The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-20
PARIS WAS TAKEN
IN SIX MONTHS
But PRTSsItNS MET FIERCE
RESISTANCE AT EVERY STEP
IN WAR OF 1870.

When the Pruss'ans under Kaiser
wilhelm /. with Count Bismarck and
General Won Moltke. started the move
ment against Paris forty-four years
ago the German troops were met
with fierce resistance on every hand.
From the time they crossed the border
into France it took the Germans
full elk months to capture the French
capital.
The 7rst order to mobilize the Prus-
san army was given by Kaiser VIII
helm l. on July IS, 1870. France DE-
cared war four DAYS later. Three
armies were put In the field by the
Prussians The first was under Cen
erai won Steinmets, near Treyer. the
second under Prince Frederick
Charles Ia the Relnish Palatinate and
the third under Crown Prince OF
Pfa ssia on the frontier of Baden.
Fifteen days after the mobilization
order had been given Prussia had
$4,000 men under arms.
A line 100 mites long from Mount
medv on the Belgian frontier 10 Bel
fort at the junction OF the Swiss and
German borders. was covered by an
army of $4,000 men under Napoleon
III The French army was divided
into eight army corps with harshal
MacMahon. near Strasshurg. General
Faliy at Retsch, on the Palat1nate
frontier: Marshal Bazaine near Metz,
General Brossard at Saint Avoid, near
the pruss.an frontier. General Lad
mirault at Thionviile NOW called
DIedenhofen by the Germans; the
reserve corps under General Bom-
baki and Marshal Canrobert q.
Nancy and Chalons, and General
Felix Douay holding the fortress AT
Belfort.
Il was on July rs that Emperor
NAPOLEON left Paris to take command
at Metz and on August Kaiser
Wilhelm. with Count Bismarck and
General Won Moltke took the helu'
with headquarters at Haniz
Saarbruck was attacked and cap
tured on August 2 by f'roussard.
France was invaded by the German
crown prince on August 4 He en-
gagged the French under nouey al
Weissenburg and drove them pack
after terrific hve-hour fight, IN
which the losses were heavy on
both sides.
Again, two days later, the crown
prince engaged the French. This
time he met McMahon's men at
Zoherr, and forced them TO retreat IN
disorder Steinmetz. in the mean
time. routed Froussard's corps AZ
Spichern. driving the French pack 10
Metz and Forbach.
Following these disastrous defeats
the eight French corps were con-
solidated into two armies, one uhuer
Bazaine at Metz and the other under
MacMahon at Chalons 1t was short
" thereafter that the northern part
of Alsace was abandoned. whiie the
French retreated along the Moseiie.
On August the crown prince ie1t
Worth to push on through the passes
of Eosges to Nancy. He entered the
city on August l6 In the meantime
Steinmetz was the most active man
in the German army. He took FOR
back on the 7th. st. Avord on the
nth and on the 14th was near Me.z
In the hattie of CoIomney-Nouily,
General Won Moltke prevented the
junction of the two retreating frehch
armies.
Bent on the capture or Metz,
Prince Frederick Charles TOOK par.
OF his army via Saarbrucken anu
part through Saargemund, and on
the 10th OF August drove Bazalhe
hack 90, Crelorrw. He we defeated
on the 18th and cornered in the Tor
LITIGATION at Metz
on August 10th the Prussians
formed fourth army TO move rap
idly through the plains OF CHAM
pagne to Paris. The crown prince or
Saxony was placed in charge of THIS
fourth command One hundred and
thirty thousand men were concen-
trated at Chalon under MacMahon to
defend Paris. On August II Mac
Mahon moved to Rheims and under
orders from Paris attempted to re-
lieve Metz. His division was cut OIL