The Irish standard., 1888-12-01
SHERIDAN AT SEDAN.
Interesting "reminiscences of the
Franoo-German War.

Franco War.
Tho American General Dining with tho
King of Prussia-Bismarck in tho
Field - After Sedan-Louis
Napoloon's Surrender.
An article IN Sc,lbner's Magazine by Cen
eral Philip 81. Sheridan, entitled From
Gravelotte to Sedan" is exceedingly inter-
esting reading Following are extracts:
On the afternoon Of August 81 had the
pleasure of dining with the King. The din
ner was a simple one, consisting Of soup, a
joint and two or three vegetables; the
wines, vin ordinaire and Burgundy. There
were good many persons OF high rank
present, none of whom spoke English, how
ever, except Bismarck, who sat next the
King, and acted as interpreter when his
Majesty conversed with me. Little was
said Of the events taking place around us,
but the King made many inquiries concern
ing the war of the rebellion, particularly
with reference to Grants campaign at
Vicksburg, suggested perhaps by the fact
that there, and in the recent movements of
the German army, had been applied many
similar principles Of military science.
BISMARCK IN THE FIELD.
I found him wrapped in shabby old
dressing-gown, hard at work. He was es-
tablished in a very small room, whose only
furnishings consisted of table-at which
he was writing-a couple or rough chairs
and the universal feather bed, this time
made on the floor in one corner OF the room.
On my remar}dng upon the limited charac-
ter of the quarters, the Count replied,
with great good humor, that they
were all right, and that he should get
along well enough. Even the tramp
Of the clerks in the attic and the
did not disturb him much; he said, in fact,
were it not for guard of Bavarian SOL
diers stationed about the house, for his
safety, he presumed, the sentinels from
which insisted on protecting and saluting
the Chancellor Of the North German Con-
federation in and out of season, a proceed
ing that led to embarrassment sometimes,
as he was much troubled with severe
dysentery. Notwithstanding his trials,
however, and in the midst of the CORE
spondence on which he was so intently en-
gagged, he graciously took time to explain
that the sudden movement northward from
Barbecue was the result of information
that Marshal MacMahon was endeavoring
to relieve Metz by marching along the
Belgian frontier; "a blundering maneuver,"
remarked the Chancellor, (which can not
be accounted for unless it has been brought
about by the political situation of the
French.'' ...
IN THE LAST DITCH.
BY three O'clock the French being in a
desperate and hopeless situation, the King
ordered the firing to be stopped, and at
once dispatched one of his staff-Colonel
Won Bronsart-with demand for a surren-
der. Just as this officer was Starting off
remarked to Bismarck that Napoleon him.
self would likely be one of the prizes, but
the Count, incredulous, replied: "Oh, no;
the old fox is too cunning to be caught in
such trap; he has doubtless slipped off to
Paris'--a belief which I found to prevail
pretty generally about headquarters.
Between four and five o'clock Colonel
Won Bronsart returned from his mission 10
Sedan, bringing word to the King that the
commanding officer there, General Wimp.
ffen, wished to know, in order that the
further effusion of blood might be spared,
upon what terms he might surrender. The
Colonel brought the intelligence, also, that
the French Emperor was in the town.
Soon after Won Bronsart's arrival French
officer approached from Sedan, preceded
by white flag and two German officers.
Coming up the road till within few hun
dred yards Of us, they halted; then one OF
the Germans rode forward to say that the
French officer, was Napoleon's adjutant,
bearing an autograph letter from the EN-
peror to the King of Prussia. At this the
King, followed by Bismarck, Won Moltke,
and Won Room, walked out to the front a
little distance and halted, his Majesty still
in advance, the rest Of US, meanwhile,
forming in line some twenty PAGES to the
rear of the group. The envoy then ap-
preached, first on horseback, but when
within about a hundred yards he dis
mounted, and, uncovering, came the re-
naming distance on foot, bearing high up
in his right hand the dispatch from Ma
poleon. The bearer proved to be General
Reille and, as he handed the Emperor's
letter to the King, his Majesty saluted him
with the utmost formality and precision.
Napoleon's letter was the since famous one
running, 50 Enthusiastically, thus: 'Not
having been able to die in the midst OF my
troops, there is nothing left me but to place
my sword in your Majesty's hands"
AFTER SEDAN.
Near the gate Of the city we came on the
German picket line, aud one Of the officers
recognizing our uniforms-he having served
in the war of the rebellion-stepped for
ward and addressed me in good English.
We naturally fell into conversation, and In
the midst of it there came out through the
gate an open carriage or landau containing
two men, one of whom, in the uniform OF
General and smoking cigarette, we recog-
nized, when the conveyance drew near, as
the Emperor Louis Napoleon. The landau
went on toward Donchery at a leisurely
pace, and we, inferring that there was
something more important at hand just
then than the recovery Of our trap, fol-
lowed at a respectful distance Not quite
mile from Donchery is q cluster Of three or
four cottages, and at the first Of these the
landau stopped to await, as we afterward
ascertained, Count Bismarck, with whom
the diplomatic negotiations were to be set
tied Some minutes elapsed before he
came, Napoleon remaining seated in his car
riage meantime, still smoking and accept
ing with nonchalance the staring Of group
Of German soldiers near BY, who were gaz-
ing on their fallen foe with curious and
eager interest.
pno.or+1v a o1ot%arino nf hoofe UNA heard