personal memoirs-2-第45章

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after　the　battle　of　Gravelottewas　moving　toward　Paris　by　way　of

Nancy；　in　conjunction　with　an　army　called　the　Fourth；　which　had　been

organized　from　the　troops　previously　engaged　around　Metz；　and　on　the

22d　was　directed　toward　Bar…le…Duc　under　the　command　of　the　Crown

Prince　of　Saxony。　　In　consequence　of　these　operations　the　King

decided　to　move　to　Commercy；　which　place　we　reached　by　carriage；

traveling　on　a　broad　macadamized　road　lined　on　both　sides　with

poplar…trees；　and　our　course　leading　through　a　most　beautiful　country

thickly　dotted　with　prosperous…looking　villages。



On　reaching　Commercy；　Forsyth　and　I　found　that　quarters　had　been

already　selected　for　us；　and　our　names　written　on　the　door　with　chalk

the　quartermaster　charged　with　the　billeting　of　the　officers　at

headquarters　having　started　out　in　advance　to　perform　this　duty　and

make　all　needful　preparations　for　the　King　before　he　arrived；　which

course　was　usually　pursued　thereafter；　whenever　the　royal

headquarters　took　up　a　new　location。



Forsyth　and　I　were　lodged　with　the　notary　of　the　village；　who　over

and　over　again　referred　to　his　good　fortune　in　not　having　to

entertain　any　of　the　Germans。　　He　treated　us　most　hospitably；　and

next　morning；　　on　departing；　we　offered　compensation　by　tendering　a

sumabout　what　our　bill　would　have　been　at　a　good　hotelto　be　used

for　the　〃benefit　of　the　wounded　or　the　Church。〃　　Under　this

stipulation　the　notary　accepted；　and　we　followed　that　plan　of　paying

for　food　and　lodging　afterward；　whenever　quartered　in　private　houses。



The　next　day　I　set　out　in　advance　of　the　headquarters；　and　reached

Bar…le…Duc　about　noon；　passing　on　the　way　the　Bavarian　contingent　of

the　Crown　Prince's　army。　　These　Bavarians　were　trim…looking　soldiers；

dressed　in　neat　uniforms　of　light　blue；　they　looked　healthy　and

strong；　but　seemed　of　shorter　stature　than　the　North　Germans　I　had

seen　in　the　armies　of　Prince　Frederick　Charles　and　General　von

Steinmetz。　　When；　later　in　the　day　the　King　arrived；　a　guard　for　him

was　detailed　from　this　Bavarian　contingent；　a　stroke　of　policy　no

doubt；　for　the　South　Germans　were　so　prejudiced　against　their

brothers　of　the　North　that　no　opportunity　to　smooth　them　down　was

permitted　to　go　unimproved。



Bar…le…Duc；　which　had　then　a　population　of　about　15；000；　is　one　of

the　prettiest　towns　I　saw　in　France；　its　quaint　and　ancient　buildings

and　beautiful　boulevards　charming　the　eye　as　well　as　exciting　deep

interest。　　The　King　and　his　immediate　suite　were　quartered　on　one　of

the　best　boulevards　in　a　large　buildingthe　Bank　of　Francethe

balcony　of　which　offered　a　fine　opportunity　to　observe　a　part　of　the

army　of　the　Crown　Prince　the　next　day　on　its　march　toward　Vitry。

This　was　the　first　time　his　Majesty　had　had　a　chance　to　see　any　of

these　troopsas　hitherto　he　had　accompanied　either　the　army　of

Prince　Frederick　Charles；　or　that　of　General　Steinmetzand　the

cheers　with　which　he　was　greeted　by　the　Bavarians　left　no　room　for

doubting　their　loyalty　to　the　Confederation；　notwithstanding　ancient

jealousies。



While　the　troops　were　passing；　Count　Bismarck　had　the　kindness　to

point　out　to　me　the　different　organizations；　giving　scraps　of　their

history；　and　also　speaking　concerning　the　qualifications　of　the

different　generals　commanding　them。　　When　the　review　was　over　we　went

to　the　Count's　house；　and　there；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　I

tasted　kirschwasser；　a　very　strong　liquor　distilled　from　cherries。

Not　knowing　anything　about　the　stuff；　I　had　to　depend　on　Bismarck's

recommendation；　and　he　proclaiming　it　fine；　I　took　quite　a　generous

drink；　which　nearly　strangled　me　and　brought　on　a　violent　fit　of

coughing。　　The　Chancellor　said；　however；　that　this　was　in　no　way　due

to　the　liquor；　but　to　my　own　inexperience；　and　I　was　bound　to　believe

the　distinguished　statesman；　for　he　proved　his　words　by　swallowing　a

goodly　dose　with　an　undisturbed　and　even　beaming　countenance；

demonstrating　his　assertion　so　forcibly　that　I　forthwith　set　out　with

Bismarck…Bohlen　to　lay　in　a　supply　for　myself。



I　spent　the　night　in　a　handsome　house；　the　property　of　an

exceptionally　kind　and　polite　gentleman　bearing　the　indisputably

German　name　of　Lager；　but　who　was　nevertheless　French　from　head　to

foot；　if　intense　hatred　of　the　Prussians　be　a　sign　of　Gallic

nationality。　　At　daybreak　on　the　26th　word　came　for　us　to　be　ready　to

move　by　the　Chalons　road　at　7　o'clock；　but　before　we　got　off；　the

order　was　suspended　till　2　in　the　afternoon。　　In　the　interval　General

von　Moltke　arrived　and　held　a　long　conference　with　the　King；　and　when

we　did　pull　out　we　traveled　the　remainder　of　the　afternoon　in　company

with　a　part　of　the　Crown　Prince's　army；　which　after　this　conference

inaugurated　the　series　of　movements　from　Bar…le…Duc　northward；　that

finally　compelled　the　surrender　at　Sedan。　　This　sudden　change　of

direction　I　did　not　at　first　understand；　but　soon　learned　that　it　was

because　of　the　movements　of　Marshal　MacMahon；　who；　having　united　the

French　army　beaten　at　Worth　with　three　fresh　corps　at　Chalons；　was

marching　to　relieve　Metz　in　obedience　to　orders　from　the　Minister　of

War　at　Paris。



As　we　passed　along　the　column；　we　noticed　that　the　Crown　Prince's

troops　were　doing　their　best；　the　officers　urging　the　men　to　their

utmost　exertions；　persuading　weary　laggards　and　driving　up

stragglers。　　As　a　general　thing；　however；　they　marched　in　good　shape；

notwithstanding　the　rapid　gait　and　the　trying　heat；　for　at　the　outset

of　the　campaign　the　Prince　had　divested　them　of　all　impedimenta

except　essentials；　and　they　were　therefore　in　excellent　trim　for　a

forced　march。



The　King　traveled　further　than　usual　that　dayto　Clermontso　we　did

not　get　shelter　till　late；　and　even　then　not　without　some　confusion；

for　the　quartermaster　having　set　out　toward　Chalons　before　the　change

of　programme　was　ordered；　was　not　at　hand　to　provide　for　us。　　I　had

extreme　good　luck；　though；　in　being　quartered　with　a　certain

apothecary；　who；　having　lived　for　a　time　in　the　United　States；

claimed　it　as　a　privilege　even　to　lodge　me；　and　certainly　made　me　his

debtor　for　the　most　generous　hospitality。　　It　was　not　so　with　some　of

the　others；　however；　and　Count　Bismarck　was　particularly　unfortunate；

being　billeted　in　a　very　small　and　uncomfortable　house；　where；

visiting　him　to　learn　more　fully　what　was　going　on；　I　found　him；

wrapped　in　a　shabby　old　dressing…gown；　hard　at　work。　　He　was

established　in　a　very　small　room；　whose　only　furnishings　consisted　of

a　tableat　which　he　was　writinga　couple　of　rough　chairs；　and　the

universal　feather…bed；　this　time　made　on　the　floor　in　one　corner　of

the　room。　　On　my　remarking　upon　the　limited　character　of　his

quarters；　the　Count　replied；　with　great　good…humor；　that　they　were

all　right；　and　that　he　should　get　along　well　enough。　　Even　the　tramp

of　his　clerks　in　the　attic；　and　the　clanking　of　his　orderlies'　sabres

below；　did　not　disturb　him　much；　he　said；　in　fact；　that　he　would　have

no　grievance　at　all　were　it　not　for　a　guard　of　Bavarian　soldiers

stationed　about　the　house　for　his　safety；　he　presumed　the　sentinels

from　which　insisted　on　protecting　and　saluting　the　Chancellor　of　the

North　German　Confederation　in　and　out　of　season；　a　proceeding　that

led　to　embarrassment　sometimes；　as　he　was　much　troubled　with　a　severe

dysentery。　　Notwithstanding　his　trials；　however；　and　in　the　midst　of

the　correspondence　on　which　he　was　so　intently　engaged；　he　graciously

took　time　to　explain　that　the　sudden　movement　northward　from　Bar…le…

Duc　was；　as　I　have　previously　recounted；　the　result　of　information

that　Marshal　MacMahon　was　endeavoring　to　relieve　Metz　by　marching

along　the　Belgian　frontier；　〃a　blundering　manoeuvre；〃　remarked　the

Chancellor；　〃which　cannot　be　accounted　for；　unless　it　has　been

brought　about　by　the　political　situation　of　the　French。〃









CHAPTER　XVIII。



AFTER　MacMAHONTHE　BATTLE　AT　BEAUMONTTHE　FRENCH　SURPRISEDTHE

MARCHING　OF　THE　GERMAN　SOLDIERSTHE　BATTLE　OF　SEDANGALLANT　CAVALRY

CHARGESDEFEAT　OF　THE　FRENCHTHE　SURRENDER　OF　NAPOLEONBISMARCK

AND　THE　KINGDECORATING　THE　SOLDIERS。



All　night　long　the　forced　march　of　the　army　went　on　through　Clermont；

and　when　I　turned　out；　just　after　daylight；　the　columns　were　still

pressing　forward；　the　men　looking　tired　and　much　bedraggled；　as

indeed　they　had　reason　to　be；　for　from　recent　rains　the　roads　were

very　sloppy。　　Notwithstanding　this；　however；　the　troops　were　pushed

ahead　with　all　possible　vigor　to　intercept　MacMahon　and　force　a

battle　before　he　could　withdraw　from　his　faulty　movement；　for　which

it　has　since　been　ascertained　he　was　not　at　all　responsible。　　Indeed；

those　at　the　royal　headquarters　seemed　to　think　of　nothing　else　than

to　strike　MacMahon；　for；　feeling　pretty　confident　that　Metz　could　not

be　relieved；　they　manifested　not　the　slightest　anxiety　on　that　score。



By　8　o'clock；　the　skies　having　cleared；　the　headquarters　set　out　for

Grand　Pre'；　which　place　we　reached　early　in　the　afternoon；　and　that

evening　I　again　had　the　pleasure　of　dining　with　the　King。　　The

conversation　at　table　was　almost　wholly　devoted　to　the　situation；　of

course；　everybody　expressing　surprise　at　the　manoeuvre　of　the　French

at　this　time；　their　march　along　the　Belgian　frontier　being　credited

entirely　to　Napoleon。　　Up　to　bed…time　there　was　still　much

uncertainty　as　to　the　exact　positions　of　the　French；　but　next　morning

intelligence　being　received　which　denoted　the　probability　of　a

battle；　we　drove　about　ten　miles；　to　Buzancy；　and　there　mounting　our

horses；　rode　to　the　front。



The　French　were　posted　not　far　from　Buzancy　in　a　strong　position；

their　right　resting　near　Stonne　and　the　left　extending　over　into　the

woods　beyond　Beaumont。　　About　10　o'clock　the　Crown　Prince　of　Saxony

advanced　against　this　line；　and　while　a　part　of　his　army　turned　the

French　right；　compelling　it　to　fall　back　rapidly；　the　German　centre

and　right　attacked　with　great　vigor　and　much　skill；　surprising　one　of

the　divisions　of　General　De　Failly's　corps　while　the　men　were　in　the

act　of　cooking　their　breakfast。



The　French　fled　precipitately；　leaving　behind　their　tents　and　other

camp　equipage；　and　on　inspecting　the　ground　which　they　had　abandoned

so　hastily；　I　noticed　on　all　sides　ample　evidence　that　not　even　the

most　ordinary　precautions　had　been　taken　to　secure　the　division　from

surprise；　The　artillery　horses　had　not　been　harnessed；　and　many　of

them　had　been　shot　down　at　the　picketrope　where　they　had　been

haltered　the　night　before；　while　numbers　of　men　were　lying　dead　with

loaves　of　bread　or　other　food　instead　of　their　muskets　in　their

hands。



Some　three　thousand　prisoners　and　nearly　all　the　artillery　and

mitrailleuses　of　the　divisionwere　captured；　while　the　fugitives

were　pursued　till　they　found　shelter　behindDouay's　corps　and　the

rest　of　De　Failly's　beyond　Beaumont。　　The　same　afternoon　there　were

sev