The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-01-05
COURT GOSSIP OF EVENTS
THAT HAVE MADE HISTORY

HAl HAH
In the story OF war there is no chapter
| more thrilling than that which tells how,
generation ago handful of Turks held
the tower Of Plevna five months against
a quarter of a million OF Russian SOL
diery. Again and again the Muscovites
hurled themselves against Osman Digna's
trenches and redoubts. only to be swept
back again and again. leaving thousands
slain behind. II was only when hunger
and disease had his band of heroes in
their grip, that the gallant Turkish lead
er made his desperate and historic effort
to cut his way through the enemy's lines
"a 'forlorn hope" which ended. as IL
was bound to end, in failure and death.
But not until the Turks were surround
ed by the Muscoyites in overwhelming
numbers and Osman himself was serious
ly wounded, did the white flag give the
signal TO surrender. When later the van
quished hero was led before the Car.
carrying himself as proudly in defeat as
In victory, Alexander. with a cordial
hand-grip. gave him this generous greet
ing: Sir, I congratulate you on your
fine defense. II was one Of the most
splendid feats in the history Of war"
And so II was,
II was with still holder front that
|
Dervish army had been wiped out Of ex-
istence on the banks OF the Affair River
When. his hands tied behind his back.
he was conducted into the presence Of
the British Sirdar, 1t was with his head
carried high and a mien of defiance
Are you Mahmud?" asked the Sirdar.
Yes" was the answer: 'fand am the
same as you"
why did you come to make war
here?"
Il came" answered Mahmud. proudly,
because, like you, I was told to come"
Never was surrender made with more
dignity or received with greater chivalry
than that of Gen. Lee to his conqueror,
Gen. Grant, in our own civil war. The
Confederate army. hemmed in by the en-
envy. was in a hopeless position, and on
April Grant wrote to his gallant adver-
sary asking him to surrender IN order to
prevent ANY further splitting of blood"
Two days later Gen. Lee at Appomattox
Court House surrendered his sword to
Grant, who handed il back with words
Of extreme courtesy. And, as the van
pushed Confederates filed past, laying
down their arms. their general called out,
in a voice broken with emotion, Men. we
have fought through the war together
For five months. in 1855, the Turks. I'M
der Gen. Williams. held the mourtain
fortress of Kars against a Russian army
more than three times their number; and
only when food and ammunition both
were exhausted. and further defense be-
came hopeless, did the brave English
leader even think of surrender. Then Il
was that the Russian general. Mouravieff.
wrote to him one OF the most generous
- IAE,
Gen. Williams" was the message,
you have made yourself a name in his
tory; posterity will stand amazed at the
endurance. the courage, the discipline
which this siege has called forth In the
remains of an army. Let us arrange a
capitulation which will satisfy the de-
mands of war without disgracing human
ity."
When Gen. Cronje, after his brave
fight on the banks of Modder River was
compelled to surrender to Lord Roberts
with 1000 of his army. the bitterness Gas
he afterward said was taken out of his
humiliation by the gracious words ad-
dressed to him by his victor. who. with
warm hand-clasp said to him: Com
mandant Cronje, you have indeed made
gallant defense, which will win the adj
miration of the world"
The first Napoleon. after the browning
disaster OF Waterloo. finding escape I'M
possible, surrendered to Capt. Maitland,
OF the British man-o'-war BeIleroplon,
July Is, 1915. AS he stepped on board. his
breast ablaze with decorations. and es-
corted by an imposing retinue Of officers
and servants, 1t was almost with the air
Of a conqueror that he addressed the
captain: Sir, I come to place myself
under the protection Of your King and
your laws"
Much more abject was the downfall Of
his successor. the third Napoleon. that
September day in 1870. when he was COM
PEELED to resign both crown and sword.
Surrounded at Sedan by the enemy, So
900 of his men dead or taken prisoners,
his army demoralized under a deluge of
death from 500 guns. he realized that the
end had come. Then, with the white flag
OF defeat huttering over his citadel, he
wrote the Prussian king this pathetic
note: ''Brother-Not able 10 die at the
head Of my troops place. my sword at
your majesty's feet. Napoleon
But France was not yet beaten. Mar
shall Bazaine, still had a large army I'M
der his command: but he. too. was in a
perilous plight. for he was shut up at
Metz by German force. When sortie
after sortie was repuised with heavy loss
and he realized that escape was impossi-
BILE. he tried to save Mis- army by sur
rendering the Fortress But to his over
lures Bismarck returned the naughty an
swer: IT occupy France with more than
million men, and I make no peace with
a marshal The surrender must be un-
And on October q. fls7o. Bazajne capi-
tulated. and three marshals. 800 officers.
and 173.0oo Frenchmen laid down their
arms and became prisoners Of war. For
Baxaine a worse fac was reserved. He
was tried by court artiai and sentenced
to degradation and death sentence
which was committed to one Of twenty