Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-01-07
place there we're continual affairs Of out


the Marshal hesitated; he could not
make up his mind whether TO follow the
dictates or prudence and fall back on
Paris, threatened by the third German
Army. under the command of the Crown
Princes OF Prussia aud SaXony. or, yield
ing to the entrcaties of the Government
march to the rescue of BaZaine. who was
at bay under the walls of Metz.
while MacMahon was hating be
tw,en two opinions. the Germans were
pushing forward with Characteristic en-
ergy. On the s6.h their cavalry patrols
exchanged pistol shots with the scouts
of the seventh Corps. which formed the
the right wing Of the Marshal's army and
would be the first to receive the enemy's
onset
"A battle seemed imminent. General
Douay made his dispositions, fortified
the heights, issued his orders, and con
ccrtrated his command. But on the
morning of the 9th came an order from
the hcadquarter staff to fall back in the
direction of Meziercs and Paris. The
movement had, however, hardly begun
when still other orders were issued. The
Seventh Corps was to march on Buzancy
| This meant that the influence of Paris
had prevailed, and MacMahon was about
to hazard everything in a desperate at
tempt to Join hands with Bazaine, an
attempt which resulted in the fall of the
empire and the ruin of France.
Late in the afternoon the Seventh
Corps passed through Vouziers for the
third or fourth time. The men went
anyhow singing songs, falling out when
it pleased them cursing and shouting,
marching to death with despair in their
hearts and laugh on their lips.
I'm one of the officers of an infantry
regiment | recognized an old friend from
the neighborhood of Ferney. The recog
milton was mutual, and he asked me to
bear him company for a mile or two.
We found so much to talk about that
the shades Of evening were falling be-
fore | remembered that had to return to
Nou..iers. But going back was hardly
less difficult than it would be to swim
against the currents of the Rhone, as it
rushes under the arches of the Pont du
Mont Blanc The road was so crowded
with troops, horses, guns and carriages
that progress was impossible. For every
step | made forward was forced two
steps backward In the end | took to
the fields, but only to lose my way in the
darkness, and despairing of finding it be-
fore daylight, turned into cattle shed,
folded myself in my cloak and fell fast
asleep.
81 awokc with the first glimmerings of
dawn and, hastily rising, made for the
nearest road, with the intention of re-
turning tC Nouziers, although | had only
the vagueSt idea as to the direction in
which it lay. While | was hcsitaiiug
which way to take a sound like the
trampling of horses hoofs and the rattle
of accoutrements fell on my ear.
'Douay's rear guard, | thought, they
will tell me the way But the next
moment ! heard voices, and from the
shadow of a wood emerged a squadron of
Uhlans. They were chanting a hymn,
the words of which brought wildly to
my mind the Roman gladiators' last
greeting to the Emperor before they
joined in mortal combat, Ave! Caesar!
morituri te salutant (IIail, Caesar. the
| dying salute tnec).
"Ihe refrain of the HYMN, as well as
can remember, ran thus:
'Oh, sun so red oh sun 50 red
Light me to a warriors bed
Yestreen mounted, lance in rest,
To-day bullet through the breast,
Morrow in the cold cold ground,
For God and Fatherlandr
81 waited until the party came up.
"'Who are you, and what are you do
ing heref asked an under officer, riding
forward.
81 told him.
"I don't believe a word you have
said, answered the man sternly. We
have just come from Vouziers, and
can assure you there was not a Red
Cross ambulance in the place. You are
aspy.'
against this imputation | warmly
protested, pointed to my uniform, and
produced my case of instruments.
"A uniform is nothing Anybody
can have case of instruments. Where's
your pass"
unfortunately | had left it at nv
headquarters and the only proofs OF my
identity and good faith which | could
show were my card case and few letters
from friends at Geneva.
Letters are nothing. Anybody may
have letters. 1t is clear ease. You
are a spy disguised as an officer of the
international Ambulance
"Just then lieutenant came up and
demanded an explanation.
"The under officer explained.
Gas you say, clear case, replied the
lieutenant. Let the fellow be shot.
against this summary Justice / pro-
tested with all the energy Of a man who
pleads for his life
You may save your breath. said
the lieutenant You are found here
under suspicious circumstances. and
without Il piss As likely as not you are
a frame treur in disguise. You speak
German with u French accent. Shoot
him, sergeant.
And Shot should have been TO q
dead certainty if another officer Of higher
rank bal not arrived in the very nick al
7 time He also demanded an explanation,
. which was Of course promptly given
..I H.. d. fs..r