The sun., 1897-01-31
LIGHT ON DARK FIELDS.
WHAT B<z<Ixk HIo MT ma ~ DONE
ron FHlNCE.

Nets Severe Crfnefsw OF treneh 0en-
erals. Especially the Chief.
Gould Marshal Bazaine Have Saved France
In 1s7o1" 10 the title Of pamphlet recently
published in Berlin By Major Kunts OF the
German army. Il was translated into French
By Col. Girard. q retired offlccr OF the French
army. and has Just been published In Paris.
After . rapid criticism of tho French army
Of that time. Major Kuntz deals with the con-
duct Of Baraine during the campaign. In
charge Of the Third CorIs &C the outbreak Of
tho war. Bazaine was on the evening Of the 5th
OF August promoted to the command Of the
Second Third. and Fourth Corps. which were on
the frontier. On the morning Of the eth OF
August the Second Corps was attacked at For
bach. Abou, 1 o'clock in the afternoon Gen.
Frossard. commanding the Second Corps, In
formed the Marshal that he was hotly engaged
In Q regular battle. From his headquarters At
81. Avoid. Bszaine might in twenty minutes
have reached Forbach By railway and Wit
messed personally the conditions Of the fight
The four divisions OF the Third Corps were
echsloned along the route from Sarrcgus-
mines to st. Avoid. three or four kilometres
from the nold Of battle. He might have
brought them there raoidly. aud by an snor-
nous numerical superiority have indicted
q serious reverse upon the Germans and driven
thsm beyond the safre. But he remained
quietly In his headquarters, and Gen. Fros-
sard. beaten. was Obliged to fall back upon
PuttelsnRs. on the very same der vhsn Mao
Mahon was crushed 81 Froeschwiller There
fore. on the 9Th Of August. Bazsins was guilty
OF inaction. and for the rcpulss at Forbach he
was responsible.
But. says Major Kuntz. he was not tho OILY
guilty General. All the French Generals on that
day exhibited . complete want Of initiative.
After the battle OF Fortach. the French army
fell back u,on Metz. On the 18th CT August. In
The evening. Bazaino was made Commantsr-in-
Chief OF the Army OF the Rhine. and the En-
peror ordered him to fall back upon yerduu.
Bnzaine never spoke Of that order to Gen. jar
ras. his chief OF stan. whom he ignored com.
pletcly during all the Campaign. TO tho detri-
ment Of the service. Tho Arrangements for
the retreat were badly conceived. The move
nent OF tho french army was. moreover. re-
t@rded By n sudden rise Of the Moselle and by
tho battle OF Borny. The retreat was made with
extreme slovncss.and whom the advance guard
o: the army reached Mars Ia Tour. on tho 18th
OF August. II found the route TO verIun barred
Sy the Germans It was necessary. therefore.
TO give Sattlo on the leth OF August. in order
70 open up n passage. BazAino on that day
had In front Of him Only the Third and Tenth
ffu"An Norps Anu he SKIN DIVISION OF cav
airy. Ho had under his hand almost lis en-.
tirc army. giving him a perfectly crushing nu-
merical superiority. nearly 100 battAl!ons. 50
squacron7. and 10 batteries Ho could and
should have won :here q brilliant victory. but
he gave evidence OF his complete Inability to
take in the situation aud TO conc 10 q decision.
and the day. which should ave oeen Q com plete
defeat for the Germans. Notwithstanding their
heroic tenacity. remained indecisiye.
But could Razain. have r.ron, .n..d ,h.
nrb, on ,h. ,7th, In. h.o rsoomm.nosa ~. =.
hsh. on 'ho i'th! III ne fAn recommended on
the 18th Of August. early In the morning. and
Il wa, perfertly easy for him IN do .o ~.
mi, -, ~, -, - ~ s
hiru ana lehth Prussian Corps would have
been driven into the Moselle before the arrival
Of reinforeements. Moreover. the Germans
-.--., - '
eh ee.eo an attack On That DAY. anu we're very
much in dread OF It. but what was their aston
.l,," ,o' "Hen 'ne' so" 'he tUneh
army faliing back In the direction OF Metz.
II Baza,ne did not want to recommenco The
dyht on tfs I-th n. coul5 n, i..., h.,. .a,
.I-s -, -. 1o11. =. .eA''' na'e CON
"huea inc movement OF retreat by taking the
road to Nerdun by Briey and Longuyon Ac-
cordins to Gen. Jarrus. that wa, the prono.i,ion
-, 49,. i~-,. go IS 'A' e'"po-"'on
OF tno majority OF the commanders OF the
Marshal Bazaine did not do that On the night
OF the ioth OF Ausust. under the p.etex, tha;
which was ial.e. he gave orders = fall lack
UPON hn.eris uiies. 4 Amanyilliers That move;
men. was aosoiuteP contrary TO the formal
,ss. aSsons @ o, tne Lmoeror: hnt the Marshal
was even theh, AT thAt early day. determined
not 10 au,t Metz: On the 18th OF August he
gNe pIooi nI want OF decision ana Inability to
srhsp tne hnuhtoh. But what was his con-
onct on the lsth OF August While his army
was was hShtins irNm II o'clock In the morning
W until O'CLOCK IN the evening against masses
OF uetmahs, ne remained quietly In h!s head
aCarlers,ekce't Tor AZ excursion OF a Few hours
10 fort Sa'ntco irntin. H. not only omitted
20 go 70 the neln OF hattle, but he neglected
10 sena single oHcer or his star TO bring him
report upon the condlton OF AFFAIRS then ex-
lstne Dear 70 the reiterated demands for help
OF the conlmaniefs" "i hi- army CORPS, who sent
MN mn, woru ~ regaru 20 Tue cavity OF the situA
tinn, ne feIuse,i 10 nrlhs out MS ~ serves and
lett inactive IN pivnuac one brigade of infantry
hho an enure dNls,on OF grenadfers OF the
guard. with hmost All Tho reserve OF artillery.
composcd OF len batteries 0f twelve. tie di-
VISION OF FoTton ana the division Of cavalry
OF me guard Major kuntz declares that the
conduct OF Bataine o. that day Sas mex
cusaole anu quito su'Ncent To merit severe
heh ne retired under the guns OF Metz. the
Marshai sent word 70 tho EMPEROR and to Mar
shol Ma ;Mahon by his emissaTies that lie pro-
posed. atier his troops had rest and he had
.esuppled MS mutations and food store. TO pierce
the investment line on the north. The statf of