Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-25
GERMANYs GREAT GENERAL DEAD.
Count Won MoltEe Passes Away Peacefully
After q Stirring Career.

After q Stirring Career.
TABLIsHED THE GERMAN ExPIRE-IScIDESrs
SHOWING hrs cuARAcTERrsrrCs-rHE RECENT
HoNoRs sHowERED uroS HIM.
The death of Field Marshal Count Won Moltke
took place last night in Berlin at Gas o'clock.
Count Won Moltke attended the session Of the
reichstag in the afternoon. His death was
very sudden, and the physicians who were
summoned announced that 1t was caused by
failure Of the heart He passed away quietly
and painlessly.
cARELR OF Won noLTKR.
Count Helmuth Carl Bernhardt Won Moltke,
heid marshal of the German army. Was born
October 26, 1900. at Parchim. Mecklenburg,
where his parents we're on visit with his uncle
heimuth Won Moltke who, in 1912, marched
with the Mecklenburg battalion to Russia and
perlshed there. Count Won Molske was the
tnlrd OF seven sons of Lieut.. Gen. Won Moltkc.
his mother was Henrietta Pascheu, daughter
OF inc Counsellor OF Finance Pascheu of Ham,
burg. After the marriage the husband pur-
chased property first in the Priegnitz and sf
terward IN Aecklenburg. Young Won Moltke
went with his parents to Lubbock, where, in
lSo6, their house was sacked by the French. In
the meantime his father had bought the prop
erty OF Augustenhof in Holstein.
HE ENTERS THE PRUss1AN SERVICE
Twelve months later it was burned down with
the whole of the harvest Soon after Won
Moltke's grandfather, who disposed Of large
fortune died. His will contained numerous
and large legacies. He had not considered the
numerous losses which the war had caused to
him. Won Moltke's mother, as legatee, had TO
| bear them, and. therefore, the Inheritance was
reduced to almost nothing The property had
10 aV1 r~nll h~n< lar
were sent to the Land Cadets Military Acad-
envy at Copenhagen. At the age of eighteen
he became an officer, and in 1872 entered the
Prussian service lieutenant on recommen-
dalton from the Duke Of Holstein, and was as
signed to duty in the Body-Infantry Regiment
No: 8. Continuing his military studies. Won
Moltke was appointed a staff officer in 1891 and
as result OF his investigation published in 1885
an account of the sso-Turkish war Of 1928.
He then undertook journey in Turkey, and
while there attracted the notice Of the sultan,
Mahmoud. The latter, approaching the young
| ohcers skill sought his counsel in the reor-
ganization Of the Turkish army and the con-
str1ction Of defenses Of the empire. Won
Moltke remained some years in Turkey and ac-
companied the Turkish army in its campaigns
| against Mehemet Ali. In lsA5 he was appointed
adjutant to Prince Henry of Prussia, who then
resided at Rome. Here he prepared map Of
the city and wrote q series of letters, which
| we're afterward published. After the death of
the general command on the Rhine becoming,
| In lS49, chief Of staff of the fourth army corps
MADE CHIEF OF STAFF.
In 1858 he became chief Of staff Of the whole
army and in 1859 had the rank of lieutenant
general. Gen. Won Moltke made the STAFF the
most effective means Of directing and concen-
trating the force Of the army. In 1864, when
Prince Frederick Charles took the field against
Denmark. Gen. Won Moltke had already drawn
mn tta ySlnv. # Ill,
carried out almost to the letter. Still more
brilliant were his services in the war with
Austria in 1866. Here, accompanying the king
he not only enabled him to gain the over
whelming victory Of sadowa, in which he led
the main army. but followed 1t up with bold
advance toward Olmutz and Vienna, which
brought the seven weeks war 70 an end. The
king acknowledged his merit with the Order of
the Black Eagle and the PrusGian parliament
voted him . donation.
FIGHTING By TELEGRAPH.
Moltke's characteristic tactics were seen on
the field of Sadowa. His army had . front of
four miles-so wide a front that he could not
Withstand an attack. but he turned this dismd-
vantage to an advantage by making an aggres-
sivs onward movement by which he was able to
concentrate all his divisions on the battle field
and surround the enemy. Only once did
Moltke appear in the front at Sadowa. He had
fully mastered the lessons afforded the staff By
the American war, Of combining the most dis
tant field operations by the means of the cleo
trio telegraph. Seated at his desk in tine rear
he received through the field telegraph q stream
OF intelligence from all the corps. followed
their movements on the map, transmitted his
orders through the wires with such mastery
strategic power that not a movement failed
and all the combinations were made at the right
moment.
Every obstacle was foreseen and provided
Tor; the whole country to be traversed was
mapped out with an accuracy and minuteness
OF detail, In which every mountain, hill and
valley, every ravine, stream, pass and defile
was laid down. Each days march was planned
and so thorough was his typographical and
geological knowledge that the places to be
avoided and those to be chosen for camps were
indicated. Route maps, with all these details,
were put into the hands of the subordinate
officers, and it was soor found that they knew
| the country much more fully than the Austrians
themselves. HIS organization of spies and
| scouts was 80 perfect that he knew every move
ment OF the enemy almost as soon as it was de-
termined upon, and, though he was opposed to
the Count de Benedek. who was reputed one of
the greatest generals of the age, he vas never
Tor moment during the war at q loss for
measures to counterfeit all his adversary's
operations and to turn them to bis own ad-
vantage.
SCENE BEFORE THE BATTLE
Here is scene which occurred on the night
before the great battle. Two men are seated
in tent; between them a card table. But
greater game than cards is being played, and
only one is playing it. There is a map spread
on the table with colored pins stuck here and
there. The player of the game moves them
about, scarcely speaking a word as he does SO,
until the last strategic movement is complete,
and the Austrian pins swept together,
spoils of war. THAT is what will be done to-
morrow, your majesty" says the quiet pin
man, and William OF Prussia clasps him to his
heart. Out go the orders to the generals and
Moltke goes to bed and to sleep. But after
midnight "a scout comes flying all wild with
haste and fear" The enemy has moved far
differently from what was anticipated and all
the plans OF the pin campaign must be recast.
Moltke wakens, listens in silence, then .sPor-
folio No 1" is all he says, as he lies down again
to sleep. In portfolio No. are found the or
ders, prepared long ago, exactly meeting the
now conditions. And in q few hours Moltke
sits in his saddle, silently smoking good cigar.
while Cnser Fritz comes through the mountain
passes just on schedule time, and Saiowa ends
exactly as il was prophesisd in the portfolio No.
4. The next day Moltke was the most famous
soldier in the world. II have but done my
duty" was his reply to all the praises showered
upon him.
THE FRANCo-PRUssIAN wAR.
For many years France had been an eyesoro
to Prussia. and Europe foresaw that their
mutual jealousy must eventually end in Q ter
rible war. King William, Bismarck and Moltke
knew that the emperor of the French had long