The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-08-29

lily explains what seems to so many
the impenetrable mystery of the 10y
atty and devotion of Alsace-Lorra
to France after forty-four years under
the government of Germany. What is
spoken of as love for France could
more properly be described as a be-
lief i'm the rights of man upon which
the institution of the French republic
are founded.
AS soon as war was declared be-
tween France and Prussia, July Il.
1870, Asace-L Lorraine became the the
alter of operations. The first decisive
battle of the war was fought i'm Alsace
at Woerth- sur Sauer, Aug. 6, 1870, the
French under Marshal MacMahon re-
treating before the Germans, led by the
crown prince, afterward Kaiser Fred
erick, father of Kaiser William ii.
Metz, the capital of Lorraine, and
a march of only fifteen days from Par
is-nearer to the French capital than
the English port of Plymouth is to
London-was the next point in the line
of the German attack. France had an
army of 100000 men near its strong
fortress under the command OF Mar
shall Bazaine, considered the best otli-
Ger of Napoleon III.
The battle of Courcelles, Aug. H.
was the first act of the great battle
drama around Metz and important to
the Germans because they were able
to force Bozaine backward and cut
fCf III ~. HI1r IN Mouse
river, French renforcements being in
that neighborhood. The German army,
to Illustrate the plan of BaZaine and
isolate him, crossed the Moselle several
miles above Metz. mainly at Pont-a-
Mousson, and the 18th gained the ter
ritory south of the road from era
velotte to Marsla-Tour.
When Bazaine discovered he was
surrounded he gave battle, his soldiers
making the attack energetically at
Mars la-Tour in an attempt TO break
through and get to Verdun. His ar
my was stopped in retreat and two
days later met the Germans ut the
great battle of Gravelotte. on Aug
Is.
ne treIlndnS Idu DIOubnl Oh 49,
forcements up to the number of 2SO'-
600. The king of Prussia, afterwaru
Emperor William 1, was there with
his sons, the crown prince (the En-
peror Frederick) and Prince Karl cine
Red" Prince, the crown prince oil
Saxony Cater the king) and Prince
August of Wurtemberg. Field Mar
shall Won Moltke was in command ana
Bismarck was there as ~ spectator
One of the commanders was General
Won Goeben, after whom was nameu
the battleship Goeben, which made
heroic dash from Messina a few dogs
ago and now is i'm the Dardanelles'
Sieees of Metz and Strassbur9.
The French had about 100000 men,
the Germans sustained greater losses
as they took the offensive. Bazaine re-
treating into the fortress of Metz. tic
held out all through the month OF sep
TENDER and made several sorties IN an
effort To break through the German
lines and receive the reinforcemeh's
Napoleon II had dispatched to him.
The Germans lost some 5000 men, nut
they kept them bottled up. He capitu-
lated with 10000 men on oct. "a lS'o'
Strassburg was even more stuppor"
and held out for three months before
II was forced to surrender 1t Is an
ancient German city, famous Tor ns
which Goethe attenueu'
famous for its goose-liver pies,
so delicious that both German anu
French soldiers and statesmen poe''
and philosophers will travel far loi
them.
When Theirs came as the ampas-
sador 81 France to sue for peace from
Germany Bismark laid down as WV
first stipuration that Alsace-Lorralnc