Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-08-31
CID WORLD SOLDIERS,

some Comparisons by General Bhert-
dan Complimentary to the American
Fighter.
Adam Badeau: The death of General
Sheridan end the announcement that he
had prepared an article on the battle OF
GraYelotte, reminds me of letter to
Gen. Grant in which he discussed the
Franco Prusslan war. was in England
at the time. and had been requested by
MIR. Fropde to furnish paper on that
war for Frazer's Magazine | wrote to
Gen. Grant, then president, asking him
If he could help me, and he replied as
follows:
81 am in receipt of your letter in
which you speak of the article you pro-
pose writing for the British press, and of
getting something from Sheridan to aid
you in preparing it. [ have received
but one letter from Sheridan since he
has been with the Prnssiane. 1t is prob.
ably too late for that letter 20 be OF any
service to you, but / send It,"
The following is Sheridad's lettee:
Reims, France, Sept. 13, 1S7O-My
Dear Gen. Grant: TIE capture of the
Emperor Napoleon and McMahon's s
army at Sedan on the 1st OF September
has thrown France into chaos which
even embarrasses the Prussian authori-
ties. 1t seems to quiet observer as
though Prussia had done too much,
Who to negotiate wlth2 who to hold re-
sponsible in the final settlementP are
becoming grave questions, and one can
not see what will be the result. / was
az ha Of
Grayelotte and Sedan. and have had my
imagination clipped inseeine these bat.
tles-of many OF she errors it had run
into IN the conceptions Of what might
be expected of the trained troops OF
Europe.
There was about the same percentage
OF sncaks and runaways, and the general
conditions Of the battles were about the
same as our own. One thing was es-
specially notioeable-the scattered con
ditlon of the men in going into battle
and their scattered condition while
engaged. At Gravelotte, Beaumont and
sedan the men engaged on both sides
were 30 scattered that il looked like
thousands OF men engaged In deadly
sklrmish without any regard to lines or
Information. These battles were OF
this style of fighting, commencing q,
long range, and might be called pro-
gressive fighting, closing at night by the
French always giving up their position
or being driven from it in this way BY
the Prussians. The latter had tb.i,
own strategy up to the Moselle. and ii
was good and successful. After that
river was reached the French made the
strategy for the Prussiaps, and it was
more successful than their own. The
Prussian soldiers are very good, brave
fellows, ell young, scarcely o man over
27 In the first leyies. They had gone to
each battle with the determination "a
win. 1t is especially noticeable, also
that the Prussians have attacked the
French wherever they hsYe found them
let the numbers be great or small, and
SO far as have been able to see, though
the grand tactics OF bringing on the en-
gagements have been good, yet the bat
ties have been won by the good, square
fighting OF the men and junior officers
Ii is true the Prussians have been two &c
one except in one OF the battles before
Metz, that of.the 10th OF August; still
the French have bad the advantage o
very Rtrong positions.
Generally speaking, the French soldiers
have not fought well. 1t may be because
the poor fellows have been discouraged
by the trap into which their COM
mander had led them, bus must confess
to hsysng seen some of the "talIest'
running st Sedan I have ever Witnessed
especially on the left OF the French
position-all attempts to make the men
stand seemed to be pnavailing. So dis.
graceful was this that il caused th,
French cavalry to make three or foul
gallant but foolish charges. as If it wer,
to show that there was at least come
manhood left in mounted French
soldier.
lam disgusted; all my boyhood's fan
cies Of the soldiers of the great Napoleon
have been dissipated, or else the soldier.
Of the Little Corporal have lost theiI
elan in the pampered parade soldiers o
the Man OF Destiny"
The Prussians will settle. think, b,
mekIng the line ofiths Moselle the Ger.
msn line. taking in Metz and Strasburg
and the expenses OF the war.
| have been most kindly received b,
| the king and Count Biamarek and al