The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-11-23


nous in history or because they are inter
esting in comparison with less noted but
equally daring deeds treated in these col
umns. Except for variety and for compar-
ison one need not go aside from the record
of our civil war for instances Of the most
sublime courage and fortitude, and in that
school my standard was formed. Leaving
out personal experiences in action may
sly that l witnessed much OF the hardest
fighting that took place between the Army
of the Potomac and the Army of Northern
Virginia, and the pages of history do not
contain grander deeds than those per-
formed under my eye by the unpretentious
volunteers of America of 1861
Like many famous victories in battle,
the assault on Spicheren Heights Franco
Prussian war;, which cost the Germans
over 1000 killed and wounded and
brigade commander killed, was an acct
dental collision, not part OF Il campaign
plan. Fortunately it succeeded, or some
official heads would have gone of in
consequence, for it was just about this
time that King William put his emphatic
disapproval upon that method of warfare.
in answer to the query from Won Moltke,
"Your majesty, what would you say of a
general who would order an assault on
such height as that?" pointing 80 pre-
cipitous elevation) the king said promptly,
Il would cashier him at once
When the French army marched to the
Rhenish frontier under the orders of Ma
poleon III Frossard's corps took position
near the S2ar, opposite the Lower Rhine
province, the most exposed portion of Ger
man territory, and in front OF the Ger
man position. On the "a of August QS1W
the German armies were put in motion,
the first army, under Won Steinmetz, being
directed toward the Saar with the inten-
ton of invading France On this day
also the French general, Frossard, accom-
panied by the Prince Imperial, who was
to receive his much talked of baptism of
fire" on this occasion, seized the region
around the German garrison town of Saar-
bruck, occupying it with {! light force and
holding his main strength established on
Spicheren Heights, Il little over mile
from the town, and on French soil. The
Seventh German corps had orders to be on
the Saar Aug. 6, and the Fourteenth diyi-
sion, uuder Gen. Kamecke, was to send
over strong advance guard and have out
pickets toward the French lines. The corps
commander intended to concentrate on
l;he 9th and attack the French on the 18th.
For some reason, however, Kamecle's
division was advancing independently, and
at II O'Clock on the 9Th, when its COM
mander received orders from his CORPS
general to have his division move as far
as the German side of the river only, he
had already crossed and taken Saarbrucll
from the French and sent on cavalry
toward Spicheren Heights. No doubt the
zeal of the German officers and men led
them to hurry forward and precipitate
fight
Kamecke made dispositions to attack
the heights, and sent word to his chief ask
ing for re-enforcementS His own force
consisted of two brigades with cavalry and
artillery attached, less than 10000 men.
The French corps on the heights probably
numbered as many, but their elevated
position crowned with numerous batteries,
gave an advantage equal to another army
of the same size. 1t was piece of daring
for Kamecke to attack under the circUm-
stances, for he had no certainty of support
and only an accident could bring it to him
in the nick of time, and of all things not
to be forgiven in a leader in the German
army rashness is the chief Fortunately
another German army, the Second, was
also moving into the Saar valley by separ-
ate routes, and the sound of battle, more
potent at times than formal designs and
orders, was to call up aid to Kamecke to
save the day. The cavalry of this army,
under the personal direction of its COM
mander, Gen. Won Rheinbaben, was rec
onnoitering in the valley, and it was on
the strength of their report that the French
were believed to be retreating that Kamecke
made his attack.