The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-07

Yanks Take Historic City in
Europe.
Defeat the German HOrdes In
France.

With the American Armies in
France. Nov. 7.-American troops of
the First army entered the western
outskirts of Sedan at o'clock
Wednesday afternoon and completed
occupation of the city this morning.
Seizure of Sedan cut the principal
communications of the :-rmies of the
German crown prince and General Won
GallwitZ, inflicting a serious defeat on
the enemy who rushed northward In
full rout.
All French territory in the American
zone has been practically cleared. the
Germans fleeing across the Belgian
border.
In the last six days the Americans
have advanced more than twenty-five
miles, freed 700 square meters of ter
ritory liberated two thousand civilians
and captured enormous stores OF ma
terials.
Paris. Nov. To-day marked the
second decisive battle of Sedan. Just
before the allies and Germany signed
an armistice. the American troops cap.
tured Sedan after several days OF
fierce fighting, in which they gained
many miles and thousands Of prison.
ers.
Sedan, famous in the Franco-Prus-
sian war of 1870. has been entered by
the American first army. To-Day the
Americans entered the section OF the
town on the west bank of the Mouse.
marking an advance OF more than
thirty-four miles since the offensive
began on September 26. Meanwhile
the British, French and American
troops elsewhere on the front between
the Scheldt and the Mouse. pushed the
Germans from the small section OF
France they still occupied.
Second Decisive Battle.
Sedan was the second of the really
war as it marked the destruction of
the strongest French army then in the
field, together with the capture of En-
peror Napoleon III and Marshal Mac
Mahon. The battle began August 20,
1870, between the French army of the
north. numbering 10000, and three
German armies under the king and
crown prince of Prussia and the
crown prince of Saxony, numbering
100000. 1t ragged for four days, being
brought to close September I.
Artillery played an important part
ton to having the advantage in num-
of guns-600 to 500-greatly out
ranged the French. The casualties
were large. especially among the
French.
Napoleon Was There.
Napoleon III was present during
the battle and on the last day stood
exposed for four hours to the German
bombardment at Iges. two miles
northeast of Sedan, While there he
saw the uselessness of further resist
ance. The enemy had drawn a circle
close around Sedan and held all the
principal heights from which their ar
tillery could destroy the town and the
entire French army.
General De Wimpffen, who. had
been placed in command when Mar
shall MacMahon was wounded, at first
Indignantly refused the terms offered
by the Germans and the emperor had
fruitless interview with Count Won
Bismarck in an effort to mitigate
them.
On September 2. the emperor ad-
dressed a personal note to the king,
accepting the German terms The
capitulation was signed at noon that
day at Fourneers, mile northwest
of Sedan. About $4,000 French pris-
oners were taken during the battle and
$4,000 were surrendered. Fourteen
thousand French wounded were found
lying on the field. About 5000 es-
capped across the Belgian border, five
miles to the north and laid down
their arms.
Lieutenant Colonel Pemberton, war
correspondent of the London Times
who approached too close to the lines
was killed by she'll fire. during the