The Elbert County tribune., 1917-09-28


same day her raw Carmagnole levies
fought and won the battle of valmy.
| battle which proved to the doubters-
of whom France herself was one-that
the republican spirit possessed mette; ;
that France could not only declare her
self republic, but could defend and
maintain herself as republic. Valmy.
| declares Greasy, set the kings of Eu-
rope trembling after 1S centuries OF
security. valmy. wrote Goethe who
watched the battle, "commences-a new
era in the worlds history" Valmy de-
creed there should be that republican
France which fights the battle of free
dom today.
valmy was fought in the same re-
gion which has seen some of the blood
lest encounters of the present war. 1t
took place In the marshy country of
the AIsne and the Aube, with the for
est OF Argonne. then much heavier
and greater In extent than 1t is now,
as a prominent strategic feature. Its
victor was Kellerman, father of the
Kellerman whose brilliant cavalry
charge afterward decided the battle of
Marengo. Under Napoleon the elder
Kellerman assumed the title of duke
of valmy. When he died he desired
that his heart should be buried upon
the battlefield where he had won his
fame.
The army which came against the
crude French republican volunteers in
cluded not only 10000 Prussians and
1000 Austrians, but no less than 49,
coo French emigres of the old royalist
days, most of them of noble birth, all
of them skilled in arms and represent
| ing the flower of the commissioned
personnel of the old and formidable
French army. In chief command was
the duke of Brunswick, second only in
military skill to the Great Frederick,
as whose lieutenant he had served.
Heading the emigres was Conde.
Against these Dumouriez, the sixty
year-old veteran who held the chief
French command, could oppose only
total of some $4,000 men badly or
ganized and disciplined, for the most
part worse officered and shockingly
| lacking in equipment and supplies.
Eight battallons were so mutinous
that Dumouriez, under pretense of
reviewing them. posted them with
strong force of cavalry in their rear
and cannon on their flanks. after
which he informed them that they
were not worthy to be called either
soldiers or citizens. They would do
well. he further informed them, to
do their duty. or the cavalry and the
guns would do duty to them.
The invaders advanced In what
they believed would be only n march
of JOY and triumph to Paris In three
| columns. In the earlier engage
ments the French fled like sheep. On
one occasion they fled without fir
ing shot. On another division
of 10000 scurried back before the seat
tering fire of few Austrian skirmish-
ers. To make matters worse, French
underestimate of the enemy's sagacity
left weakly defended an important
pass which an Austrian corps, under
Clarlfayt, promptly forced after some
sharp fighting.
Misfortune and the necessity of
covering an extended front rather
than faulty generaship caused the
separation of Dumouriez and Keller
man who was trying to join him by
wheeling movement from Metz and
gave opportunity for the invading
force to attempt the overwhelming
of the latter as he stood isolated on
the plateau of Valmy, at dangerous
Interval from his chief. The young
king of Prussia, who was with
Brunswick's forces, Joined with the
emigre French princes in urging an
immediate attack. Accordingly the
right wing of the invading army
moved forward early in the morning
to turn Kellerman's left flank and
cut him on from retreat to Chalons
Dumouriez, an alert and spry cih-
zen in spite of his years, ordered up
troops to support Kellerman, but these
troops were slow In starting.
The same sort of fog which embar-
rassed the opposing forces of the
present war when they clashed on
the same ground hung over the bat
tlefield. 1t was ten o'clock when the
tatterdemalion French army per-
ceived emerging from the white
mists the countless Prussian cav
airy and the bristling columns of In
fantry now close upon them. The
French, remembering the running
they had found 1t advisable to do In
the preliminary skirmishing. were
nervous, and showed it. However, Kel-
lerman and the youthful Due de Char
tres, youngster of twenty who served
as general under him. steadicd their
The Easily Satisfied.