personal memoirs-2-第47章

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exclaiming：　〃Here's　to　the　unification　of　Germany！〃　which　sentiment

the　gurgling　of　an　astonishingly　long　drink　seemed　to　emphasize。　　The

Count　then　handed　the　bottle　back　to　his　nephew；　who；　shaking　it；

ejaculated；　〃Why；　we　can't　pledge　you　in　returnthere　is　nothing

left！〃　to　which　came　the　waggish　response；　I　beg　pardon；　it　was　so

dark　I　couldn't　see〃；　nevertheless　there　was　a　little　remaining；　as　I

myself　can　aver。



Having　left　our　carriage　at　Chevenge；　Forsyth　and　I　stopped　there　to

get　it；　but　a　long　search　proving　fruitless；　we　took　lodging　in　the

village　at　the　house　of　the　cure；　resolved　to　continue　the　hunt　in

the　morning。　　But　then　we　had　no　better　success；　so　concluding　that

our　vehicle　had　been　pressed　into　the　hospital　service；　we　at　an

early　hour　on　the　2d　of　September　resumed　the　search；　continuing　on

down　the　road　in　the　direction　of　Sedan。　　Near　the　gate　of　the　city

we　came　on　the　German　picket…line；　and　one　of　the　Officers；

recognizing　our　uniformshe　having　served　in　the　war　of　the

rebellionstepped　forward　and　addressed　me　in　good　English。　　We

naturally　fell　into　conversation；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　there　came

out　through　the　gate　an　open　carriage；　or　landau；　containing　two　men；

one　of　whom；　in　the　uniform　of　a　general　and　smoking　a　cigarette；　we

recognized；　when　the　conveyance　drew　near；　as　the　Emperor　Louis

Napoleon。　　The　landau　went　on　toward　Donchery　at　a　leisurely　pace；

and　we；　inferring　that　there　was　something　more　important　at　hand

just　then　than　the　recovery　of　our　trap；　followed　at　a　respectful

distance。　　Not　quite　a　mile　from　Donchery　is　a　cluster　of　three　or

four　cottages；　and　at　the　first　of　these　the　landau　stopped　to　await；

as　we　afterward　ascertained；　Count　Bismarck；　with　whom　the　diplomatic

negotiations　were　to　be　settled。　　Some　minutes　elapsed　before　he

came；　Napoleon　remaining　seated　in　his　carriage　meantime；　still

smoking；　and　accepting　with　nonchalance　the　staring　of　a　group　of

German　soldiers　near　by；　who　were　gazing　on　their　fallen　foe　with

curious　and　eager　interest。



Presently　a　clattering　of　hoofs　was　heard；　and　looking　toward　the

sound；　I　perceived　the　Chancellor　cantering　down　the　road。　　When

abreast　of　the　carriage　he　dismounted；　and　walking　up　to　it；　saluted

the　Emperor　in　a　quick；　brusque　way　that　seemed　to　startle　him。

After　a　word　or　two；　the　party　moved　perhaps　a　hundred　yards　further

on；　where　they　stopped　opposite　the　weaver's　cottage　so　famous　from

that　day。　　This　little　house　is　on　the　east　side　of　the　Donchery

road；　near　its　junction　with　that　to　Frenois；　and　stands　about　twenty

paces　back　from　the　highway。　　In　front　is　a　stone　wall　covered　with

creeping　vines；　and　from　a　gate　in　this　wall　runs　to　the　front　door　a

path；　at　this　time　bordered　on　both　sides　with　potato　vines。



The　Emperor　having　alighted　at　the　gate；　he　and　Bismarck　walked

together　along　the　narrow　path　and　entered　the　cottage。　　Reappearing

in　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　they　came　out　and　seated　themselves　in

the　open　air；　the　weaver　having　brought　a　couple　of　chairs。　　Here

they　engaged　in　an　animated　conversation；　if　much　gesticulation　is

any　indication。　　The　talk　lasted　fully　an　hour；　Bismarck　seeming　to

do　most　of　it；　but　at　last　he　arose；　saluted　the　Emperor；　and　strode

down　the　path　toward　his　horse。　　Seeing　me　standing　near　the　gate；　he

joined　me　for　a　moment；　and　asked　if　I　had　noticed　how　the　Emperor

started　when　they　first　met；　and　I　telling　him　that　I　had；　he　added；

〃Well；　it　must　have　been　due　to　my　manners；　not　my　words；　for　these

we're；　〃I　salute　your　Majesty　just　as　I　would　my　King。〃　　Then　the

Chancellor　continued　to　chat　a　few　minutes　longer；　assuring　me　that

nothing　further　was　to　be　done　there；　and　that　we　had　better　go　to

the　Chateau　Bellevue；　where；　he　said；　the　formal　surrender　was　to

take　place。　　With　this　he　rode　off　toward　Vendresse　to　communicate

with　his　sovereign；　and　Forsyth　and　I　made　ready　to　go　to　the　Chateau

Bellevue。



Before　we　set　out；　however；　a　number　of　officers　of　the　King's　suite

arrived　at　the　weaver's　cottage；　and　from　them　I　gathered　that　there

were　differences　at　the　royal　headquarters　as　to　whether　peace　should

be　made　then　at　Sedan；　or　the　war　continued　till　the　French　capital

was　taken。　　I　further　heard　that　the　military　advisers　of　the　King

strongly　advocated　an　immediate　move　on　Paris；　while　the　Chancellor

thought　it　best　to　make　peace　now；　holding　Alsace　and　Lorraine；　and

compelling　the　payment　of　an　enormous　levy　of　money；　and　these　rumors

were　most　likely　correct；　for　I　had　often　heard　Bismarck　say　that

France　being　the　richest　country　in　Europe；　nothing　could　keep　her

quiet　but　effectually　to　empty　her　pockets；　and　besides　this；　he

impressed　me　as　holding　that　it　would　be　better　policy　to　preserve

the　Empire。



On　our　way　to　the　chateau　we　fell　in　with　a　number　of　artillery

officers　bringing　up　their　guns　hurriedly　to　post　them　closer　in　to

the　beleaguered　town　on　a　specially　advantageous　ridge。　　Inquiring

the　cause　of　this　move；　we　learned　that　General　Wimpffen　had　not　yet

agreed　to　the　terms　of　surrender；　that　it　was　thought　he　would　not；

and　that　they　wanted　to　be　prepared　for　any　such　contingency。　　And

they　were　preparing　with　a　vengeance　too；　for　I　counted　seventy…two

Krupp　guns　in　one　continuous　line　trained　on　the　Chateau　Bellevue　and

Sedan。



Napoleon　went　directly　from　the　weaver's　to　the　Chateau　Bellevue；　and

about　10　o'clock　the　King　of　Prussia　arrived　from　Frenois；

accompanied　by　a　few　of　his　own　suite　and　the　Crown　Prince　with

several　members　of　his　staff；　and　Von　Moltke　and　Wimpffen　having

settled　their　points　of　difference　before　the　two　monarchs　met；

within　the　next　half…hour　the　articles　of　capitulation　were　formally

signed。



On　the　completion　of　the　surrenderthe　occasion　being　justly

considered　a　great　onethe　Crown　Prince　proceeded　to　distribute

among　the　officers　congregated　in　the　chateau　grounds　'the　order　of

the　Iron　Cross'a　generous　supply　of　these　decorations　being　carried

in　a　basket　by　one　of　his　orderlies；　following　him　about　as　he　walked

along。　　Meantime　the　King；　leaving　Napoleon　in　the　chateau　to

ruminate　on　the　fickleness　of　fortune；　drove　off　to　see　his　own

victorious　soldiers；　who　greeted　him　with　huzzas　that　rent　the　air；

and　must　have　added　to　the　pangs　of　the　captive　Emperor。









CHAPTER　XIX。



RIDING　OVER　THE　BATTLEFIELDDESTRUCTION　OF　BAZEILLESMISTAKES　OF

THE　FRENCHMARSHAL　BAZAINE　ON　TO　PARISA　WEEK　IN　MEAUXRHEIMSON

THE　PICKETLINE…UNDER　FIREA　SURRENDERAT　VERSAILLESGENERAL

BURNSIDE　AND　Mr。　FORBES　IN　PARIS。



The　Crown　Prince　having　got　to　the　bottom　of　his　medal　basket…that　is

to　say；　having　finished　his　liberal　distribution　of　decorations　to

his　officersForsyth　and　I　rode　off　by　way　of　Wadelincourt　to

Bazeilles　to　see　what　had　taken　place　on　that　part　of　the　field；　and

the　sight　that　met　our　eyes　as　we　entered　the　village　was　truly

dreadful　to　look　upon。　　Most　of　the　houses　had　been　knocked　down　or

burned　the　day　before；　but　such　as　had　been　left　standing　were　now　in

flames；　the　torch　having　been　applied　because；　as　it　was　claimed；

Frenchmen　concealed　in　them　had　fired　on　the　wounded。　　The　streets

were　still　encumbered　with　both　German　and　French　dead；　and　it　was

evident　that　of　those　killed　in　the　houses　the　bodies　had　not　been

removed；　for　the　air　was　loaded　with　odors　of　burning　flesh。　　From

Bazeille　we　rode　on　toward　the　north　about　two　miles；　along　where　the

fight　had　been　largely　an　artillery　duel；　to　learn　what　we　could　of

the　effectiveness　of　the　Krupp　gun。　　Counting　all　the　French　dead　we

came　across　killed　by　artillery；　they　figured　up　about　three　hundred…

…a　ridiculously　small　number；　in　fact；　not　much　more　than　one　dead

man　for　each　Krupp　gun　on　that　part　of　the　line。　　Although　the　number

of　dead　was　in　utter　disproportion　to　the　terrific　six…hour

cannonade；　yet　small　as　it　was　the　torn　and　mangled　bodies　made　such

a　horrible　sight　that　we　turned　back　toward　Bazeilles　without　having

gone　further　than　Givonne。



At　Bazeilles　we　met　the　King；　accompanied　by　Bismarck　and　several　of

the　staff。　　They　too　had　been　riding　over　the　field；　the　King　making

this　a　practice；　to　see　that　the　wounded　were　not　neglected。　　As　I

drew　up　by　the　party；　Bismarck　accosted　me　with；　〃Well；　General；

aren't　you　hungry？　　This　is　just　the　place　to　whet　one's　appetite

these　burning　FrenchmenUgh！〃　and　shrugging　his　shoulders　in　evident

disgust；　he　turned　away　to　join　his　Majesty　in　further　explorations；

Forsyth　and　I　continuing　on　to　Chevenges。　　Here　we　got　the　first

inkling　of　what　had　become　of　our　carriage　since　leaving　it　two　days

before：　it　had　been　pressed　into　service　to　carry　wounded　officers

from　the　field　during　the　battle；　but　afterward　released；　and　was　now

safe　at　the　house　in　Vendresse　where　we　had　been　quartered　the　night

of　the　31st；　so；　on　hearing　this；　we　settled　to　go　there　again　to

lodge；　but　our　good　friend；　the　cure'；　insisting　that　we　should　stay

with　him；　we　remained　in　Chevenges　till　next　morning。



On　September　3　the　King　removed　from　Vendresse　to　Rethel；　where　he

remained　two　days；　in　the　mean　while　the　Germans；　240；000　strong；

beginning　their　direct　march　to　Paris。　　The　French　had　little　with

which　to　oppose　this　enormous　force；　not　more；　perhaps；　than　50；000

regular　troops；　the　rest　of　their　splendid　army　had　been　lost　or

captured　in　battle；　or　was　cooped　up　in　the　fortifications　of　Metz；

Strasburg；　and　other　places；　in　consequence　of　blunders　without

parallel　in　history；　for　which　Napoleon　and　the　Regency　in　Paris　must

be　held　accountable。　　The　first　of　these　gross　faults　was　the　fight

at　Worth；　where　MacMahon；　before　his　army　was　mobilized；　accepted

battle　with　the　Crown　Prince；　pitting　50；000　men　against　175；000；　the

next　was　Bazaine's　fixing　upon　Metz　as　his　base；　and　stupidly　putting

himself　in　position　to　be　driven　back　to　it；　when　there　was　no

possible　obstacle　to　his　joining　forces　with　MacMahon　at　Chalons；

while　the　third　and　greatest　blunder　of　all　was　MacMahon's　move　to

relieve　Metz；　trying　to　slip　140；000　men　along　the　Belgian　frontier。

Indeed；　it　is　exasperating　and　sickening　to　think　of　all　this；　to

think　that　Bazaine　carried　into　Metza　place　that　should　have　been

held；　if　at　all；　with　not　over　25；000　menan　army　of　180；000；

because　it　contained；　the　excuse　was；　〃an　accumulation　of　stores。〃

With　all　the　resources　of　rich　France　to　draw　upon；　I　cannot　conceive

that　this　excuse　was　sincere；　on　the　contrary；　I　think　that　the

movement　of　Bazaine　must　have　been　inspired　by　Napoleon　with　a　view

to　the　maintenance　of　his　dynasty　rather　than　for　the　good　of　France。



As　previously　stated；　Bismarck　did　not　approve　of　the　German　army's

moving　on　Paris　after　the　battle　of　Sedan。　　Indeed；　I　think　he

foresaw　and　dreaded　the　establishment　of　a　Republic；　his　idea　being

that　if　peace　was　made　th