The Washington herald., 1911-09-03
SON OF MARSHAL BAZAINE
SEEKS TO REOPEN OLD CASE

the army was thrown into confusion, but
Marshal Canrobert. at the head of the
Sixth corps, forced his men forward.
driving everything before them and leav-
ing the way clear for the forces on the
right to advance. This was what every
body expected. but not a syllable reached
the fighters from the commander. He
forced his soldiery to fight on the de-
fensive. and they were lost and
slaughtered.
I do not agree with the opinion ex-
pressed in the official description of the
three days battle about Gravelotte by the
French general stan that any general
Of ability and character could have an
initiated the German army there, but
give in that had Canrobert been in su-
preme command the brave French SOL
diers would not have been sacrificed so
mercilessly or so needlessly. Besides,
he might not have given-by an incom-
parably asinine indecision-the Ger
man hosts. called thither by Moltke's
quick grasp OF the situation, the chance
to gather in time to finish the terrible
slaughter. But Bazaine could not be
made to grasp the danger that lay in
delay.
On the night of August a. with his
forces confident Of victory, Bazaine dis
appeared from the field and went to
Metz 10 the hotel where Napoleon was
passing the night. There he received
the Fluctuations Of the sovereign ami his
aids. After that he retired to- his
chamber, ordering that no one should
be allowed to disturb him; wheE all
commanders were crying out for direc-
1 tions. not a soul was permitted % ap-
proach him until nearly noon the next
day. Urgent appeals poured in from
MacMahon, Douane, and rAdmirault, the
corps commanders. Bazaine threw them
into the waste basket. On August 18th,
the forces under Moltke were well In
/ hand; they were gathered in a vast
semi-circle about Gravelotte.
Now think OF II! Though the Ba-
varians led the dance at far of Mars
la-Tour, thus creating an unexpected
chance for concentration for a compact
attack. Bazaine daIlied at the railway
station to see the Emperor of to Paris
During all that day the battle ragged
furfodsly. Thousands upon thousands
Of the brave but poorly led Frenchmen
rushed forward, only to be moved down
by the shrapneI shots Of the enemy in
trenched in the cemetery OF the village
on the crest of a wooded hill. Still, when
gained no ground q know it for I was
there), and the French were more con-
fident than ever that the following day
would see them victorious.
But Bazaine could motor would not
see what every subaltern saw; for at
midnight the worn-out men received the
order to retire. Bazaine had determined
to shut the army up within the fort
resses Of Metz, where they couldn't
compromise him by fighting.
Should the French grant a new ex-
animation of Bazaines acts It is GER
tain that the verdict will be even more
severe than the Judgment rendered at
the Trianon court-martial, for the in
dividual testimonies now available were
not to be had then.
Alfonzo Bazaine, who has been rash
enough to demand a reopening OF the
case Of his father. is the youngest OF
the family. When the marshal sur
rendered Metz to the German hosts, he
repaired to Cassel, near the Hessian cas-
tie of Wilhelmshoehe, assigned to Ma
poleon as his prison Mrs. Bazaine, a
young Mexican beauty, who had made
the generals acquaintance while he was
commander Of the French troops that
invaded Mexico, Joined him, and there
gave birth to a son, Alfonzo. The mar
shall. in order TO secure French nativity
for the child, had sacks Of French soil
brought and spread under the bed where
the baby was born. After the mar
shaTs escape from the prison of st.
Marguerite. AlfonZo, IN his twentieth
year, enlisted in the Spanish army and
served in the campaign in Cuba. Later
he was appointed to the Spanish Lega-
tion in Mexico. FLANEUR.
tCopyriEht. 1911. by Court Gossip syndicatsl