Omaha daily bee., 1900-02-07
History of ''The Defense of Champigny."

The Franco German war of 1870, with all its horrors and terrible loss of life
still burns in the memory OF most living. Cor many years previous a bad feeling
existed between France IN Prussia and both great powers had been getting their
armies in readiness and were armed to the teeth. Dhrustful and full of hate to each
honor and an appealt to the sword was the only alternative. The Spanish crown Of
feed the Prince of HohenmnGn. in June 1870, and being accepted by him, caused
the interference of Prussia, which the French owrnmen resented, ceiling that
Prussia had no right to interfere Spanish affairs, an step by step he quarrel
grey, and although Great Britain and other European powers tnd to avert an open
rupture amd to preserve the peace of Europe, the war spirit was mady popular in
both Prussia ad France. At last OF the 18th of July 1870. the cnHs came The
Duke of Grammont told Lord Lyons, tn British ambassador, that THE Prussian
ad afroned the French ambassador. 1t was evidently the intention of the King of
Prussia to take credit with thu people of Germany for having acei With haughi-
ness and dtscouresy-n fact to humiitate France" Emperor Napoleon as early as
the Sh OF July had moved forward his troops, and on the 18th of July var was de-
cEred by the French ovTnmen to exist between France and Prussia All Paris was
an uprmr of delight The declaration of war made Napoleon popular with his
subjects and the Chambers by an overwhelming voe, granted a credit of So 100 300
francs for the army amd 100000 for the navy. The war was. carried Ion With vast
expenditure of Tce OF both sides. and war was brought to a close after seven
months of awful bodRheda and almostd daily battles, the details of which are too
narrowing to narrate. The Germans lost 627 officers mt 1928 453 men. The total
losses of he French we're incaculable. strmhmg and Metz which Germany had lost
and France had thrown off bondage and had become a free national republic So
good m out of evil.
While rejecting upon these ventul. times, NJ JenB aHe Edoard Ddaine, the
great and famous French painter. was inspired with the idea of painting his world
famous picture, The Defense of Chanpigny."
Before giving a few facts, a description of this magnificent painting an outline
of he village that has. been made so famous, may be here narrated. Champgny,
wha population of over 1000 might almost be described as a beautiful suburb cf
FaTs. 1t lies five miles east southeast of the ray city Here business men rom the
busy capital and picnic parties wend their way for a qht rest fresh air and to
tax in the rural and pretty landscapes. IIere, scattered through the village, were
lovely homes or chateaus. surrounded with wen-hid- out gardens ant lawns, full of
sweetscented and pretty fowersa and beautiful trees casting a heavenly md peaceful
all around. Blu this beauty "a to be marred by the rrpges of war to
be trampled w by the soldiers md Implements of war for situated as it is on
the Marine, it wass selected as a place for a sorue OIL behalf of the French army and
here on November Both until ecembe md 1870, was the scene of potracteia nd
encounters between the French troops under colonel Ducrot and the Germans
inc oil December Bird the French recro8ed the Marne havng slain 5000 Germans
and sustained a loss of from 10000 to 1900 men and leaving Champgny a waste.
NJ. DetanNes painting of The Defense of Champigny, 1870, hods a most prominent
position in New York 1t is nov nuns in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central
Park, ant is valued at over 100000