphitheatre OF
| carnage and cannon-smoke, in the heart of
! which the doomed French army still
| fought gallantly on in the face of Fate.
| Tue commanding elevation gave a view
| nOrtnwsrd far away beyond the grew fort
| ress and nearer the combats about Ba
zeilles, and we were watching the gradual
closure of the net enveloping the French
| army, as the Fifth German Corps from the
| LETT and the Guards from the right, draw
ing nearer and nearer toward each other.
diminished the gap IN the environment OF
blood ana iron.
That environment was not to be consun-
mated without gallant but despairing pro-
| test We saw the splendid brigade of French
| cuirassiers draw out and form on q gentle
slope below the cavalry OF lily. Facing
| against the German infantry in the hollow
below. the massive borssmen gathered way
IN headiong charge as they rode in
| giittering. sieel-cled spleDdor down the
| smooth slope. As We gezed and lis
| tened We could see the flash. of armor
| and seemed to hear the thunder of horse
hoofs. The mailed cavalry of Frsnch. in
| their furious gsllop. were within 300 yards
| of the silent, halted infsntrymen IN blue
| tunics and spiked helmets. With them 1t
seemed all over. How could they stand
! against that swift. strong torrent raging
| down upon them. Suddenly frou the
steadfsst ranks flashed whitening voley.
then another and another. and lol the pan
| oplIsd array of French cavalry Vas vlther-
ing in the dust, a shattered wreck.
A QuiveTiag silence had pervsded the
| group Of leaders and staff officers upon
| the bill OF FTsBOis. King William had
| risen from his camp-chsir aud was stand
ING with bis eye AZ q great field telescope
| mounted on a tripod. The strained silence
was eu7ossly broken, "a the French Cuiras-
ser brigade met its fate. by the ssap OF a
| binocu.sr. followed by tbe quite decisive
words
Its al over with The French now
Al ewes turned cn The speaker a short
| compact. resciuie man in blue uadress uni
| form that rss not German lie wss none
| other than Gen. Phil Sheridan. represents
| tive of the United States army. attached to
! the roval hssdaasTters At the word the
! German chiefs ran % shske the foreign
! soi6ier by The hsnd for taev knew the
! ccnineut csue ff1n past master in the