The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-09-20

outmaneuvered everywhere, and soon
commenced to move about aimlessly,
trying to effect junction here, or
to find road or passage there. Tho
in their own country, they had never
learned its topography. What for?
They were going to Berlin, and were
about to wipe the earth with what |
they called the German poltroons. On
the other hand, every road, bridge,
stream, mountain, defile, ETC., was
known to the Germans; hot only to
the officers, but also to many subal-
terms and privates. Among these lat
ter was goodly portion of highly
educated men, lawyers, teachers, doc
tors, merchants, artists, preachers, etc.
In Prussia, as now in several other
countries also, every able-bodied man
has to serve in the army; the SONS of
princes and millionaires just the same
as the sons of the peasants Germany,
you know, is one of those effete coun-
tries, where the rich are no better than
|
of Bismarck served as privates; in 1870,
having meanwhile passed their officers
examination, they were second lieu
tenants.
Knowing the great responsibility
resting on the shoulders of the chief of
the general staff, King William never
it.f0 vrytf nd
nobody else, not even the crown prince
nor Prince Fredrick Charles, each of
whom commanded an army of 100000
men, could do so. On the contrary,
they themselves received their orders
from Moltke and had to obey them
implicitly. Won SteinmetZ, command
ing the German army 100000 men)
was daring general, and had greatly
distinguished himself in former wars.
He it was who at Gully
checked Bazaine from forming juno
tion with MacMahon and turned him
back on Metz. Two days later, at
Mars la Tour -Vionville, Steinmetz was
strongly pressed by superior forces,
but had been notified by Moltke that
reinforcements would arrive in two
, hours. Knowing this. Steinmetz
should have remained on the defensive
those two hours; or he could even
have retrested slightly, if that had
, been absolutely necessary. Instead OF
that, Steinmetz sent ten regiments OF
Z cavalry 10000 mem in full career
l against the French center Qnfantry
and actually succeeded in breaking
4 thru it and throwing the enemy into
!. confusion. By that time the promised
}. reinforcements appeared on the scene
q and the battle was won glorioueiy
4 But such charge of cavalry agains
4 infantry cannot be made without &
Il fearful sacrifice on the part of the for
n mer, and over 10000 men and ovel
4 $4,000 horses had been disabled in thi
4 one charge As certain amount o,
q discretion in their actions is per
% mitted to army commanders, Steinmet,
r. could not be court-martialed. Tht
o victorious, he had not acted as th'
q general staff required and was at onc'
, divested of his command, sent back t.
n Germany, and was never afterwsrd
,r placed in command The higher tn
r rank, the greater the responsibility
" also the punishment, if the latter i
N called for
n This war uas virtuaIlv docidod i,
eight weeks, by the battle Of Sedar
b. Then the entire regular army o
DR. France excepting only Vinoy's corp
" of 10000 men) had either been mad
ne prisoners, or was invested il fortresse!
a. like the demoralized and badly-criI
be pied army of Bazaine (186,OO0 mem il
70 Metz. But two days after Sedan tn
II, French republic was declared, and th
or now installed new government though
ali it could not inaugurate its reign wit
ch the signing of a disgraceful peace. s
N, every male inhabitant, capable G
ne bearing arms, was called out, an
n France quickly created new arm.
an superior in numbers to the Germa
in then on French soil This was no SUI
,e- prise to the German general stat
he which had calculated that exactly sue
yle thing was likely To happen, and ha
ed prepared accordingly. The staff ais
ey knew that the new French army woul