The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1888-01-05
THREE BLUE HUSSARS.
THE PRuSSiAN CAvALRYMEN WHO
81. WERE FIRST TO ENTER PARIS. b

z
"A Curious Incident which Might Have
"a Prolonged the Franco-Prussian War.
Interview with One Of the Daring Ad-
vance Guards-A Possibility. '--1
Z Among the many who read with inter
est the review of Mr.. E. B. Washburne's
last literary work, "Recollections of q
Levinger, prominent gentleman who is
now staying in this city. In the review
special reference was made to the singular
fact that Paris after the Franco-P russian
war was first entered by three hussars,
and not, as is generally supposed, by 3d.,
600 Prussian troops in body. This Curl
GUS incident, which proved to be of but
minor Importance, but which might have
ended the armistice and prolonged the
war, seems to have escaped all other his
torians but Mr.. Washburne. Evidently
unaware of the circumstances attending
this singular and hitherto unexplained cpl
sode Mr.. Washburne dismisses it in q
paragraph and incorrectly illustrates the
blue horsemen as emerging from the
Arc de Triomphe. In the review it was
said that the treaty of peace provided for
the admission on March 1, 1871, of sc, 900
Prussians into the capital. But they did
not all come together. .-'.
On the contrary, Paris may be said to
have been taken possession of, strange as
it may appear, by three blue hussars. On
the morning of March 8, at 9 o'clock, they
rode in at the Porte Maillot, proceeded up
the avenue of the Grand Army and
walked their horses slowly down the
magnificent avenue of the Champs Elysees
with carbines cooked and finger upon the
trigger, three horsemen, the sole heralds
or representatives of the tremendous con-
quering host that had overthrown France.
One of these hussars was Mr. Levinger,
then a cadet sergeant in the Thirteenth
Blue Hussars. The second was Baron
Won Jageman, lieutenant in the same
regiment, and the third was private, who
acted as orderly. Your correspondent,
learning Of Mr.. Levinger's connection
with the affair, sought an interview, in
the course of which Mr.. Levinger said:
son March l the second, third and
fourth squadrons of my regiment left
Versailles about o'clock in the morning.
The troops which were to enter Paris had
left the night before and were quartered
near the Longchamps, so as to be fresh the
next morning for the review and the en-
try of Paris. To let as many corps as
possible enter the city among the stip-
ulated &c, 900 men only the first battalion
of each infantry regiment and the first
squadron of each cavalry regiment were
selected to compose the occupying force.
When we reached the Longchamps the Of
ficers were called forward and told that
the emperor would review the troops and
that the men were present to prevent at
tentats or any attempt upon his life.
eve were ordered to ride patrouilles to
the Notifications of Paris, and not to al
low any civilian, whosoever he might be,
to remain in the Bots de Boulogne. I
rode the first patrouille, and found several
people occupying houses in the Bots, but
they left when / ordered them to go into
the city. Resuming my ride to the forti-
fcations arrived at the gate and halted
my men. Without giving the matter a
second thought rode over the bridge and
stood in Paris, the first Prussian to enter
the city. A few people who were there
shouted, The Prussiansr but they made
no hostile demonstrations, and, after look
ing around, l rode out and Joined my
men. When returned told my friend,
Baron Won Jagemen, that had been in
Paris
You are only joking, he replied.
81 assured him that I had really been
within the Notifications. He was man
who was fond of adventure and he imme-
diately proposed another trip. assented,
and we selected an orderly to go with us.
His name, think, was Kaiser. When
we entered Paris the streets were well
one of the principal avenues. On the left
mo nj n, of ;ol,
were many wounded soldiers. We very
properly saluted, but they sullenly declined
to return it. We rode along until we
reached the Arc de Triomphe. At the
sight of that magnificent pile our hearts
swelled with pride, and Jageman and
clasped hands with much emotion at being
the first Prussians in Paris.
'"The Arc de Triomphe was closed with
heavy chains and deep bitches were dug
before it, so that we could not pass
through it, and by doing so painfully |
wound French national pride. Crowds Of |
people assembled at the Arc, and when
they saw US approaching they shouted, |
'Assassins! Prussiansr and crowded us so |
closely that drew my saber in anticipa- |
ton of an attack,
For Gods sake, Levinger,' said Jage-
man, don't get in a row. Let us return. |
If it become known that we entered Paris |
against orders we will be court martialed.
1t does not matter SO much to you, for |
you will leave the army after the war, but /,
1t will ruin my military career
1--WE had received imperative orders to |
ride as Tar as the Notifications only, and, |
seeing the wisdom of his counsel, I as |
sented. We turned around and rode to |
the gate of the Bots de BouIogne. When |
we entered the Bots we met Director of |
Field Police Stieber and about 100 men. |
We told him where we had been, and he |
asked in establishment: what did you see? |
What did they say to your
Some threw little mud at us and we |
were paid few compliments I replied. |
One of Director Stieber's officers wanted |
to go in with the director, but the latter
replied that he preferred to wait until q /
regiment could accompany him. We re- |
Joined our regiment. The emperor ar
rived shortly, and, after reviewing the |
troops, returned to Versailles, while the /
30, 900 selected men marched into Paris.
'We said nothing about our adventure
for fear of being court martialed. In the
rapidly changing panorama Of events /
which were crowded into that spring we
did not realize what we had done, Ihave
since thought, however, that II we, had
got into a fight with the sansculottes in the
streets and been killed the result might
have been serious. The Paris mob was
ready for any kind Of violence, as the ter
rible commune subsequently showed, and
the Prussians were in no mood for trifling.
Baron Won Jageman Is still In the regular
army and In the same regiment Of which
King Humbert Of Italy Is honorary col
onel, "-Philadelphia Cor. New York Her
aid. ga |
at; A Popular Boston Game,
Progressive Observation Is the name Of |