The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-21
THE LOST PROVINCES.
How Vansittart Came Back to France.
BY LOUIS TRACY.
copyriSA,. 1898, b. Lsuts Tracy.
p ".
LIZ BREToN's RIDE.

distinction Tor a youth ana n doWry Tor q
maiden. No similar achievement adorned the
annals Of their great country.
For A proper understanding OF the scope and
object OF this unprecedented military operation
II IA necessary to quote fully the memorandum
drawn up with such care by vansittart during
The meeting Of the abine
II was addressed collectively to Gems. VILE
reuye. Daubisson. aud lie Breton 1.-THE last
named having attained the tank already. and
ran rs follows:
1T is my intention hat a column shall be
formed at Sedan forthwith and despatched.
when fully equipped. for the purpose Of cutting
into and destroying the German lines Of COM
munication.
The column win consist OF 5000 selected
cavalry, soldiers. artillerists and engineers. and
for the purposes Of the expedition they will be
supplied with two horses per oflcer and man
engaged. The arms carried viii be sabres. re-
yolyers. carbines and small number OF ma
chine guns. The order OF priority shows the
manner Of their use, which must be solely de-
fensive. &C.. ........s.. .... ..,
NO wheeled vehicles. ambulances. tents or
baggage can be taken. The column must.
when occasion demands. be able to move at tho
rate Of ten kilometres seven milesl per hour.
Each member OF tine expedition will carry food
and grain for himself and his horses. but squad
ding arrangements will be made for the con-
veyanee of reserve ammunition. implements,
dynamite and blasting powder.
Anything approaching an engagement with
the enemy must be absolutely avoided. Fight
ing will be the last alternative. but IL the only
way lies through the hostile lines. then that is
the way.
Those who. fall die on behalf Of France:
those who live and perform their duties will
a. -..lozoj 4hn;r o0Untrv fha maximum, ~
good service.
The object OF the column is destruction.
Nothing of value to the enemy must be spared.
Railroads. telegraph lines, bridges. rolling
stock, commissariat trains. equipaGe. and
stores Of every description. the only exception
being hospital appliances. must be wrecked.
burned. or blown UP.
The total distance to be covered. taking the
line OF the frontier from yillerupt to Markirch.
and allowing for digressions. is. say. 125 miles.
] will regard it as an excellent performance IL
the column energies at st. Marie aux Mines
tMarkirchl within three days.
Gen. Villeneuve will provide horses, stores
and equipment. q highly important item being
an abundance Of good maps of the frontier.
Gen. Daubisson will supervise the selection Of
officers and men. Gen. LIE Breton will a
command OF the column.
Is Ic ~ " no
10 the particular route to be ollowed. whether
in French or German territory. The measure OF
his success will be the loss and delay inflicted
upon the enemy's lines OF communication.
Il would recommend. however. that he d.
vide his force into FIVE small brigades that at
the first halt he should explain to every officer
and man the exact nature OF the enterprise and
the conditions governing it: that he should
start on Wednesday. and that the rapidity OF
his advance should be governed only by the
minimum OF time required to destroy perma-
nent works. The resistance offered by the en-
envy. when unavoidable. should never check
the forward movement Of the expedition.
In conclusion. l wish Gen. lie Breton and
his officers and men good fortune. France
commits her destinies to their hands. and 1 am
assured they will prove worthy Of the trust"
Such was the extraordinary order OF the
day" that e Breton caused to be read out to
every company in his little army when. on the
evening Of Wednesday. it had halted for an
hour almost within sight Of the charming vii
lage Of Longuyon. situated at the confluence OF
the Crusne and the Chiers. and noteworthy as
the junction Of two frontier lines OF rail.
The expedition had gained Montmedy by rail
from Sedan. thus saving horses and men u tire
some and useless march OF thirty miles. It was
risky, this railway trip. LonGuyon. eleven
miles further on, was in the hands OF the Ger
mans. and a strong column would assuredly be
detached from the northern army TO attack
Montmedy. thus providing security on the right
flank Of the invaders. VansittArt had foreseen
such q move. hence his order to mobilize at
Sedan.
But lie Breton judged rightly that time was
more important than risk. and he was. above
all things. anxious to get to work before any
inllinG Of his approach could be obtained by
the Germans.
He Instructed his brigadiers TO give to every
man the opportunity Of quitting the expedition
before 1t was too late. and 10 lay particular
stress upon the sad necessity there was to
abandon all who were 50 severely wounded as
10 be unable to ride.
Out Of 5000 troopers only one man, q private
OF the Eighteenth Chaseeurs In the Third
Brigade. stood out from the ranks when his
briGadier invited those who had aught to say
% declare themselves.
He was a native OF Tarascon. a burly and
muscular man. who had hitherto been regarded
by his comrades as somewhat Of a lreenter.
His seeming detection was greeted with q
roar OF indignation by the Eighteenth.
"Hola. Tartarin." yelled one. Thou seest q
lion. them"
This is no picnic for q capshooterf" cried
another, and the laugh at these illusions to his
immora birthplace converted the common
wrath into scorn.
Pierre Laronde turned 1ercely on the ~scoflers.
Il fought with the Emperor in the desert and
rode with him to meet the President" he yehe-
nently cried. Those who are believing did
neither. l should think"
The credentials were excellent: they pro-
cured silence.
We'll. what is iti" said the of1cer good hu-
more lily. He saw that 1t was no recreant who
approached him.
ask the honor OF a word with the General"
Hum. it's contrary to discipline. but this Ii
NO time for ceremony. Come with me-"
When the pair stood before lie Breton. La
Tonde was In no wise abashed.
General. he said. "Isee a way Of doing you
some service"
Out with II. and quickly"
When / listened to the orders / said to my
self; Pierre. it is well thought OF. but perhaps
the General. in attending to many things. may
have forgotten one. The Germans are we'll
served by field telegraph. and they must be