A FAMOUS SOLDIER DEAD.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 82, 7 April 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FAMOUS SOLDIER DEAD.

The Swiss Bepublio is in mourning for one of her most famous sons. General Hans Herzog, the great general of the Swiss Federal Army, died on a Sunday afternoon lately full of years and honour. The General, who may rightly be regarded as the founder of the existing army organisation of the Federation, was born in 1819. On the outbreak of the Franco- Prussian War of 1870 the Federal Assembly unanimously appointed him Commander-in.Chief of the army of 35,000 men raised to protect the Swiss frontier. When the major portion of this force was disbanded in August of the same year General Herzog sent in a report to the authorities describing in hard terms the utter inefficiency of the militia army, owing to the remissness of certain of the cantons. He declared the supposed efficiency of the Federal Army to be a mere illusion, and at the same time tendered his resignation. He returned to his post, however, on January 20, 1871, and on the first day of the following month concluded the famous convention with General Clinchant at Verrieres, in virtue of which the French Army of close upon 85.000 men surrendered to the Swiss Army of 20.000. On the termination of the war General Herzog resumed his post of chief of the artillery, and from that time forward worked indefatigably towards improving the general condition of the army.