TWO WARS AGO.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 28, 19 September 1914, Page 2

TWO WARS AGO.

cannonade OR yALMY* TURNSNC FOSNT OF FRENCH CAMPAIGN.

To most nations, as to. most individuals, oomo dark horns, and iortnnate is the nation which can, after such an hour, look the whole world in the face as boldly as before,its trial. One of France’s darkest hours was in the autumn of the year 1792, and it may have been the memory oi Valmy which filled many of her men, jn the recent fighting with the courage and determination to rid their country of the hated Prussian. In August, 1792, 'an army of Prussians, numbering 80,000,' invaded France. This army 'marched on Longwy, in the north-east, and after a four-days siege, the place was taken on the 24th August. A crdun, on the Meuse, was next besieged. Dumouriez, with 20,000 Frenchmen, was at Sedan, and Kellerman at Metz, with another 20,000. Unless these forces should unite before Verdun jfell, the way to Paris would bo open •for the Prussians. The excitement at Paris was great, and trenches were 'being dug around the city, and iron fence-rails were being formed into pikes. Thousands of volunteers were I leaving the city daily for the front. On the 2nd September Verdun fell. Mean- ' while Dumouriez, in spite of the opposition of his council, had advanced to ' (the forest of Argonne, where he might infallibly stop the Prussians. The latter were only eighteen miles from-the forest, whereas Dumouriez had 36 miles to march, and his design of occupying the position had to bo concealed, if he hoped for success. Kellerraan was advancing from Metz, on his right, with 22,000 men. Time for the forces to join was all that was required to insure a French victory. Fortunately, the Duke of Brunswick, In command of the enemy’s army, was more cautious than hold, and indeed was averse to continuing the advance on Paris at that time of the year, and the movements of his army were very dilatory. After taking Verdun, Brunswick passed the Meuse in three columns, and decided on attempting a turning movement. Owing to a blunder on the part of Dumouriez this movement proved successful. The French general, however, conducted a masterly retreat behind the River Ajsuo. He had delayed the Prussian advance and on the 17th September, the desired juncture with Kellerman was made. The French army now totalled 70,000, and drawn up at Valmy it awaited the onslaught of the Prussians, The enemy had followed the movements of Dumouriez, and on the 20th September attacked Kellerman at Valmy. After a brisk cannonade on both sides, the Prussians advanced in columns. Kellerman also formed his infafntfry.' ill columiis/ehjbih’cd th6'm' I hot ’ ; to fire, but to await the enemy’s approach, and charge them with the bayonet. On the order to advance the French obeyed with a great shout of “Vive la Nation.” The Duke of Brunswick ordered his shaken battalions to retreat. The firing continued till the evening, when the Prussians made another attack, Mit were again repulsed. The next morning, tlje Prussians started their retreat. Of this retreat, the great German poet and philosopher, Goethe, has left ns a vivid wordpicture. On the 11th October, .the Prussian army was hurrying as fast as it could out of Verdun. “Towards three in the morning,” says Goethe, “without having had any sleep, we were about mounting our carriage, drawn up at the door, when an insuperable obstacle disclosed itself: for there rolled on already, between the pave-ment-stones which were crushed up into a ridge on each side, an uninterrupted column of sick-waggons through the town, and all was trodden as into a morass.” At last they were able to force a way into the procession. “The day broke; we found ourselves at the outlet of the town, in a tumult and turmoil without measure. All sorts of vehicles, few horsemen, innumerable foot-people, were crossing each other on the groat esplanade before the Gate. We turned to onr right, with onr column, towards Estain, on a limited highway, with ditches at each side. Self-preservation, in so monstrous a press, knew now no pity, no respect for aught. Not far before us there fell down a horse of an ammunition wagon; they cut the traces, and lot it lie. And now as the three others could not bring their load along, they cut them also loose,tumbled the heavypacked vehicle into the ditch, and with tbe smallest retardation, we had to drive on right over the horse, which was just about to rise; and I saw too clearly how its logs, under the wheels, went crashing and quivering. That under such circumstances one saw, in ditches, in meadows, in fields and crofts, dead horses enough, was natural to the case: by and by, however, you found them also flayed, the fleshy [parts even cut away; sail token of the universal distress. All sorts of walkers, soldiers in uniform, marauders, stout but sorrowing citizens and peasants, women and children, crushed and jostled each other, amid vehicles of all forms: ammunition-wagons, baggagewagons, carriages, single, double, and I multiplex, speh hundredfold miscellany of teams, requisitioned or lawfully owned, making way, hitting together, hindering each other, rolled | hero to right and to left.” The lighting in France at present is approaching the vicinity of \ aluiv, and it is possible that in this district there will soon ho found a battle which will ho as important to France as the cannonade of Valmy, which was the crucial point in the turning hack of the Prussian invasion, and a guarantee, of the successful foundation of the French Republic.