New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-10-26

Sedan, fought on September l, 1870,
vas the losing battle Of II demOralized
France. 1t cost the French arms loss
If prestige; perhaps even temporary
loss of honor. 1t cost France the huge
indemnity demanded by triumphant
Germany. But, for all this, its ulti-
mate effect was Of inestimable profit
to France. For Sedan marked the
collapse of the Second empire, over
which reigned the Emperor Louis Ma
pOleon-NapoleOn the Little. From its
ruin sprang the splendid republic OF
today.
Sedan lies In northern France, II
miles from Mezieres, on the right bank
Of the Mouse. To it came Marshal
MacMahOn and the discouraged, al
ready half-beaten army Of France, its
commander so respondent that he
could contemplate nothing more than
q battle to sustain the honor Of his
troops. He did not even communicate
with VinOy, whose corps was cOncen-
tratlng at Mezieres.
To the east there was a strong posi-
ton, where the Fond du GivOnne pre-
sented serious obstacle to the German
Infantry. However, MacMahon ignored
1t. The German host came on in two
columns, with only a weak cavalry
screen between. Before daybreak the
Bavarians had thrown a pOntOOn
bridge across the Mouse, advancing
toward Bazeilles, where VassOigne's d.
vision, containing a number of marine
and sailor battalions, gave them such
a warm reception that they were COM
pletely disconnected. About six in the
morning the heavy night fog lifted,
w%hereupon the German artillery came
violently into action. One Of the first
shells wounded MacMahon. General
Ducrot took W. the command.
Now it happened that there was
with the army General Wimpffen, who
had only arrived from Algiers on the
night of August 80. and who had in
his pocket a secret commission. au-
thorizlng him to assume command in
event Of the death or disablement Of
MacMahOn. No n save Wimpffen
knew of this. He was new to the
troops and new to this theater Of war
Therefore he hesitated to displace Du-
crot, waiting until nine o'clock, when,
perceiving that DucrOt intended, to re-
treat toward the west, and convinced
that salvation lay only in moving east
ward toward Metz and the army of
Bazaine. he produced his papers and
took charge. As a result there fol-
lowed dire confusion, a good part Of
the army already having begun the ex-
ecution of Ducrot's orders.
Northward of Bazeilles the French
were Withdrawing, so that the Saxons
swept easily over the ridge south Of the
GivOnne-Sedan road. This cut Off the
Of Vassoigne's gallant fighters,
who fell into the hands of the Germans
an hour before noon.
At about the same time the Ger
man Guard corps began to form up be-
tween Daigny and Givonne, when sud
denly a great column of French infan-
O.OOO otlpIlS, ODCyiiB NliIlDlltU - !
orders Of movement. came over the
border of the valley and
at full speed for the guns.
There followed what was probably
The most dramatic spectacle of the war,
For the whole Of the. corps artillery of
The Guard turned upon these devoted
men, tearing the column in half and
almost annihilating 1t. The head of
he column, 1000 strong, struggled des-
)erately On, but coming under f1anking
ire from both cannon and rifles, it fair
y dissolved before the German ayes.
Another detachment of the invaders
the river at DOncherey. driving
back the French outposts to the south
If the lily road so easily that the Ger
nan artillery became recklessly ex-
Percelving this and acting in
G neral de Gallifet-"Old Sill
'er Top" IS he was afterward called,
Of the silver plate which re-
placed a part of his skull-rushed up
lis brigade Of Chasseurs d'Afrique and
lurled a most dashing charge against
he batteries. Gallifet might have ac-
something here. but he was
Utterly unsupported. and could not
old his advantage. He fell back with
lis hard-punished horse behind the
'azal-Illy ridge.
Next. the French infantry tried its
and again, making a brilliant. If i'll
lined. charge ont Of its nOSition md
the Germans until the re-
Inducements dashed up. Then once
lore the French retired in more or
ess confusion, holding strongly at
lOing.
Now, however, the French Twelfth
orps found itself ~furiously assaulted
nd in such peril that re-enforcements
'ere sent up from Douay's force. So
was the confusion of the
ny that these requirements actu-