The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-06

the following resume OF the
Eranco.Prusslan war for The Pal
iadium., Il recites the method
used by the Germans to invade
France. II will be Of interest oy
way Of comparison.
When the Prussians under Kaiser
Wilhelm l. with Count Bismarck ana
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 SIX
months to capture the French capital.
The first order to mobilize the
Prussian army was given Dy halse1
Wilhelm | on July Is, 1870 France
declared war four days later. Inree
armies were put in the field by the
Prussians. The first was under Cen
eral Won Steinmets near Trever, the
second under Prince FREDERICK
Charles in the Reinish Palatinate and
the third under Crown Prince OF
Prussia on the frontier of Baden.
Fifteen days after the moblllzatlon
order had been given Prussia nad
$4,000 men under arms.
A line 100 miles long from Mount
medy on the Belgian frontier to Bel.
fort at the junction of the SWISS ana
German borders, was covered by an
army of $4,000 men under Napoleon
Ill The French army was divided
into eight army corps with Marshall
MacMahon near Strassberg; General
Failly at Betsch, on the Palatlnate
frontier; Marshal Bazaine near Metz,
General Prossard at Saint Avoid, near
the Prussian frontier; General Lad
mirault at Thionville (nOw called DE
denhofen by the Germans); the re-
serve corps under General Bombakl
and Marshal Canrobert at Nancy and
Chalons, and General Felix Douay
holding the fortress at Belfort.
Emperor Takes Command.
1t was only July % that Emperor
Napoleon left Paris to take command
at Metz and on August Kaiser Will
helm with Count Bismark and General
Won Moltke took the field with head
quarters at Maniz.
Saarbruck was attacked and cap
tured on August 2 by Froussard
Again two days later the Crown
Prince engaged the French This time
he met McMahon's men at ZObern
and forced them to retreat in dis
order SteinmetZ, in the meantime,
routed Frossard's corps at Spichern
driving the French back to Metz and
Forbach.
Following these disastrous defeats
the eight french corps were consoli-
dated into two armies, one under
Bazaine at Metz and the other under
MacMahon at Chalons. 1t was shortly
thereafter that the northern part Of
Alsace was abandoned while the
French retreated along the Moselle.
On August the Crown Prince left
Worth to push on through the passes
of Vosges to Nancy. He entered the
city on August Is. In the meantime
Steinmetz was the most active man in
the German army. He took Forback
on the 7th, ST. Alvord on the 9th and
battle Of Colombey-Noully, General Won
Moltke prevented the junction of the
two retreating French armies.
Take Metz.
Bent on the capture of Metz, Prince
Frederick Charles took part of his
army via Searbrucken and part
through Saargemund and on the 10Th
Of August drove Bazaine back on
Crelorr. He was defeated on the 18th
and cornered in the Notifications at
Metz.
On August 10th the Prussians form
ed fourth army to move rapidly
through the plains of Champagne to
Paris. The Crown Prince of Saxony
was placed in charge of the fourth
command. One hundred and thirty
thousand men were concentrated at
Cholon under MacMahon to defend
Paris. On August p MacMahon NOV
cd to Rheims and under order from
Paris attempted to relieve Metz. His
division was cut off by the Prussians
at Sedan. surrounded and overwhelm-
I'd. He surrendered on September 2,
being taken prisoner with the EN-
peror. The battle of Sedan was the
most disastrous of the entire war
The surrender of Strassburg came
IN September % and on October II
General Wonder Tam occupied Or
leans Metz was surrendered by
Nesaine on October q. General de
Oallasines in a heroic effort recaptur-
ed Orleans from the Prussians on
November 10 but was defeated in a
battle lasting from December 2 until
December 4.
In vain General Ducrot tried to
break the strong Prussian lines at
Berie and on December 20 the Prus-
slams captured Mount Averon one OF
the forts defending Paris. Rouen was
captured by the Prussians on Deem
Der and the French were overWhelm
ed at ST Quentin on January 10
Paris finally capitulated on December
%, 1871.