A VISIT TO THE BATTLE FIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2224, 13 March 1871, Page 3

A VISIT TO THE BATTLE FIELD.

The following interesting letter is from a gentleman who for many j'oars carried on I extensive business in this city, and. who has taken advantage of his sojourn in Europe to visit some of the scenes of conflict between the French and the Prussian armies.

" London, November, 1870. "Being anxious to see something of the startling events daily passing on the Continent, I left London about the middle of September. It was a morning such as I had not seen for many years. A dense fog descended on the city, and although the shops were illuminated as at night time, the black vapour rendered lights invisihle ufc a fen - yards' distance. '"' On board the steamer Belgium, bound for Ostend, were several passengers, evidently bent on a similar excursion as myself. The all-engrossing subject, war, soon became the topic of general conversation, and a variety of suggestions wore made as to the best way to reach Sedan, to which place most of the travellers were going. It was reported that neither shelter nor food could be got there, and amusing indeed were some of the plans to overcome these difficulties. One gentleman, a London doctor, was going with the intention of offering his services to the Knglish ambulance corps. He was thoroughly equipped, and carried a wellfilled flask, which I doubt not ho found very serviceable. It occurred to me that the worthy doctor would find some serious difficulty iii carrying out his benevolent intentions, as he could not speak either the J?rench or the German language. On reaching Ostend there was the usual Custom-house inspection of luggage, &,c, but as I went prepared to " rough it" 1 was not encumbered with much. On arriving there I was much annoyed to hear that an order had bsen issued by the oerman commandant at -edan, prohibiting parties from visiting that place, and the battle-fields adjoining, so I determined to try and some of the earlier sites of war. I left Brussels for Verviers on the Belgian frontier. There the hotel (Chemin de For) was pointed out tome where the Emperor Napoleon slept when on his way from Sedan to Wilhelmshoe. At Verviers there was another Custom-house examination, and then on I went by railway to Cologne.

" After leaving Belgium one of the most notable facts consequent on the war was the white flag with the red cross (denoting hospitals) flying from churches and large buildings, at every town and village through which wo passed. Another was the almost total abseuce of men from the fields. This formed a striking contrast with Belgium—where all was life and activity, especially in the agricultural parts. H ere scarcely a man was to be seen—women were tending the plough. But although men were absent from the fields, they were not so in the towns. There they were in thousands, but dressed as soldiers. After visiting the cathedral at Cologne, and hearing its magnificent organ, I went by steamer on the Bhine to Coblentz. A gentleman, in pointing out to me the University of Bonn, staled that it was closed, as nearly all the students were called to the war. At Coblentz, through the kindness of a Gorman officer, I was enabled to inspect the camp of French prisoners. It was situated on a plateau at the back of Fovt Constantino, from the heights of which a splendid view is seen of the Khine, with the Castle of Stolzenl'els, the Bridge of Boats, and that nv.iguiflcentfortress Ehrenbritstein, which I o me seemed impregnable. But it is difficult to speculate upon what can or what can not be done in modern warfare. Before reaching the camp, we passed a large number of French prisoners, who the Germans were making useful, repairing the roads, sawing timber, nnd carrj'ing water (Chinese fashion), 'lhe prisoners, ten thousaud in number, were encamped in the centre of a large plain, the enclosure being rough posts, about eight feet high, through which fencing wire was run about two feet apart; the tents were arranged in rows. There were nearly every grade of the French army —'Hussars Chasseurs, Turccs, &c. The Turcos ( fe-rocious-looking fellows) did not join in any amusements, nor did I notice any of them working. They scowled most unpleasantly at persons passing them. The chief amusements were cards and skittles, the latter rather primitive, extemporised for the occasion from odd pieces of wood. Some of the men were preparing for the winter, building straw huts, straw being brought them in large quantities. Great ingenuity was displaj'ed. " The German soldiers physically appeared to me far superior to the French. Expressing to the officer before mentioned my great desire to see something, it possible, of tho early battles, he kindly introduced me to uu officer attached to the commissariat, who was on his way to the 11th Army Corps, then operating bel'ore iStrasburg ; he said, if I did not object to some personal inconvenience, and a slight departure from the usual route, I might accompany him. I need not say I gladly accepted this offer. On the road to Frankfort via iMayence, where we stayed a day, we slopped some hours at Bingen; at the railway station, lying on straw, were a number of wounded German soldiers on their way to their own homes. Ladies with the red cross badge (worn on the left arm) were administering to their wants. All the wounded were smoking. There was a pipe or a cigar in every mouth. " After reaching Carlsrulic, we crossed tho Ehiue on a pontoon bridge, travelling in a good substantial waggon. After a slow and rather tedious journey, we passed Wcisscnburg and VVoerth, the scene of frightful carnage, and early defeat of the French. With the exception of battered houses, there was little to remind of the fearful event. The peasants were ploughing and sowing fields where, but a short time before, thousands of human beings were buried.

"Near Kehl I had to leave my companion. I was not permitted to remain at Kehl, but was told that I could see the bombardment of Strasburg from Offenburg, which was open to visitors, and only a. short distance off. I was also informed that there I could also get good accommodation, which I ueeded, as I had uot seen a bed for three nights.

"From the vine-covered hills at the back of Offenburg I got a good general view of Strasburg, and the smoking batteries. The cathedral, which is on high ground, could be seen distinctly, apparently not injured. During the day there was some firing for a few hours from Kehl, which the French did not reply to. Occasionally the dull heavy moan of shells could be heard, but the real work was reserved for nigkt. The whistling and bursting of shells, and thundering of artillery, kept up one continued awful roar, and fearful display of fireworks, shaking the earth beneath our feet. "The following day I managed to get into the belfry of the church at Kork, about two miles from Kehl, where I had a much clearer view. " On my return to Brussels, I learned that travellers were allowed to visit Sedan. The doctor had been to Sedan, but his services were not required. He strongly recommended me to pause before

venturing there. He described the effluvia from the battle fields as strongly noticeable several miles off, and said there was danger , however, I determined to venture.

" Joining a party composed of an American gentleman, his sister, aud an English clergyman, we went per Luxemburg Railway to Librimoni, the nearest point bj' railway to Sedan. Here we fortunately were able to hire a light carriage at a moderate cost to take us to Bouillon, which is rather over half-way from Librimont to Sedan; we were lucky in this, for fabulous prices had been got for any kind of conveyance. An enterprising Englishman from Brussels seemed to be doing a good business with some rather rickety Brussels omnibuses, plying between Librimont and Sedan. The road from Librimont is a military one made by Napoleon 1., and for eight' miles is cut straight, regardless of all obstacles.

" "We stayed a short time at the Auberge des Ardennes, at the foot of the Ardennes Mountains through which v?e had to A strong body of Belgian artillery were stationed here. The roads being in firstrate order, and with good horses, we soon reached Bouillon. Ils chateau stands upon a high rock, and was ouch the stronghold ot' the celebrated " Godfrey de Bouillon," whose immense statue many may remember seeing at the great Exhibition of ]851. Bouiiion was full of Uelgian soldiers ; we here saw the room— " Hotel Saiute Hubert"—where the Emperor slept, after leaving Sedan. I did not envy him his lodging, for the smell of stables, which were under the hotel, was disagreeably strong. Hiring another vehicle, we soon reached the frontier. A short distance on the Belgium side, liviug in huts made from boughs of trees, were a large number (120 households) men, women, and children who had escaped from ' Bazeilles.'

" Passing ambulances with wounded, we stayed at a small village called 'La Chappel,' nearly every house was a hospital. In the church which was full of French wounded soldiers, Sisters of Mercy were placing boquots of flowers on the beds of the poor fellows, who looked their gratitude. After distributing some cigars, we passed on to ' (rironne, , another small village ; here indications of the battle appeared. There were shathouses pockmarked with rifle balls, and trees cut down with shot; and fiirther on newly-made graves in all directions, generally with small wooden crosses. From here to Sedan the road was strewed with knapsacks, shakoes, cartouche boxes, aud tcmi accoutrements of all descriptions. We got to Sedan before six o'clock in the evening at which time the gates were closed ; they reopened them at the same hour in the morning. Wo were recommended to the Hotel 1' Europe, Hue .Napoleon, but on our iirrival were told there was no accommodation, every part beiug occupied by German, officers. After wandering through the streets for some time, we were not comforted by hearing that at 9 o'clock, at the sound o; the rappell, all flights were extinguished, no one being allowed after that hour, on the pain of imprisonment. By good fortune, and to our great relief, we got first-class sleeping accommodation at the residence of a lady, the widow of a. French colonel. After hearing of the great difficulty in getting any kind of food we were agreeably surprised to hear that wo could dine, &c, at an hotel near.

"Taking some refreshments with us, and a French peasant as a guide, we early next morning started to see the battlefields. About a quarter of a mile from Port de Manille is Baku ; here between thirty and forty houses are in ruins. A shell had made a clear opening through the church-steeple, and a cannon ball had pierced the face of the clock ; in one corner of the main street, in a heap were knapsacks sufficient to lill a large waggon. The dead had been buried where they fell. All along the side of the metalled road were graves.

"In what appeared to have beea a large orchard, Prussian soldiers were collecting sliattored artillery carriages. iVrrivicg at the entrance of Bazeil'es, an immense heap of broken empty wine bottles, with the corks not drawn, lay at the gate of what had been a flue mansion, now fi complete ruin. The village of Bazeilles was the aristocratic suburb of Sedan, containing 530 houses, and 2500 inhabitants. Here the battle raged the fiercest, and, as is reported, to avenge, their heavy loss, the .Bavarians deliberately burnt each house separately collecting all combustible articles, then throwing over them petroleum ; the latter they carry in a machine similar to a gordeu watering-tank, with hose, only larger. Horrible cruellies were described to us as having been enacted here by the Bavarian troops. Two old women still hung about the ruins. They had lost their reason, it is supposed, from the awful sights they had witnessed. One man, named La Croix, who had lired, so it was stated, from his house on the Bavarians, after having both his hands cut off, was tied \ip in straw, and then burnt. A woman also had her hands cut off for a similar offence. She was alive, and among the fugitives on the Belgian frontier. It was reported that the cure of the village, when his church was in flames, voluntarily sacrificed himself by remaining in the building. There were about 190 persons burnt in their dwellings, and the peculiar smell from the charred remains was distinguishable. Many were shot when flying from their burning houses. Another village, Jluncelle, a quarter ot a mile from Bazeilles, suffered, severely; about half was in ruins.

" .Between the village of Bazeilles and the railway station of that name a sad incident of the war happened. Nearly a. whole regiment of French marines (wearing blue uuiform and mistook for Prussians) were annihilated by their own army before the mistake was found out. An English Ked Cross surgeon we met here pointed out a spot, not larger than half-an-acre, where nearly three thousand soldiers were buried in one huge trench. Heads and feet wore protruding in places where the bodies were not sufficiently covered and the smell was I offensive beyond all imagination. Crossing the railway bridge, under which flowed the Meuse, numbers of dead horses, swollen to au unnatural size, were on the sides of the river. We made our way to the heights from which the King of Prussia and his staff viewed the battle. After having the different positions of the German and French armies described, we were not surprised at the capitulation. Sedan is like in the centre of a saucer, the German artillery have full command of the whole rim, so that escape for the French seemed impossible. Ivefciring to a shady spot, we prepared for a little refreshments we brought with us, (among them some sausages purchased at Brussels.) Guess my consternation on finding them saturated with essence of camphor, a bottle I had in my bag having broken. Hunger even overcame this, and we ate the sausages. I mention this as I am inclined to think this accident prevented something more serious. " The next point of interest was the 'Chateau Belle Vue;' here we saw the

room where Napoleon gave himself as prisoner to the King of Prussia. Now it was a hospital. We afterwards heard that they had typhus fever and cholera there. After walking many niiles over tlic battles fields, towards evening, returning, we passed the Sedan railway, which the Prussians wore repairing; we '.vere repeatedly stopped by sentries, who seemed to be everywhere. Entering ■'"'edan in a square, placed in rows, were 760 field artillery and mitrailleuse captured from the French. In the shallow water of the Mouse could be seen thousands of all kinds of arms, cuirasses, &e., thrown there by the French. I made an elibrt to get a chassepot- Hearing a shout, I turned round and found myself covered by a needle gun in the hands of a sentry, I dropped the chassepot. " We saw a French eagle fished up, which the bearer had probably thrown there in the hope that it would not be found by the enemy.

" Sedan, as far as we could see, had not suffered much from the bombardment. The ' Piace Tiirennc,' in the centre of the town, had suffered slightly. Here several French Generals were killed, after taking some refreshments with the Emperor at a cafe opposite the statue 'La Turenne.' The Emperor had a narrow escape here from the bursting of a shell. '""We collected .1 variety of relics from the different battle-fields, which we contrived, not without great difficulty, to bring away.

" In the Rue Napoleon. Sedan, we saw a horse-lmteher's shop. On a signboard, over the door were the words ' ISudierie Hippophagique.' It had been in existence some time before the battle.

" lieturning by Bouillon we strolled over the town and old chateau, which fully repaid us for the few hours' delay. " Our loquacious French driver showed us the hou.se where, it was said, the Emperor, on leaving Sedan, had some refreshments. It is said that lie ate two mutton chops, and that two Belgian gentlemen of note, who happened to be there, took the boiies away as souvenirs. " We arrived at Librinuint in time to catch the evening train for Brussels."