Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-10
THE FIRST WAR DAYS.
Remniscencesoi d-MarshaI by Brevat
lt -
Herald.

Reimbursement a Field Marshal by Brevat.
How well | remember the deep lines
in the faces of friends in the days when
We got the news of the bombardment
of Fort Sumter. First, there We're in
Vulnerable multitudes of shouting men
in the streets. then d general expression
Of care in the Countenances of the
people. Then came the rush to find
West Pointers and heroes OF the MeXi-
can War ard other fellow citizens, who.
ON The Hudson or the Rio Grande, or on
the march to the halls of the Monte
Zumas had become experienced in the
business of war. There followed the
drllings, the musterings. the camps of
instruction, the parades, the pathetic,
thrilling marches of the regiments on
the way to the front, the fearful part
ings. the news of battles the terrible
casualty lists. and all the pride. pomp.
and circumstances, the misery and the
glory of the tremendous drama of the
combat of states and sections, by which
at last through delugeS of blood and
oceans of misery, the Union was saved
TO become the mighty nation that it is.
writes Murat Halstead in the Brooklyn
Standard Union.
How we'll remember. too, the streets
Of Paris in July. 1870. the sudden solem
nifty that came upon and darlllY cloud
ed the gaEetics of the splendid city
how the officers and soldiers stood in
the streets reading portentious intelli-
gence in the frivolous Partisan jour
nals how the women in the shops
stared with drawn faces Over their idle
counters and talked as if their CONVEX
station had been studied and arranged.
of the terrors Of Warfare--the dread
traditions of the French people-how
the poor men died on the battlefield to
make great men, and the. kings WIN
We're responsible were never. killed,
How the cuirassiers galIoped through
the streets with great envelopes con-
tanning urgent orders under their belts
how the Emperor and Empress drove
amid acclamations, not general, from
the Tuilleries to St. Cloud. the Empress
holding a gigantic paraSol and bowling
right and left, and the Emperor lifted
his shining silk hat as often as he was
hailed, showing an extensive badness.
and his fierceIy WaXed mustache; how
the troops for Algiers. in their fantastic
costumes. streamed through the city
with trumpeters in advance, and sur
prising roll of drums: how Marshal
McMdhan appeared, his face scaiaei
from the sunshine of Africa and waited
in the depot of the north on the way tc
Strasburg. in severe civilians dress
and a new silk hat, his blue eyes
sparkling as he glanced over the group
of friends gathered to bid him geodby
Above all, L remember Of fhis stirring
period the amazing frenzy of the people
of Paris when the war was declared
The gigantic ring of the ooulevalds
was one blaze Of light, like a circHne
river of fame, thronged With innurner-
able carriages andeoppressed With null
titudes of men. The actresses who
were songstresses dressed as goddesses
of liberty, stood up in coaches. uphold
ing tricolored flags and leading the
frenzied populace in singing the wal
song OF france, the historical anC
terrible Marseillaise.' This was the
hour of madness. when the French, il
tens of thousands. shouted, ON tt
Berlin and To Berlin in eight days
The remembrance of this scene is like
that which fingers of a great storm
with Il dazzling Illumination of light
ming. Through it all. in the night O
'he widest excitement of the reckless
ness of the humor cultivated in France
educated with apparent popular ap
probation to turn all serious things Il
ndicule-i have a distinct place il
memory for two groups of the repre-
sentative mischief-makers of the grea
and brilliant city, carrying slende
canes. something after the manner o
onr political professions. One of thes'
crowds necessarily cried. "NiVe !;
peste, and the other, "Nive Ia pomm
lnte' C'Hurrah for the small pox," ant
Hurrah for fried potatoes"D [ am re
minded Of these things by recent dem
constructions Of public feeling: the Presi
DENTS signing the congressional reso
fhtlons of war and sending the ultima
tnm of the United States to Madrid
Where the people have exalted them
selves into an enthusiasm that vii
cost them dear, for perseverance L
the bitter end in the policy of compile
f3nS the ruin of their country by hope
less sacrifices of blood and money. in
cause already lost; for Cuba is lost t
spain as surely as is Mexico and PERT
Now. as the day is dawning, the frs
"i The war, can see as in vision tn
great sheet Of white paper printed Wit
ptack ink, posted on the walls in Pari
--peruliar paper and ink, reserved fo
tie use of the Imperial government
announcing war. There was an i'm
pressiye simplicity in this white an
black poster. ii was a momentouS pa
Aer and bore the signature of Napoleon