The Sentinel=record., 1914-10-18
RETIRED OFFICER
 WHO GAME BACK
VOW HINDEN8ERG WOULD HAVE LEFT SERVICE UNKNOWN BUT
 FOR THE PRESENT WAR.
German Officer Who Conducted Such a Famous Fight Against Russians and Captured 15o,ooo Had Already Retired.

| Berlin, Sept. 22-General von Hin,
 denburg, who distinguished himself by
 winning two great victories over the
 Russians and taking about 150,000 prisoners within three weeks. was a comparatively unknown man, so far as
 the general public is concernew, when the war broke out; and it seemed
 wholly probable that his name would go down to history as a blank, for he had already been retired from active
 service three years ago, at the age of 64. His health, moreover, was not such as to warrant the expectation
 that he would still achieve work Of distinction. He walks with great dit
 ficulty, being subject to both rheuma- tism and gout.
 | In view of his health he was not re- 1 called into active service when the war broke out, although he enjoyed high reputation among military men
 It was only after General von Pritt-
 witz and Grafton, at first in command | in East Prussia, had committed ser, ous errors in strategy that the em- peror decided to make change of commanders. The general staff call | ed into consultation told him that von llfiindenberg was the only man to save the situation there; and von HinGen. | burg, notwithstanding his e years. l was appointed. He was living at Mag deburg but came to Berlin at once upon hearing of his appointment. Here young officer took him in an automobile at high speed to the seat Of war. On the way they were met by staff officers from the East Prus. sian army, who gave Hindenburg a full description of the military situa, tion, and by the time he arrived at the | scene of action he had already form ed his plans for crushing the Russian Narex army.
 According to one report his ap, pointment meant sacrifice of per. sonal pride on the part of the kaiser. because it is said that von Hinden- burg's retirement from active service in 1911 was due to an over-rash re mark he made to the kaiser at the maneuvers. Won Hindenburg, so the | story goes, after having gained a de. clsive victory over the kaiser's forces said to him after the sham-fighting: Yes, your majesty, and if this had been real war we would have drievn you into the Baltic Sea" The kaiser resented this remark. and von Hinden- burg's retirement soon followed. Since his astonishing victories in East Prussia the military writers have reviewed a story illustrating his bravery at the battle of Sadowa, or Kieniggraetz, in which Se took part as a second lieutenant in the royal body guard regiment, the Garde du Corps.
 Suddenly the riflemen of Lieuten- ant von Hindenburg," writes the his torian of his regiment, were fired upon with grape-sAot A battery had hurried forward from Rosberitz and had opened fire upon them at a very short range. After returning a short rapid fire, Lieutenant von Hindenburg ordered forward, double quickn and
 
 on the head and knocked down by a grape shot, he lay stupefied for a few moments. Then, recovering, he jump- ed 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 Hindenburg later saw hard ser vice in the war of 1S70-1S71, taking part in the battles of Gravelotte, Se- dan 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 acad. emy. Seven years later he was as- signed to service at the front as com pany commander, but in the following year returned to the general staff, where he soon advanced to major. In 1889 he was assigned to the war min istry, was made lieutenant colonel two years later and in 1893 took command as lieutnant colonel, of the Ninety first infantry regiment. In 1894 he became colonel and two years later ! he was made chief of the general staff of the seventh army corps. He ac vanced rapidly to brigade commander, was successively promoted to be ma 1 jor general and lieutenant general, and in 1903 was made commanding | general of the fourth corps.
 l In the last named capacity von Hindenburg showed his executive abil- l ity and knowledge of human nature by the manner in which he was able
 to secure the cooperation of two of his generals, von Prittwitz and Chif iron and von Bernhardi. The former was hard headed, obstinate old sol- dier and the latter an impetuous off cer, flashing and impatient of re. straint Both, however, were devoted
 to von Hindenburg and worked eff ciently with him. He retired in 1911 | The report of his victories in Eas, Prussia referred to him as Colonel