The San Francisco call., 1896-05-01
THE HERO OF KUHN.
A Prussian General Who Won a Victory
Without Knowing 1t.

The allies were holding their own with
difficulty toward Kuhn, when suddenly
appeared on the skyline of the noun
tains to the north the head of column of
troops. They W ore blue coats and shakos,
and the French at once sent up loud
| cheers, for they looked upon the new
comers as the relief sent by Napoleon. So
they attacked more furi ously than ever
But soon smoke appeared upon the noun
tainside and artillery commenced to play
against the rear OF Vandamme's little
army, and the French realized that in
stead of comrades they had Prussians
making an attack upon their rear.
1t was the corps of General Kleist, on
his way from Dresden, who was tarolly
Joining the allies by way of Nollendorf.
When Vandamme saw that his retreat was
threatened, he at once attacked Kleist' s
Prussians with all the force he could spare,
still facing the Austrians and Russians,
who now had an easy fight of it. The
allies had decided advantage in cavalry,
and they soon surrounded the French, so
that Vandamme's only hope was to
break through where Kleist barred the
way.
And so we'll did Vandamme fight that
Kleist, who did not know what was going
on among the Russians and Austrians,
thought himself beaten, and sent a mes
sage TO that effect. His men were carried
army, and that nisht French and Ger
mans lay down in the woods about Kuhn,
completely exhausted, each in doubt as to
the result of the battle. Both sides agreed
not to hight any more, but to become pris-
oners next morning of whichever side
proved to have won the day. Next morn
ing the news was known that Vandamme
had been captured, along with 10000
Frenchmen and long list of cannon and
other trophy.
Nobody was more surprised than Kleist
himself. He had seen nothing of the bat
tie excepting disorganized Prussans fight
Ing lmpotently, anu then being carried
away amidst stream of fugitives- He
had STUN bled upon the scene at 10 o'clock
In the morning; had been attacked and
had got decidedly the worst of it. HeIode
despondently to his mig bt quarters at Ar
besau after the days work was done, and
contided to an intimate friend that he ex-.
pected to be tried by courtmartial for
failing to cut his way through the French,
and thus joining the allies. His despon-
dency was heightened, no doubt, by the.
consciousness that lie had not in his. de-
feat dode anything,to relieve the military
fame of his country. He considered his
career as ended. What, then, was his sur
prise to be walked in the middle of the:
nigbtto be told that he was TIE winner of
glorious battle, that he rad. been the
savior of his country. and that his King
proposed clothing him with splendid
honOrs. =.
Poor Kleist thought it all dream or a
joke. But it all came true. He was made
Count Kleist of Nollendorf, and given
splendid estate worth three hundred
thousand thalers. He has grand monu-
ment in Berlin, equal to that of Scharn-
horst or Stein.
Vandamme, on the other. hand, had
made an excellent fight of it; had counted
upon the assistance of Napoleon, which
never came. and been defeated. The Czar
sent him to Siberia, and had him trans
ported like highwayman, exposed ait
every posthouse to the hoot!ngs of the
mob. =: -
Such are the fortunes of war.-Poultnev
Bigelow, in Harper's Magazine for April.