Modern war, or, The campaigns of the First Prussian Army, 1870-71

PBEFACE.

May the experiences of the last campaign, as I have endeavoured to describe them, together with ^the frowning uncertainty of Europe, teatrh us the I necessity of prompt action ! English infantry are the finest in the world — as were the French, and are still: for no one will for a moment pretend to de- tract from the splendid material which, without leaders, destitute of proper battalion officers and non-commissioned officers, and often without am- munition or commissariat, fought the liattles of Spiecheren, Colombey, Mars-la-Tour, and Gravelotte. Something more is wanting than material; let us hope it may he found, and that quickly.

HOBBRN WAR.

On the 16th of August, hearing that Bazdne was on his march for Verdun, General Moltke ordered Prince Frederick Charles to attack him^ and, if pos- sible, drive him back upon Metz. This determina- tion brought on tlie battle of Mars-la-Tour, the most bloody of the whole war. and I must again refer for my description of it to my letter to the Daily Tele- Ifraphy dated the 17th of August, from the village of

MODEKN WAB.

AVhen I got into the to^yn, a Prussian soldier begged a bit of bread. It is but too true : these troops who had won the bloody field of Mars-la-Tour — fed upon half-cooked potatoes and rice the night before, then marched fourteen miles and attacked a determined enemy — were ^vithout footl. The nights, too, were raw and cold, but the Prussian soldier had nothing but the heavens and his military cloak to cover hiui. What would happen the next day no one knew. iJazaine would, perhaps, once more try to cut his way through to Ch&lons. France had but one chance left, and that was the Marne and Chiiions.

MODERX WAB.

they were. The man, for a moment taken aback, re- plied he had no time to answer questions; but upon looking at that old, anxious, upturned face, the rough German dragoon comprehoudcd the whole situation in a moment. Tenderly and carefully he led her to a Beat, the tears already standing in his honest cycsj for a moment he turned away to hide his sorrowful coufxLsion of face ; and then, brushing the drops away from his rugged countenance with his sleeve, he re- plied ; * Madame, one of your sons has found u soldier's grave on the field of Mars-la-Tour; the other lies ill of typhus in the hospital at Nancy. Is it possible that you have been kept in ignorance of these facts ?'

MODEKN WAB.

Behind the Prussian army lay the bloody battle- field of Gorze, the dead still unburied, and some of the wounded still tmcared for — the French hav- ing left theirs to the tender mercies of strangers. The sun struck hot and sultry uj)on the fearful plateau, and the stench from the dead bodies was almost insupportable ; but more important mat- ters attracted attention. The Prussians were de- sirous of cutting off the retreat of the French from^ Metz, whilst the French were, of course, anxious to make good their road to Chfilons. In order to effect their plan, on the 18th of August, the Prussians, hav- ing got their letl wing into position, at about 11.30 engaged the French right, in the hopes of inducing them to extend their forces more in this direction, and thus allow the Prussian right — which, as I have already siid, was conceaU'd in a wood — to get be- tween Metz, and to overlap their left : this brought on the battle of Gravelotte.

MODERN WAR.

Thus ended the second great battle in front of Metz, which has been called the battle of Gravelotte. Its result was to force Bazaine into Metz, and to pre- vent most effectually Iuh junction witlx M*Mahon,

MODERN WAR.

combat of Gravelotte between 7,000 aiid 8,000 killed aiid wounded. The French retired, and took up a position under the guns of Fort St. Queiitiu, pro- tecting Metz on the east side.

MODERN WAR.

of the French line. Intelligence has just arrived that the Frunch and Prussians are fighting at Metz. I shall therefore return to camp as soon as my horses are rested.

FKEFACE.

Never, since the Peninsular War, have we had a fairer opportunity of improving our military organi- sation, or of gaining knowledge for the benefit of the service; and yet with five exceptions no other re- presentatives were on the spot, where so much was to be learnt, so much experience to be gauied. General Walker has not yet given to the public his experiences, which is the more to be regretted in- asmuch as such matter never improves by keeping. Poor Colonel Pemberton, as Times correspondent, was killed at Sedan ; Colonel Fielding was >vith General Chanzy's rabble on the Loire; Captain Hozier never came out until after the fall of Metz ; so that there remained but one English officer who went through the campaign from end to end. It is true, that here and there a favoured few did come over for two or three days; but their opportunities were scjirce, and even the-se were much curtailed. Although no longer in the regular army, ha\Tng been compelled to leave it from unfortunate circumstances over which I had no control, I have ever devoted myself to a profes- sion which I consider to be second to none in the world ; and in publishing these pages I throw myself upon the generosity of my military readers, hoping that the object which I have in view may atone for any shortcomings, descriptive or otherwise.

MODEHN WAR.

inga and muttcriu;^8 against a policy that prescribed neutrality on the one hand, and sup|)lied war mate- rial on the otlier. Had not Prussia and England ever fought side by side to uphold peace, and the proper balance of [X)wer in Europe, against the grasping, overbcarmg conduct of France ? I was asked. And now, when civilisation had made such strides, was trade, the arts and sciences, social and jxilitJcal economy, and the Continent to be upset by the same irritamenia malonim^ when England's influence could have tui'ned the scale ? It is true oui* army was not a great one ; but the moral effect of even 40,000 men, to say nothing of the fleet, on eitlier side^ would at that moment have saved much bloodshed, and have maintained England in her proper position. If our s}Tnpathies had been with France, an English army and an English fleet would have caused Prince Bismarck to pause; whilst if, on the other hand, our ancient alliance with Prussia had been revived, the catastrophes of Sedan and 5Ictz would perhaps have never been chronicled. The fault was, we did nothing ; wc were unjust to France and truculent with Germany; and the time is not far distant which ■w'ill prove that by this milk-and-wutcr ]>olicy we have lost all. The same story has again been played by a ministry liar- aased by an active opposition ; once more common senec has not entered into the military policy of Great Britain; and as it was with the Walcheren expedition, so it was last July, Avith the exception that wc have now no Iron Didte to save us from the contempt with which England and Englishmen are now looked upon.

MODERN -WAR.

At the Caf^ du Lion d*Or, the principal inn in thCj place, General Barnakov, surrounded by a mob officers and privates, was reading aloud from a paper. The following official bulletin from the King ac- counted for all this enthusiasm: *This day, Sep- tember 1st, in the neighbourhood of Sedan, Marshal ^I*Mahon has surrendered himself and tlic French army of 80,000 men to tlie Cro^wn Prince. His Majesty the Emperor of the French has also given himself up as a prisoner of war.' The news was perfectly staggering, that for some moments after hearing its, I sat like one stupefied, luitil a staff officer touched me on the shoulder, and asked me what I thought of it. The first exclamation that rose to my lips was concentrated in a word very expressive in oiu" language, and I fear that I offended the officer much, for I simply answered, 'What a lie!' *So T thought myself,' said he; 'but ifyo« will take the trouble to come to the telegraph office,"' you can see the officer in charge, who Avill show j'oa the despatch in cipher.' I acceded to his requeetil and, to my astonishment, found that the statement came from his Majesty the King, with orders to the generals to make it known to their troops. * The war is over,* cried one. 'We shall see our wives" mid children,' said another. 'But Metz is not taken,' remarked a third. * O, never mind ; Bazaine will give in when he hears the news ; besides, the Em- peror has sent him orders to give it up.' This last I suspect, was a little addition of his own.

UODEBN WAK.

The whole of Prince Frederick Charleses army was at this moment in a perfect state of ferment, from the reports that had just reached them of the treatment of Prussian wounded who took refuge in the town of Bouillon after the battle near Sedan ; and as this statement appeared in the shape of a protocol, signed bj' several Prussian officers, and officially