The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1890-11-21

cases may he selected because they are fa-
nous in history or becauee they are inter
esting in comparison with less noted bat
equally daring deetts treated IN these COZ
nmns. Except for variety aud for coTpar-
ison one need not 90 aside from the record
of our civil war for instances Of the most
sublime courage and fortituie. and IN that
school my standard was formed. Leaving
out personal experiences III action may
say that 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 1851.
Like many famous victories in battle,
the assault on Spicheren Heights (Franco-
prussian war;, which cost the Germans
over 4,oo0 killed and wounded and "A
brigade commander killed, was an acci
dental collision not part of campaign
plan Fortunately it succeeded, or some
official heads would have gone off in
consequence, for it was just about this
time that King William put his emphatic
disapproval upon that method of warfare.
la answer to the query from Won Moitke,
"Your ma iasty. " hat would you say Of a
general who would order an assault on
such height as that" tpointln. To a pre-
cipitous elevation the king said promptly
Il would cashier him AZ once.
When the French army marched 70 the
Rhenish frontier under tie oricrs OF Ma
poleon l. Eraseardss cofps took position
near the s9aar, opnusite tie Lower Ehlne
province the most exposed portion OF Ger
man territory, and III front Of the Ger
man position. Ca tae 2a of August lSio)
the German armies were put III motion,
the first army, ander Non Steinmetl being
directed toward the Saar with the inten-
tion 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 a light force and
| holding his main strength established on
| Spicheren Heights, little over a mile
| from the town and on French soil The
| Seventh German corps had orders to be on
| the Saar Aug 6, and the Fourteenth divi
| sion, under Gen kamecke. was to send
over a strong advance guard and have out
| pickets toward he French lines. The corps
| commander intended To concentrate on
/ the 9Th and attack the French on the .th.
| For some reason. however, kalaecke :
/ 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 Saarbruck k
| 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 preciptate a
| fight.
/ Kamecke made dispositions to attach
| the heights. and sent word to his chief ask
| ing for re-enforcements. His own force
| consisted of two bri.yaacs with cavalry and
/ artillery attached, less than $1,000 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 It 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 4 leader IN the German
army rssshness is the chief. Fortunately ly
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 It's com
mander. Gen. You 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 hameche
made his attack.