Notes on the operations of the North German Troops in Lorraine and Picardy, etc

Preface

. The following narrative of portions of the operations of the late war, comes out rather late in the day to be of much interest to general readers, who have perhaps been tired out by reading the descriptions of correspondents and sight-seers. Neither can I pretend to rank the work amongst symmetrical histories, even of parts of the great campaign, for it is in this way lopsided, that what may be called the centre of the narrative consists of my notes and recollections, surrounded by accounts more or less in detail, which I have gathered from reliable sources. The compilation has been delayed by two attacks of severe illness, which compelled me to leave off working for some time, and by the constant desire after acquiring some information to obtain still more. I believe, how ever, that no work, containing so much accurate information as to details of the mobilisation, concentration, and first operations on the Prussian frontier, has yet appeared either in the German or English language.

Those who have read and been interested in some French accounts, particularly that of General Faidherbe, will, I hope, compare my statements as to facts with some of his. It will be observed that I have to plead guilty to having committed, under strong temptation, an offence against military discipline. If, as I hope it may do, this narrative proves the means of conveying to my. former comrades some of the practical lessons — more especially as regards tactics and organization of troops — taught by the late war, I shall feel relieved of much of the soreness attending the reflection that the last important act of my military career was re ceiving a severe reprimand. I have to express the deep obligations I have incurred towards the Prussian General who allowed me to witness the operations of his troops, to the Commanders and to the Staff generally of his Army Corps, to the regiments, whose Officers treated me as a comrade, and to many others from whom I have received acts of kindness.

They will, I trust, look on any criticisms I attempt as dictated by an honest desire to make known the thoughts which their performances gave rise to in my mind. The sketches of the country operated in by the troops I accompanied, may save the reader the trouble of constantly referring to a more perfect Map, but will be of greater use as a mere aid to finding on the latter, the places men tioned in the narrative. The author has uniformly made use of Reymann's map, both when in the field and when comparing various accounts. J. L. SETON, Late Captain 102nd Royal Madras Fusiliers. &4th February, 1872. Sy^^B3^eK%f jyfo Giyexsjs» jlbgiJt Glo&saty i Bach BrookJ Briccjca Fii-it/ij,- , Bahnhos- Railway Slalicns, Berg/ J/if/ . CHAETEE I. PREPARATIONS THROUGHOUT RHENISH PRUSSIA ON THE MOBILISATION BEING ORDERED.

About Midsummer, 1870, I happened to have gone abroad with the view of, amongst other things, witnessing the summer manœuvres of the French force at Chalons, and afterwards, should I be able to remain longer absent from England, of accompanying the move ments of whatever North German troops might in the western provinces assemble for exercise in the autumn. That it was not the intention of the Frussian Government to concentrate any large force of the latter I had been informed. The above-mentioned camp I had visited, had had an interview with, I believe, General Frossard, who received me very civilly and promised that if I would return a month later, furnished with an introduction from the Minister of War, I should be afforded eveiy facility for watching the manœuvres including the use of a horse on grand field-days.

I was awaiting the answer to an application I had made for extension of leave — also a communication from the Military Attache' to our Paris Embassy, who had been so kind as to promise me his help towards obtaining the introduction above alluded to — and was staying at Kreuznach on the Nahe, when the demands of the French Government on that of Prussia first became B known. It may be well supposed that at a place dis tant only about 50 miles from the frontier, lying also on a straight line drawn from Metz to Mainz, as well as on the most direct route from Chalons to the Middle Rhine, great excitement must have been caused by any rumour of a speedy breaking out of war with France. Yet there was an absence of expression of any emotion by inhabitants or visitors, which greatly sur prised me. From the latter class, however, must be excepted we of the British nation, for none seemed so eager for fresh news, none so ready to discuss the chances of the pending dispute ending in war, none so prepared with plans of campaign for either possible belligerent, than some of us who met daily at dinner or in the news-room.

Probably our neighbours belonging to the countries most concerned, while they certainly said less, thought the more. The 15th July was the date up to which this apparent tranquility lasted. On the day previous two of us made a trip to Ems, where we found we were just a few hours too late for a sight of either the King or the Ambassador, both having left the place that morning. We much regretted not having paid oiu visit to the watering place on the day immediately before, when we might have witnessed the scene of history in which His Prussian Majesty and M. Benedetti were actors ; but, from what I have since heard, I believe that little took place on the promenade of a dramatic character, or calculated to attract the attention of passers by. The same absence of excitement as at Kreuznach, was to be observed at this bathing-place, and on the journey ; everything in the way of business and pleasure seemed to be going on as usual ; the gaming tallies well attended ; little or no discussion as to the chances of war or continued peace to be heard on the walks, in the railway carriages, or on the steamer ; no shouts of feeling one way or another in the streets more frequented by the lower classes.

On the 16th there was a change. From early in the morning the visitors were to be seen crowding to the railway station in such numbers that the ordinary ac commodation on the passing trains soon proved unequal to the demand. The signal for this exodus appeared to be an Extra of the Cologne Gazette, posted up in all the most conspicuous places, and containing the gist of M. Ollivier's statement of the 15th to the Legislative Body, together with a postcript of the newspaper's own to the effect that war had been declared. Most of the English and Americans still stood fast. But few of the French and Russian families were to be seen at the close of the day. Still the expressions both of countenance and language to be noted amongst the inhabitants both of the new and old towns, shewed little more than regret at the departure of the visitors who furnished the main source of livelihood to at least the former.

The same day we knew that the order from Berlin for the mobilisation of the army had been received. Throughout the day, to the surprise of us uninitiated ones, who could not forbear expressing our wonder that reinforcements were not pushed up to the frontier as rapidly as possible, trains were seen passing up the line from Bingerbriick empty. Here should be remarked that in all theories enunciated amongst us as to the probable lines of operation in case of war actually breaking out, the question was invariably begged that the French would make a dash at the Ehine before the German army could be mobilised and concentrated, and that at least the Chalons force was quite ready to take the field. Next day the trains commenced returning filled with unarmed men in their ordinary clothes. My knowledge of the North German military system was at that time very crude, confined to being aware of the obligation binding every subject fit to bear arms, of the States composing the Confederation, to Military service, at first in the line, subsequently in the Land wehr, and to the having observed that at the several entrances of each town and village were boards stuck on the walls bearing in addition to their names and those of the districts and circles to which they respectively belonged, also the numbers of the Landwehr regiments and battabons which their service men composed, with the names of the towns where the head-quarters of the latter lay.

Imagining that the men's arms, equipnients, and clothing were with them, as was the case with our Volunteers, or at least kept in store at the places where they lived, I was in expectation of seeing the Landwehr at once mustered and pushed to the frontier, while regiments from more distant districts and garrisons gradually arrived in support. Consequently, throughout the two days I was perplexed at seeing none but unarmed men pass through, and all, as I was told, on the way to Coblenz, and though my former service as a policeman ought to have qualified me for picking up information, I failed to get any satisfactory explanation of the movements going on. All I could learn was from personal observation that the men passing by made no outward display of war like enthusiasm. At .the time it did not strike me that these men were in obedience to orders abandoning their homes to the mercy of an immediately expected invader, nor did I know that traditions of former occupations by the French of the Rhine Province and the Palatinate from the time of Louis XIV, to that of Napoleon, lived so strongly amongst the peasantry, and that the fear of what might be coming was greatly increased by the reports that Mahomedan savages from Algiers were to lead the advance on the Rhine.

During a renewed residence since the war on either bank of that river, I have been enabled by the kind ness of different officers of the army, and friends made during the campaign, and of other gentlemen, to offer some details as to the mobilisation of the troops in the Rhenish Province, and their subsequent movement to the frontier; which probably have not been correctly described ere this. Still almost every one who has at all studied the late campaign must be aware that the various "Army Corps" which took part therein came each from a particular province or State of Germany, which during peace it garrisoned, and from which it recruited, or — to write more correctly — in which its organization, from Commanding-General down to Regimental Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, was used to train the man hood thereof for possible Mditary Service.

Most students also know that such part of the population of Rhenish Prussia (exclusive of the Circles of Dusseldorf and Wetzlar) as is serving or liable to service in either Line or Landwehr — with the exception of the picked men belonging to the Guard Corps, which recruits through out the whole of Prussia — composes the 8th Army Corps, the head-quarters of which are at Coblenz. The garrisons lying along the frontier of Prussia towards Eorraine, Luxemburg, and Belgium from Bavaria northwards, are furnished therefore by this corps. Of the two -1 Divisions into which the infantry of every corps is divided, the 15th draws men in and garrisons the northern part of the province, with head-quarters at Cologne ; the 16th has the military care of the southern part with head-quarters at Treves. With each Division are the Commander and staff of a Cavalry Brigade.

The Landwehr Battalion — i.e., District-Com manders, — have on their registers the names not only of all men belonging to their battalions, but also of all men of any arm still liable to service, who reside in their districts. Every such man on shifting his abode presents his " small account book " to the District Commander, who, if the man belongs to the Eeserve, reports to his regiment the change of residence. It is the normal duty of a District-Commander on a mobilisation being decreed, to issue the necessary orders to all these men, directing them to appear at his head quarters on a certain day, and he receives the assistance of the civil authorities for carrying out the distribution of these orders. The men on joining, if not belonging as Landwehr men to his battalion, he despatches as quickly as possible to the depot-battahons, squadrons, etc., of their regiments, where their clothing, equipment, and arming are carried out.

If, at the time, I had known this, I should have gone across to Simmern, 1 The number of an Infantry Division in the N.G. Army is always, if even, the 2nd multiple of that of the Army Corps ; if uneven, to know the Corps the following even number must be halved. Likewise with Brigades — to know the Division any one of them belongs to, the same operation of mental arithmetic must be gone through. The number of every Infantry Brigade must there fore be the 4th multiple of that of the Corps, or one of the three numbers immediately preceding that multiple. This symmetrical rule does not extend down to regiments. the district Landwehr head-quarters, and have seen at least the first day's muster. Since the war with Austria much attention, I bebeve, had been paid to the subject of accelerating the distribution of these orders, in order not only to get the war-preparation more quickly earned out, but also to aUow the levies as much spare time as possible for arranging their family affairs.

Thus in the Rhine Province, a notice, signed by both civil and mditary authorities, had pre viously appeared to the effect that there should be no need whatever to make any difference in respect of the duty of men punctually to answer the levy in case of mobdisation, or in case the same were not fulfilled, as regards liability to punishment, whether a written order directing a man to turn out should be handed to him, or a merely verbal notice should reach him from his civil or military official, or in fine only a general order issued by the superior civil and mditary officials calling out the class of his age, or the levy to which he belongs, shoidd come to his knowledge in any way. The Commanding-General seems afterwards to have addressed the Head of the Civil Government, pointing out that different modes of communicating the Mobili sation orders had been observed in different districts ; he desired to aim at no uniformity, which the varying circumstances of each district might render inadvisable, but intimated his wish that the Landrath or chief civil authority of each district should afford aid to the Landwehr Commander of the same, and his intention to instruct all of the latter to arrange with the authorities of their respective districts, the details necessary towards carrying out the work in the shortest way.

This com munication was passed on by the head of the Civil Government to the Landrath of each district, and by the latter to the Burgomaster of each township. The District Commanders then seem to have submitted to the Landrathen the plans they respectively conceived to be the most expeditious for distributing the levy orders from their offices amongst the men, with the request that concurrence or grounds of objection should be communicated. In this pleasant way of conducting official business, and in the absence of undue inter ference on the part of central authority, it seemed to have been arranged in one particular district on the right bank of the Rhine, that, immediately on the arrival of the mobilisation order at district head-quarters, the same, naming also the first day of mobilisation, should be telegraphed or otherwise forwarded as quickly as possible to the Burgomasters.

That at 9 a.m., of the second mobibsation day, there should be present at the Landwehr office the number of messengers required to carry the collective orders to each Burgomaster, who also was to have in waiting at his office the number of messengers necessary to carry out the distribution to the men themselves, within the space of six hours. Each messenger to carry in addition to the orders, a roll in which each recipient (or relation empowered to receive such order) should sign an acknowledgment that the same had reached him. All failures in distri butions to be at once reported by the Burgomasters. Thus I believe that in one particular township in that district, the mobilisation order for the late war was received by the Burgomaster telegraphically on the 16th; the written orders for individuals about 2 p.m. on the 17th; that his messengers were in waiting from noon, and that by 6 p.m. the distribution had been completed.

Most of the men had not to appear at Landwehr head-quarters till the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, obtaining in this way at least four days for settbng their home affairs. So much for the mobilisation of such parts of the Army Corps as lie on the right bank of the Ehine ; also was the measure carried out probably in the same way throughout the interior of North Germany. But as regards the left bank of the great river, thought had to be taken whether, considering the large French forces believed to be in readiness at Chalons and at Metz, it would be possible to carry out the mobilisation according to rule of the troops lying on or near the frontier. As early as the 12th, the General com manding the 8th Army Corps (then Herwarth von Bittenfeld, now Field Marshal) sent orders to the Com mander of the 16th Division at Treves, which were to provide for possible emergencies.

To the discretion of the latter officer at the same time was left the carrying out of the orders at what time he might think fit, he being in the best position to judge of passing events. On the frontier at the time were the following garrisons : — 7th Lancers and Fusdier Battabon of the 69th Eegiment at Saarbrucken; in the fortress Saarlouis, besides Artillery, the 70th Regiment and two squadrons of the 7th Lancers ; at Divisional head-quarters, the 9th Hussars, the 40th Regiment with some Artillery, also two battalions of the 69th Regiment there or in its neighbourhood. Along the line were also four dis trict or Landwehr head-quarters, which according to the instructions sent as above, were to be moved for mobilisation as follows :— two from Treves to Neuwied, one from Saarlouis to Engers, one from St. Wendel to Beiidorf.

The depots of the named line regiments to be formed : of the 7th Lancers at Siegburg, of the 9th Hussars at Neuwied, of the 40th Eegiment at Neuen dorf, near Coblenz, of the 69th at Andernach, and of the 70th at Engers. Eeports received on the 16th as to a probable advance of the French through Luxem burg and Belgium caused similar instructions to be sent to the Commander of the 15th Division with reference to his troops lying along the frontier, naming new mobdising places to be used in case of emergency, analogously to those assigned to the 16th. The same evening, however, better news came in, more especially rebable intelligence that some of the Belgian rail ways had been broken up, which induced the Com manding General to order the mobilisation of the 15th Division to be carried on in the ordinary way.

In the district embracing Kreuznach, the head-quarters of which I have said to be at Simmern on the Hundsriick, the men received their orders on the 17th to present themselves at the latter town; guards, cavalry, and artillery on the 21st ; men of other regiments on the 22nd, and Landwehr on the 23rd. By way of illustra tion, an informant of mine, now Hving in the neighbourhood of Kreuznach, who had served as a "one year volunteer" in the 80th (Hessian Fusilier) Regiment up to April, 1869, and had then chosen the 40th, in which to pass his reserve time, received his orders and appeared at district head-quarters on the days I have named for the infantry respectively. The roll was caUed of each regiment, there being about 100 of his present. These were temporardy organized under non commissioned officers (the necessary lance promotions being made), bideted for the night, marched next day to Bacharach and thence transported by rail to Coblenz for Neundorf.

The radway movements, which we could see at Kreuznach, were the result of the previously described and following orders sent to the 16th Division. On the 15th, towards 11 p.m., a telegram from the War Minister informed the General at Coblenz that in a few hours the mobdisation order was to be ex pected. Alarming reports were at that time so preva lent that the Commander issued the order himself at 11.30 p.m., just an hour in anticipation of the arrival of the King's order, which came in at 12.30 a.m. next day, also by telegraph, but promising further directions in writing. At Treves the order was received at 1.15 a.m. on the 16th, and at Saarbrucken at 1.30 a.m. the same day or night. In anticipation thereof proclamations, of one of which the fodowing is a translation, had been prepared. " Summons (Aufruf).

" His Majesty the King has ordered the mobilisa " tion of the army. All liable to service, officers on " leave, surgeons, and men of the Reserve and Land " wehr of aU arms, as also the Recruit-Reserve 1st " class of the Landwehr-battabon, Saarlouis, have to start " forthwith, after becoming acquainted with this order, " and to betake themselves by the quickest way to "Engers, there to report themselves to their District " Commander, Lieut.-Colonel von Plachecki, just as if " they had received a written order calbng them in. " The men are to procure from the authorities at " their places of residence, a certificate that they are " caUed in. On production of this certificate they will " obtain free passage by railway, free billets with meals, " and when marching on foot they are to perform stages " of from 4 to 5 (German) mdes dady.

" The same indulgence applies to those who may in " any way have received an order cading them in, and " produce the same. In case of disobediently remain " ing absent, those liable to service have to expect "punishment according to the utmost rigour of the " law. " His Majesty relies, however, on the proved patriotic " spirit of his people, and is firmly persuaded that " that part of it which is bound to the service will " hasten with joy to the colours in order to drive out " again an arrogant enemy invading our country with " out cause. " All authorities of circles and vdlages are directed " to exert themselves in order to secure the most " rapid circulation of this order and communication of " the same to men bound to serve, as also to provide " quarters and food for those hastening to the colours.

"Treves, the 15th July, 1870. " (Signed) The Lieutenant-General and Divisions- " Commander, Von Barnekow. " The Government President, Von Ernsthausen." These proclamations were in full circulation early on the 16th. The district commanders and officers destined to form the Dep6t and Landwehr battalions started off at once, and the men foUowed in the numbers I have described as passing Kreuznach.1 With regard to the officers, the " State" of every regiment contains information as to the disposal, altered from time to time, of each in the event of a mobilisation. Thus, the 5th Field Officers, a certain number of Captains and Sub alterns, have remarks against their names that they have 1 Boats on the Moselle were also used for the transport of men and material (clothing, etc., for the depot and Landwehr-battalions) to the Rhine.

The railway from TrOves to Cologne across the Eifel was then incomplete. So many reserve men of the 70th Regiment, instead of proceeding as ordered to the Rhine, joined at once in the fortress of Saarlouis, that the Commander of the regiment had to apply for some of his equipment to be sent to him, which request the lucky stranding of one of the boats not far down the very shallow Moselle, that summer, made it possible to comply with. to form the depot: the names of the Eeserve Officers who have to join are borne on the "State," so that both former and latter know what they have to do without receiving further instructions. To return to my own movements : walking about Kreuznach on the morning of the 17th with a companion, I came upon a muster and inspection of the horses of the circle taking place in a meadow below the old bridge.

It is part of the North-German law that with the ex ception of officials and post-contractors, every inhabitant of the State is bound, in case of a mobdisation, to hand over his horses against a compensation to be fixed by a commission. Neglect to produce them after due notice being given, renders an owner liable to a fine of 50 thalers. Many likely-looking nags, most of them best fitted for bght draught, poured in from the country, whde the brougham-steppers of the doctors were con spicuous at the place of muster, My own friend and wife's medical attendant, had to produce a handsome pair of blacks, whde his coachman was preparing to rejoin the Artillery. We saw a thousand or so pass before the inspectors, an officer of the train and a veterinary surgeon, with whom were present some civil authorities.

I have since learnt that only 119 (amongst these 11 riding) horses were here taken, and distributed between the 19th Regiment, then lying in garrison at Mainz, and the Train Battalion of the Army Corps. The prices paid ranged from 110 to 160 thalers. Rumours of an advance by the French having taken place on Saarbrucken, commenced on the 16th and con tinued in circulation ad day. On the 17th they in creased into positive assertions that the place had been seized, and the reports on being sifted coidd not be reduced to less than that it was threatened by a large force. Various considerations had made me, up to tins time, uncertain as to the course I should take if war could not be staved off. One of them was that in a renewal of my appbcation for extension of leave, I had offered to place myself under the orders of our Mditary Commissioner at either head-quarters without putting the State to any expense, and that I had received no answer thereto; my sympathies were with neither power more than with the other; the period I had formerly passed in Germany had been at too early an age for me to acquire much mditary knowledge, whereas the year im mediately preceding my entry into the service, had been passed at Paris, where the kindness of one of the Divisional Generals and of certain officers under him had afforded me opportunities of studying some of the rudiments of their system ; also my then knowledge of German was, I bebeve, even stdl more bmited than what I possessed of the French language.

On this day, however, it seemed necessary to do something, for I could not forget that delay in mobdising myself had lost me the chance of witnessing the campaign of 1866, for which leave reached me only contemporaneously with the conclusion of the armistice. With two feUow countrymen I decided, therefore, on going up by the evening train as far as it might prove possible towards Saarbrucken. Friends assured us that we should never get there, and the ticket clerk at the station refused to book us beyond Neunkirchen, the junction for the Palatinate, some ten mdes short.1 On the train from the Rhine, however, coming up, we were taken charge of by a jody stout guard with a wonderful capacity for beer and for winking, who promised that he would get us through aU right. At Neunkirchen, in my simpbcity, I was about getting out to enquire if we could book further, when the door was closed and the signal made, which I was beginning to understand.

The train moved on and we arrived at Saarbrucken, or rather St. Johann, soon after midnight, a good deal surprised to find everything very quiet. Ad along the line the trains we met and the stations we passed were filled with the levies, but stdl there seemed to be the same ab sence of enthusiasm that I have already remarked on. 1 The reason will appear bye and bye.

Chapter II. Movements Of Troops On The Frontier Between Treves And Saarbrucken

— DESCRIPTION OF THE LATTER — FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE FRENCH. Early next morning — 18th — having declared our na tionabty for the satisfaction of enquiring pobce, we saUied from our hotel to seek the commandant and ask permission to visit the outposts, but finding that he had not then risen, we followed to the place of muster, a meadow on the right bank of the Saar, near the old or eastern bridge, the horses crowding into the town seemed the only sign that its normal state was in any wise changed. The inspection was being earned on much as at Kreuznach, but the shew of cattle struck us as decidedly better.1 On returning to the "Ehine Hotel," the head-quarters of the Commandant of In fantry, we found that he had ridden out meanwhile, but a Subaltern received us very pobtely and promised to present us as soon as the former returned.