The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-07-15
BAT TLEF|ELD PAN|CS,
Odd Events That at Times De-
n1oraiize Veterans.
HORRORS INCIDENT TO WAR.

Two Terrifying Episodes That oe-
Cured During the Franco Prussian
campaion-Madness May Seize Even
the Most Hardened Troops.
1t Is peculiar circumstance that
hardened and trained troops VIII 60
through long fight surrounded by
all the horrors that are insepara Bile
from war without finching and with
the utmost apparent cal1ousness and
the same men will be struck terrified
by single trifing incident.
Every war Of any importance. par
tculariy wars between civilized ma
lions, is prolific In incidents Of trivial
character In themselves, but SO I'M.
usual and unnatural that they appeal
men more suddenly and intensely than
perhaps the main terrors Of days of
carnage. Such an incident Is the one.
for example, which occurred at the
battle Of Worth. In the early days Of
the Franco Prussian war.
In the heat Of the great battle a
wing Of the Prussian army was charg-
ed by the regiments Of French cuiras-
siers In the hope of turning the wing
and facilitating the falling back of the
French infantry. But the cuirassiers
were driven back by the unfinching
Prussians. Again the cuirassiers
charged. and again they were driven
back by the whitening fire.
For a third time they came down
again. and as the enemy waited for
them to draw nearer horrible, blood
freezing terror seized the Prussians.
and for the moment it looked as II
they would turn and fly or be cut
down without defending themselves.
But In moment they bad pulled
themselves together and beaten back
for the third and last time the gallant
cuirassiers.
The sight that terrified the Prussians
appears nothing very much In black
and white. 1t was regiment Of cui-
rassiers led at dashing rate toward
them by a headless officer sitting up
right In bis saddle and apparently en-
courag1ng his men. 1t was no less
a person than Futxum de Iascarre of
the Third regiment Of cuirassiers.
pietely of his shoulders as the troop
broke into the third desperate charge
by a cannon ball, which also took off
another officers hand and cut the
bug1er in two
1t LIS remarkable and singular that at
the battle Of Forbach. which took
place the same day as Worth. very
similar incident occurred and did more
to shake the nerves of the Germans
than hours of roaring cannon and
fighting had done.
While regiment Of Prussian infan-
try were standing In reserve watching
the fight as we'll as they could from
their position of shelter charger be-
longing to French Dragon regiment,
one which was practically destroyed In
the battle, galloped right into the midst
Of the men, who rushed to arrest IL
and Immediately fell back In alarm.
for swinging to the bride was the
whole left arm Of the chargers rider,
the fingers of the hand firmly grasping
the reins. The arm appeared to have
been severed q few inches below the
shoulder and was certainly that Of an
officer, but who the officer was has
never been satisfactorily established.
So moved were the hardened men Of
battle at the horrible sight that NO one
would touch the horse, and the animal
was allowed to gallop off to be killed a
few minutes later In crossing before
some Prussian guns. Thrilling as the
incident was, many Of the brave fell
lows who witnessed 1t declared that
their FIRST, almost Irresistible, impulse
was to throw down their arms and
bolt Yet it was with the hefp Of just
such men that General Won Cohen
routed the French that memorable day
IN August, 1870.
It is well known fact that the
finest and bravest troops the world can
produce have no immunity from that
strange and mysterious madness known
to military history as war panic" A
heavy war, frequent sangutnary en-
gagements, night marches and sur
prtses sometimes play havoc with Sol
diers' nervous systems and render
them more like high spirited colts than
men who have taken the field prepared
to suffer immeasurahle horrors and
take death cheerfully.
| During the peninsular war two Brit
ish regiments the very pick Of the
army and seasoned veterans, were
marching along In good order when a
runner ran down the lines that the enc.
my was at hand. The next moment
the line OF orderly soldiers was changed
Into an elongated mob Of armed men
throwing away arms, baggage and all
they carried, running away In every
direction, blind terror In their hearts
/ their faces blanehed and their ears