personal memoirs-2-第42章

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FRENCHMAN。



Shortly　after　we　arrived　in　Berlin　the　Queen　sent　a　messenger

offering　us　an　opportunity　to　pay　our　respects；　and　fixed　an　hour　for

the　visit；　which　was　to　take　place　the　next　day；　but　as　the　tenor　of

the　despatch　Mr。　Bancroft　had　received　from　Count　Bismarck　indicated

that　some　important　event　which　it　was　desired　I　should　witness　was

about　to　happen　at　the　theatre　of　war；　our　Minister　got　us　excused

from　our　visit　of　ceremony；　and　we　started　for　the　headquarters　of

the　German　army　that　eveningour　stay　in　the　Prussian　capital　having

been　somewhat　less　than　a　day。



Our　train　was　a　very　long　one；　of　over　eighty　cars；　and　though　drawn

by　three　locomotives；　its　progress　to　Cologne　was　very　slow　and　the

journey　most　tedious。　　From　Cologne　we　continued　on　by　rail　up　the

valley　of　the　Rhine　to　Bingebruck；　near　Bingen；　and　thence　across

through　Saarbrucken　to　Remilly；　where　we　left　the　railway　and　rode　in

a　hay…wagon　to　Pont…a…Mousson；　arriving　there　August　17；　late　in　the

afternoon。　　This　little　city　had　been　ceded　to　France　at　the　Peace　of

Westphalia；　and　although　originally　German；　the　people　had　become；　in

the　lapse　of　so　many　years；　intensely　French　in　sentiment。　　The　town

was　so　full　of　officers　and　men　belonging　to　the　German　army　that　it

was　difficult　to　get　lodgings；　but　after　some　delay　we　found　quite

comfortable　quarters　at　one　of　the　small　hotels；　and　presently；　after

we　had　succeeded　in　getting　a　slender　meal；　I　sent　my　card　to　Count

von　Bismarck；　the　Chancellor　of　the　North　German　Confederation；　who

soon　responded　by　appointing　an　hourabout　9　o'clock　the　same

eveningfor　an　interview。



When　the　Count　received　me　he　was　clothed　in　the　undress　uniform　of

the　Cuirassier　regiment；　of　which　he　was　the　colonel。　　During　the

interview　which　ensued；　he　exhibited　at　times　deep　anxiety　regarding

the　conflict　now　imminent；　for　it　was　the　night　before　the　battle　of

Gravelotte；　but　his　conversation　was　mostly　devoted　to　the　state　of

public　sentiment　in　America；　about　which　he　seemed　much　concerned；

inquiring　repeatedly　as　to　which　sideFrance　or　Prussiawas　charged

with　bringing　on　the　war。　　Expressing　a　desire　to　witness　the　battle

which　was　expected　to　occur　the　next　day；　and　remarking　that　I　had

not　had　sufficient　time　to　provide　the　necessary　transportation；　he

told　me　to　be　ready　at　4　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　he　would　take　me

out　in　his　own　carriage　and　present　me　to　the　Kingadding　that　he

would　ask　one　of　his　own　staff…officers；　who　he　knew　had　one　or　two

extra　horses；　to　lend　me　one。　　As　I　did　not　know　just　what　my　status

would　be；　and　having　explained　to　the　President　before　leaving

America　that　I　wished　to　accompany　the　German　army　unofficially；　I

hardly　knew　whether　to　appear　in　uniform　or　not；　so　I　spoke　of　this

matter　too；　and　the　Count；　after　some　reflection；　thought　it　best　for

me　to　wear　my　undress　uniform；　minus　the　sword；　however；　because　I

was　a　non　combatant。



At　4　o'clock　the　next　morning；　the　18th；　I　repaired　to　the

Chancellor's　quarters。　　The　carriage　was　at　the　door；　also　the

saddle…horse；　but　as　no　spare　mount　could　be　procured　for　General

Forsyth；　he　had　to　seek　other　means　to　reach　the　battle…field。　　The

carriage　was　an　open　one　with　two　double　seats；　and　in　front　a　single

one　for　a　messenger；　it　had　also　a　hand…brake　attached。





Count　Bismarck　and　I　occupied　the　rear　seat；　and　Count　Bismarck…

Bohlenthe　nephew　and　aide…decamp　to　the　Chancellorand　Doctor

Busch　were　seated　facing　us。　　The　conveyance　was　strong；　serviceable；

and　comfortable；　but　not　specially　prepossessing；　and　hitched　to　it

were　four　stout　horseslogy；　ungainly　animals；　whose　clumsy　harness

indicated　that　the　whole　equipment　was　meant　for　heavy　work。　　Two

postilions　in　uniform；　in　high　military　saddles　on　the　nigh　horse　of

each　span；　completed　the　establishment。



All　being　ready；　we　took　one　of　the　roads　from　Pont…a…Mousson　to

Rezonville；　which　is　on　the　direct　road　from　Metz　to　Chalons；　and

near　the　central　point　of　the　field　where；　on　the　16th　of　August；　the

battle　of　Mars…la…Tour　had　been　fought。　　It　was　by　this　road　that　the

Pomeranians；　numbering　about　30；000　men；　had　been　ordered　to　march　to

Gravelotte；　and　after　proceeding　a　short　distance　we　overtook　the

column。　　As　this　contingent　came　from　Count　Bismarck's　own　section　of

Germany；　there　greeted　us　as　we　passed　along；　first　in　the　dim　light

of　the　morning；　and　later　in　the　glow　of　the　rising　sun；　continuous

and　most　enthusiastic　cheering　for　the　German　Chancellor。



On　the　way　Count　Bismarck　again　recurred　to　the　state　of　public

opinion　in　America　with　reference　to　the　war。　　He　also　talked　much

about　our　form　of　government；　and　said　that　in　early　life　his

tendencies　were　all　toward　republicanism；　but　that　family　influence

had　overcome　his　preferences；　and　intimated　that；　after　adopting　a

political　career；　he　found　that　Germany　was　not　sufficiently　advanced

for　republicanism。　　He　said；　further；　that　he　had　been　reluctant　to

enter　upon　this　public　career；　that　he　had　always　longed　to　be　a

soldier；　but　that　here　again　family　opposition　had　turned　him　from

the　field　of　his　choice　into　the　sphere　of　diplomacy。



Not　far　from　Mars…la…Tour　we　alighted；　and　in　a　little　while　an　aide…

de…camp　was　introduced；　who　informed　me　that　he　was　there　to　conduct

and　present　me　to　his　Majesty；　the　King　of　Prussia。　　As　we　were

walking　along　together；　I　inquired　whether　at　the　meeting　I　should

remove　my　cap；　and　he　said　no；　that　in　an　out…of…door　presentation　it

was　not　etiquette　to　uncover　if　in　uniform。　　We　were　soon　in　presence

of　the　King；　whereunder　the　shade　of　a　clump　of　second…growth

poplar…trees；　with　which　nearly　all　the　farms　in　the　north　of　France

are　here　and　there　dottedthe　presentation　was　made　in　the　simplest

and　most　agreeable　manner。



His　Majesty；　taking　my　hand　in　both　of　his；　gave　me　a　thorough

welcome；　expressing；　like　Count　Bismarck；　though　through　an

interpreter；　much　interest　as　to　the　sentiment　in　my　own　country

about　the　war。　　At　this　time　William　the　First　of　Prussia　was

seventy…three　years　of　age；　and；　dressed　in　the　uniform　of　the

Guards；　he　seemed　to　be　the　very　ideal　soldier；　and　graced　with　most

gentle　and　courteous　manners。　　The　conversation；　which　was　brief；　as

neither　of　us　spoke　the　other's　native　tongue；　concluded　by　his

Majesty's　requesting　me　in　the　most　cordial　way　to　accompany　his

headquarters　during　the　campaign。　　Thanking　him　for　his　kindness；　I

rejoined　Count　Bismarck's　party；　and　our　horses　having　arrived

meantime；　we　mounted　and　moved　off　to　the　position　selected　for　the

King　to　witness　the　opening　of　the　battle。



This　place　was　on　some　high　ground　overlooking　the　villages　of

Rezonville　and　Gravelotte；　about　the　centre　of　the　battlefield　of

Mars…la…Tour；　and　from　it　most　of　the　country　to　the　east　toward　Metz

could　also　be　seen。　　The　point　chosen　was　an　excellent　one　for　the

purpose；　though　in　one　respect　disagreeable；　since　the　dead　bodies　of

many　of　the　poor　fellows　killed　there　two　days　before　were　yet

unburied。　　In　a　little　while　the　King's　escort　began　to　remove　these

dead；　however；　bearing　them　away　on　stretchers　improvised　with　their

rifles；　and　the　spot　thus　cleared　was　much　more　acceptable。　　Then；

when　such　unexploded　shells　as　were　lying　around　loose　had　been

cautiously　carried　away；　the　King；　his　brother；　Prince　Frederick

Charles　Alexander；　the　chief…of…staff；　General　von　Moltke；　the

Minister　of　War；　General　von　Roon；　and　Count　von　Bismarck　assembled

on　the　highest　point；　and　I　being　asked　to　join　the　group；　was　there

presented　to　General　von　Moltke。　　He　spoke　our　language　fluently；　and

Bismarck　having　left　the　party　for　a　time　to　go　to　a　neighboring

house　to　see　his　son；　who　had　been　wounded　at　Mars…la…Tour；　and　about

whom　he　was　naturally　very　anxious；　General　von　Moltke　entertained　me

by　explaining　the　positions　of　the　different　corps；　the　nature　and

object　of　their　movements　then　taking　place；　and　so　on。



Before　us；　and　covering　Metz；　lay　the　French　army；　posted　on　the

crest　of　a　ridge　extending　north；　and　about　its　centre　curving

slightly　westward　toward　the　German　forces。　　The　left　of　the　French

position　was　but　a　short　distance　from　the　Moselle；　and　this　part　of

the　line　was　separated　from　the　Germans　by　a　ravine；　the　slopes；

fairly　well　wooded；　rising　quite　sharply；　farther　north；　near　the

centre；　this　depression　disappeared；　merged　in　the　general　swell　of

the　ground；　and　thence　on　toward　the　right　the　ground　over　which　an

approach　to　the　French　line　must　be　made　was　essentially　a　natural

open　glacis；　that　could　be　thoroughly　swept　by　the　fire　of　the

defenders。



The　line　extended　some　seven　or　eight　miles。　　To　attack　this

position；　formidable　everywhere；　except　perhaps　on　the　right　flank；

the　Germans　were　bringing　up　the　combined　forces　of　the　First　and

Second　armies；　troops　that　within　the　past　fortnight　had　already

successfully　met　the　French　in　three　pitched　battles。　　On　the　right

was　the　First　Army；　under　command　of　General　Von　Steinmetz；　the

victors；　August　6；　of　Spicheren；　near　Saar；　and；　eight　days　later；　of

Colombey；　to　the　east　of　Metz；　while　the　centre　and　left　were

composed　of　the　several　corps　of　the　Second　Army；　commanded　by　Prince

Frederick　Charles　of　Prussia；　a　part　of　whose　troops　had　just　been

engaged　in　the　sanguinary　battle　of　Mars…la…Tour；　by　which　Bazaine

was　cut　off　from　the　Verdun　road；　and　forced　back　toward　Metz。



At　first　the　German　plan　was　simply　to　threaten　with　their　right；

while　the　corps　of　the　Second　Army　advanced　toward　the　north；　to

prevent　the　French；　of　whose　intentions　there　was　much　doubt；　from

escaping　toward　Chalons；　then；　as　the　purposes　of　the　French　might

be；　developed；　these　corps　were　to　change　direction　toward　the　enemy

successively；　and　seek　to　turn　his　right　flank。　　But　the　location　of

this　vital　turning…point　was　very　uncertain；　and　until　it　was

ascertained　and　carried；　late　in　the　afternoon；　the　action　raged　with

more　or　less　intensity　along　the　entire　line。



But　as　it　is　not　my　purpose　to　describe　in　detail　the　battle　of

Gravelotte；　nor　any　other；　I　will　speak　of　some　of　its　incidents

merely。　　About　noon；　after　many　preliminary　skirmishes；　the　action

was　begun　according　to　the　plan　I　have　already　outlined；　the　Germans

advancing　their　left　while　holding　on　strongly　with　their　right；　and

it　was　this　wing　（the　First　Army）　that　came　under　my　observation　from

the　place　where　the　King's　headquarters　were　located。　　From　here　we

could　see；　as　I　have　said；　the　village　of　Gravelotte。　　Before　it　lay

the　German　troops；　concealed　to　some　extent；　especially　to　the　left；

by　clumps　of　timber　here　and　there。　　Immediately　in　front　of　us；

however；　the　ground　was　open；　and　the　day　being　clear　and　sunny；　with

a　fresh　breeze　blowing　（else　the　smoke　from　a　battle　between　four

hundred　thou