personal memoirs-2-第63章

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to　Chemery；　just　beyond　where　his　Majesty　alighted　from　his　carriage

to　observe　his　son's　troops　file　past　as　they　came　in　from　the

direction　of　Stonne。　　This　delay　caused　us　to　be　as　late　as　9　o'clock

before　we　got　shelter　that　night；　but　as　it　afforded　me　the　best

opportunity　I　had　yet　had　for　seeing　the　German　soldiers　on　the

march；　I　did　not　begrudge　the　time。　　They　moved　in　a　somewhat　open

and　irregular　column　of　fours；　the　intervals　between　files　being

especially　intended　to　give　room　for　a　peculiar　swinging　gait；　with

which　the　men　seemed　to　urge　themselves　over　the　ground　with　ease　and

rapidity。　　There　was　little　or　no　straggling；　and　being　strong；　lusty

young　fellows；　and　lightly　equippedthey　carried　only　needle…guns；

ammunition；　a　very　small　knapsack；　a　water…bottle；　and　a　haversack…

they　strode　by　with　an　elastic　step；　covering　at　least　three　miles　an

hour。



It　having　been　definitely　ascertained　that　the　demoralized　French

were　retiring　to　Sedan；　on　the　evening　of　August　31　the　German　army

began　the　work　of　hemming　them　in　there；　so　disposing　the　different

corps　as　to　cover　the　ground　from　Donchery　around　by　Raucourt　to

Carignan。　　The　next　morning　this　line　was　to　be　drawn　in　closer　on

Sedan；　and　the　Crown　Prince　of　Saxony　was　therefore　ordered　to　take

up　a　position　to　the　north　of　Bazeilles；　beyond　the　right　bank　of　the

Meuse；　while　the　Crown　Prince　of　Prussia　was　to　cross　his　right　wing

over　the　Meuse　at　Remilly；　to　move　on　Bazeilles；　his　centre　meantime

marching　against　a　number　of　little　hamlets　still　held　by　the　French

between　there　and　Donchery。　　At　this　last…mentioned　place　strong

reserves　were　to　be　held；　and　from　it　the　Eleventh　Corps；　followed　by

the　Fifth　and　a　division　of　cavalry；　was　to　march　on　St。　Menges。



Forsyth　and　I　started　early　next　morning；　September　1；　and　in　a　thick

fog…which；　however；　subsequently　gave　place　to　bright　sunshinewe

drove　to　the　village　of　Chevenges；　where；　mounting　our　horses；　we

rode　in　a　northeasterly　direction　to　the　heights　of　Frenois　and

Wadelincourt；　bordering　the　river　Meuse　on　the　left　bank；　where　from

the　crest　we　had　a　good　view　of　the　town　of　Sedan　with　its　circling

fortifications；　which；　though　extensive；　were　not　so　formidable　as

those　around　Metz。　　The　King　and　his　staff　were　already　established

on　these　heights；　and　at　a　point　so　well　chosen　that　his　Majesty

could　observe　the　movements　of　both　armies　immediately　east　and　south

of　Sedan；　and　also　to　the　northwest　toward　Floing　and　the　Belgian

frontier。



The　battle　was　begun　to　the　east　and　northeast　of　Sedan　as　early　as

half…past　4　o'clock　by　the　German　right　wingthe　fighting　being

desultoryand　near　the　same　hour　the　Bavarians　attacked　Bazeilles。

This　village；　some　two　miles　southeast　of　Sedan；　being　of　importance；

was　defended　with　great　obstinacy；　the　French　contesting　from　street

to　street　and　house　to　house　the　attack　of　the　Bavarians　till　near

10　o'clock；　when；　almost　every　building　being　knocked　to　pieces；　they

were　compelled　to　relinquish　the　place。　　The　possession　of　this

village　gave　the　Germans　to　the　east　of　Sedan　a　continuous　line；

extending　from　the　Meuse　northward　through　La　Moncelle　and　Daigny　to

Givonne；　and　almost　to　the　Belgian　frontier。



While　the　German　centre　and　right　were　thus　engaged；　the　left　had

moved　in　accordance　with　the　prescribed　plan。　　Indeed；　some　of　these

troops　had　crossed　the　Meuse　the　night　before；　and　now；　at　a　little

after　6　o'clock；　their　advance　could　be　seen　just　north　of　the

village　of　Floing。　　Thus　far　these　columns；　under　the　immediate　eye

of　the　Crown　Prince　of　Prussia；　had　met　with　no　opposition　to　their

march；　and　as　soon　as　they　got　to　the　high　ground　above　the　village

they　began　extending　to　the　east；　to　connect　with　the　Army　of　the

Meuse。　　This　juncture　was　effected　at　Illy　without　difficulty；　and

the　French　army　was　now　completely　encompassed。



After　a　severe　fight；　the　Crown　Prince　drove　the　French　through

Floing；　and　as　the　ground　between　this　village　and　Sedan　is　an

undulating　open　plain；　everywhere　visible；　there　was　then　offered　a

rare　opportunity　for　seeing　the　final　conflict　preceding　the

surrender。　　Presently　up　out　of　the　little　valley　where　Floing　is

located　came　the　Germans；　deploying　just　on　the　rim　of　the　plateau　a

very　heavy　skirmish…line；　supported　by　a　line　of　battle　at　close

distance。　　When　these　skirmishers　appeared；　the　French　infantry　had

withdrawn　within　its　intrenched　lines；　but　a　strong　body　of　their

cavalry；　already　formed　in　a　depression　to　the　right　of　the　Floing

road；　now　rode　at　the　Germans　in　gallant　style；　going　clear　through

the　dispersed　skirmishers　to　the　main　line　of　battle。　　Here　the

slaughter　of　the　French　was　awful；　for　in　addition　to　the　deadly

volleys　from　the　solid　battalions　of　their　enemies；　the　skirmishers；

who　had　rallied　in　knots　at　advantageous　places；　were　now　delivering

a　severe　and　effective　fire。　　The　gallant　horsemen；　therefore；　had　to

retire　precipitately；　but　re…forming　in　the　depression；　they　again

undertook　the　hopeless　task　of　breaking　the　German　infantry；　making

in　all　four　successive　charges。　　Their　ardor　and　pluck　were　of　no

avail；　however；　for　the　Germans；　growing　stronger　every　minute　by　the

accession　of　troops　from　Floing；　met　the　fourth　attack　in　such　large

force　that；　even　before　coming　in　contact　with　their　adversaries；　the

French　broke　and　retreated　to　the　protection　of　the　intrenchments；

where；　from　the　beginning　of　the　combat；　had　been　lying　plenty　of

idle　infantry；　some　of　which　at　least；　it　seemed　plain　to　me；　ought

to　have　been　thrown　into　the　fight。　　This　action　was　the　last　one　of

consequence　around　Sedan；　for；　though　with　the　contraction　of　the

German　lines　their　batteries　kept　cannonading　more　or　less；　and　the

rattle　of　musketry　continued　to　be　heard　here　and　there；　yet　the　hard

fighting　of　the　day　practically　ended　on　the　plateau　of　Floing。



By　3　o'clock；　the　French　being　in　a　desperate　and　hopeless　situation；

the　King　ordered　the　firing　to　be　stopped；　and　at　once　despatched　one

of　his　staffColonel　von　Bronsartwith　a　demand　for　a　surrender。

Just　as　this　officer　was　starting　off；　I　remarked　to　Bismarck　that

Napoleon　himself　would　likely　be　one　of　the　prizes；　but　the　Count；

incredulous；　replied；　〃Oh　no；　the　old　fox　is　too　cunning　to　be　caught

in　such　a　trap；　he　has　doubtless　slipped　off　to　Paris〃a　belief

which　I　found　to　prevail　pretty　generally　about　headquarters。



In　the　lull　that　succeeded；　the　King　invited　many　of　those　about　him

to　luncheon；　a　caterer　having　provided　from　some　source　or　other　a

substantial　meal　of　good　bread；　chops　and　peas；　with　a　bountiful

supply　of　red　and　sherry　wines。　　Among　those　present　were　Prince

Carl；　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　Von　Roon；　the　Duke　of　Weimar；　the　Duke　of

Coburg；　the　Grand…Duke　of　Mecklenburg；　Count　Hatzfeldt；　Colonel

Walker；　of　the　English　army；　General　Forsyth；　and　I。　　The　King　was

agreeable　and　gracious　at　all　times；　but　on　this　occasion　he　was

particularly　so；　being　naturally　in　a　happy　frame　of　mind　because

this　day　the　war　had　reached　a　crisis　which　presaged　for　the　near

future　the　complete　vanquishment　of　the　French。



Between　4　and　5　o'clock　Colonel　von　Bronsart　returned　from　his

mission　to　Sedan；　bringing　word　to　the　King　that　the　commanding

officer　there　General　Wimpffen；　wished　to　know；　in　order　that　the

further　effusion　of　blood　might　be　spared；　upon　what　terms　he　might

surrender。　　The　Colonel　brought　the　intelligence　also　that　the　French

Emperor　was　in　the　town。　　Soon　after　Von　Bronsart's　arrival　a　French

officer　approached　from　Sedan；　preceded　by　a　white　flag　and　two

German　officers。　　Coming　up　the　road　till　within　a　few　hundred　yards

of　us；　they　halted；　then　one　of　the　Germans　rode　forward　to　say　that

the　French　officer　was　Napoleon's　adjutant；　bearing　an　autograph

letter　from　the　Emperor　to　the　King　of　Prussia。　　At　this　the　King；

followed　by　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　a