The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-10-18
VONHINDENBURG
ATTALNS FAME
WAS LITTLE KNOWN AND HAD
BEEN RETIRED ON ACCOUNT OF
AGE WHEN THE WAR BROKE
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.

enburg, who distinguished himself by
| winning two great victories over the
! Russians and taking about 10000 pris
| oners within three weeks, and a com
paratively unknown man, so far as the
general public is concerned, when the
| war broke out; and it seemed wholly
| probable that his name would go down
| to history as blank, for he had al
! ready been retired from active service
three years ago, at the age of GA. His
/ health moreover, was not such as to
warrant the expectation that he would
| still achieve work of distinction. He
walks with great difficulty, being sub
| ject to both rheumatism and govt.
In view of his health he was not re-
/ called into active service when the war
| broke out, although he enjoyed high
reputation among military men. 1t was
| only after General Won PrittWitZ and
Gaffron, at first in command in East
| Prussia, had committed serious errors
| in strategy that the Emperor decided
| to make a change in commanders. The
| general staff called into consultation
| told him that Won Hindenburg was the
/ only man to save the situation there;
and Won Hindenburg, Notwithstanding
his 81 years, was appointed. He was
living at Magdeburg. but came to Ber-
lin at once upon hearing of his appoint
ment Here young officer took him in
an automobile at high speed to the
seat of war. On the way they were
met by the staff officers from the East
Prussian army, who gave Hindenburg
a full description of the military sit
cation, and by the time he arrived at
the scene of action he had already
formed his plans for crushing the Rus
sian Marcy army.
According to one report his appoint
ment meant sacrifice of personal
pride on the part of the Kaiser, because
it is said that Won Hindenburgs re-
tirement from active service in 1911
was due to an over-rash remark he
made to the Kaiser at the maneuveTs. |
Won Hindenburg, so the story goes
after having gained a decisive victory
over the Kaisers forces, said to him
after the sham fighting: Yes. your
Majesty, and if this had been real
war we would have driven you into
the Baltic Sea" The Kaiser resented
this remark. and Won Hindenburg's re-
tirement soon followed.
Since his astonishing victories in !
East Prussia the military writer's have !
reviewed story illustrating his brav- |
cry at the battle of Sadowa or Keen |
iggraetz, in which he took part as a
second lieutenant in the royal body
guard regiment, the Garde du Corps.
Suddenly the rif1emen of Lieut.. Won
Hindenburg," writes the historian of
his regiment were fired upon with
grape shot. A battery had hurried for
ward from Rosberitz and had opened !
fire upon them at a very short range.
After returning a short rapid fire Lieut..
Won Hindenburg ordered forward,
double-quick! and dashed for the
Austrian guns. Grazed on the head
and knocked down by a grape shot he
lay Supplied for a few moments, then
recovering, he jumped up and saw that
three cannon were already in the hands
of his men, while the two others, one
with two horses and the other with one,
were being drawn off. These were also
captured, but it was impossible to
bring them off the field"
Won HindenbuTg later saw hard SER
yicc in the war of 1S7O-1S7t. taking part
in the battles of Gravelotts, Sedan and
others.
Much of his active service was spent
with the general staff. to which he
was first ordered in 1877, after he had
spent three years in the war academy.
Seven years later he was assigned to
service at the front as company COM
put IN the following year re-
turned to the general. staff, here he
soon advanced to major In 1889 he
was assigned to the war ministry, was
made lieutenant-co colonel of the 91st
regiment. In 1894 he became
colonel and two years later he was
made chief of the general staff of the
seventh army corps. He advanced rap
idly to brigade commander, was sue
cessively promoted to be ma or-gen-
eraI and lieutenant general. and in 1 9O3
was made commanding general of the
fourth corps.
In the last named capacity Won Hin
den burg showed his executive ability
and knowledge of human nature by
the manner in which he was able to
secure the cooperation of two of his
generals Won Prittwittz and Ganron,
and Won Bernhard. The former was q
hard headed obstinate old soldier. and
the latter an impetuous officer, dash
ing and impatient of restraint. Both,
however, were devoted to Won Hinden-
burg and worked efficiently with him.
He retired in 1911.
The report of his victories in East
General Won Hindenburg AS this is
4 rank which he had not before pos
sessed, it is assumed that it was con-
TERED upon him as a reward for his
service in repelling the Russian ad-
rance.