was　detailed　from　this　Bavarian　contingent；　a　stroke　of　policy　no
  doubt；　for　the　South　Germans　were　so　prejudiced　against　their
  brothers　of　the　North　that　no　opportunity　to　smooth　them　down　was
  permitted　to　go　unimproved。
  Bar…le…Duc；　which　had　then　a　population　of　about　15；000；　is　one　of
  the　prettiest　towns　I　saw　in　France；　its　quaint　and　ancient　buildings
  and　beautiful　boulevards　charming　the　eye　as　well　as　exciting　deep
  interest。　　The　King　and　his　immediate　suite　were　quartered　on　one　of
  the　best　boulevards　in　a　large　buildingthe　Bank　of　Francethe
  balcony　of　which　offered　a　fine　opportunity　to　observe　a　part　of　the
  army　of　the　Crown　Prince　the　next　day　on　its　march　toward　Vitry。
  This　was　the　first　time　his　Majesty　had　had　a　chance　to　see　any　of
  these　troopsas　hitherto　he　had　accompanied　either　the　army　of
  Prince　Frederick　Charles；　or　that　of　General　Steinmetzand　the
  cheers　with　which　he　was　greeted　by　the　Bavarians　left　no　room　for
  doubting　their　loyalty　to　the　Confederation；　notwithstanding　ancient
  jealousies。
  While　the　troops　were　passing；　Count　Bismarck　had　the　kindness　to
  point　out　to　me　the　different　organizations；　giving　scraps　of　their
  history；　and　also　speaking　concerning　the　qualifications　of　the
  different　generals　commanding　them。　　When　the　review　was　over　we　went
  to　the　Count's　house；　and　there；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　I
  tasted　kirschwasser；　a　very　strong　liquor　distilled　from　cherries。
  Not　knowing　anything　about　the　stuff；　I　had　to　depend　on　Bismarck's
  recommendation；　and　he　proclaiming　it　fine；　I　took　quite　a　generous
  drink；　which　nearly　strangled　me　and　brought　on　a　violent　fit　of
  coughing。　　The　Chancellor　said；　however；　that　this　was　in　no　way　due
  to　the　liquor；　but　to　my　own　inexperience；　and　I　was　bound　to　believe
  the　distinguished　statesman；　for　he　proved　his　words　by　swallowing　a
  goodly　dose　with　an　undisturbed　and　even　beaming　countenance；
  demonstrating　his　assertion　so　forcibly　that　I　forthwith　set　out　with
  Bismarck…Bohlen　to　lay　in　a　supply　for　myself。
  I　spent　the　night　in　a　handsome　house；　the　property　of　an
  exceptionally　kind　and　polite　gentleman　bearing　the　indisputably
  German　name　of　Lager；　but　who　was　nevertheless　French　from　head　to
  foot；　if　intense　hatred　of　the　Prussians　be　a　sign　of　Gallic
  nationality。　　At　daybreak　on　the　26th　word　came　for　us　to　be　ready　to
  move　by　the　Chalons　road　at　7　o'clock；　but　before　we　got　off；　the
  order　was　suspended　till　2　in　the　afternoon。　　In　the　interval　General
  von　Moltke　arrived　and　held　a　long　conference　with　the　King；　and　when
  we　did　pull　out　we　traveled　the　remainder　of　the　afternoon　in　company
  with　a　part　of　the　Crown　Prince's　army；　which　after　this　conference
  inaugurated　the　series　of　movements　from　Bar…le…Duc　northward；　that
  finally　compelled　the　surrender　at　Sedan。　　This　sudden　change　of
  direction　I　did　not　at　first　understand；　but　soon　learned　that　it　was
  because　of　the　movements　of　Marshal　MacMahon；　who；　having　united　the
  French　army　beaten　at　Worth　with　three　fresh　corps　at　Chalons；　was
  marching　to　relieve　Metz　in　obedience　to　orders　from　the　Minister　of
  War　at　Paris。
  As　we　passed　along　the　column；　we　noticed　that　the　Crown　Prince's
  troops　were　doing　their　best；　the　officers　urging　the　men　to　their
  utmost　exertions；　persuading　weary　laggards　and　driving　up
  stragglers。　　As　a　general　thing；　however；　they　marched　in　good　shape；
  notwithstanding　the　rapid　gait　and　the　trying　heat；　for　at　the　outset
  of　the　campaign　the　Prince　had　divested　them　of　all　impedimenta
  except　essentials；　and　they　were　therefore　in　excellent　trim　for　a
  forced　march。
  The　King　traveled　further　than　usual　that　dayto　Clermontso　we　did
  not　get　shelter　till　late；　and　even　then　not　without　some　confusion；
  for　the　quartermaster　having　set　out　toward　Chalons　before　the　change
  of　programme　was　ordered；　was　not　at　hand　to　provide　for　us。　　I　had
  extreme　good　luck；　though；　in　being　quartered　with　a　certain
  apothecary；　who；　having　lived　for　a　time　in　the　United　States；
  claimed　it　as　a　privilege　even　to　lodge　me；　and　certainly　made　me　his
  debtor　for　the　most　generous　hospitality。　　It　was　not　so　with　some　of
  the　others；　however；　and　Count　Bismarck　was　particularly　unfortunate；
  being　billeted　in　a　very　small　and　uncomfortable　house；　where；
  visiting　him　to　learn　more　fully　what　was　going　on；　I　found　him；
  wrapped　in　a　shabby　old　dressing…gown；　hard　at　work。　　He　was
  established　in　a　very　small　room；　whose　only　furnishings　consisted　of
  a　tableat　which　he　was　writinga　couple　of　rough　chairs；　and　the
  universal　feather…bed；　this　time　made　on　the　floor　in　one　corner　of
  the　room。　　On　my　remarking　upon　the　limited　character　of　his
  quarters；　the　Count　replied；　with　great　good…humor；　that　they　were
  all　right；　and　that　he　should　get　along　well　enough。　　Even　the　tramp
  of　his　clerks　in　the　attic；　and　the　clanking　of　his　orderlies'　sabres
  below；　did　not　disturb　him　much；　he　said；　in　fact；　that　he　would　have
  no　grievance　at　all　were　it　not　for　a　guard　of　Bavarian　soldiers
  stationed　about　the　house　for　his　safety；　he　presumed　the　sentinels
  from　which　insisted　on　protecting　and　saluting　the　Chancellor　of　the
  North　German　Confederation　in　and　out　of　season；　a　proceeding　that
  led　to　embarrassment　sometimes；　as　he　was　much　troubled　with　a　severe
  dysentery。　　Notwithstanding　his　trials；　however；　and　in　the　midst　of
  the　correspondence　on　which　he　was　so　intently　engaged；　he　graciously
  took　time　to　explain　that　the　sudden　movement　northward　from　Bar…le…
  Duc　was；　as　I　have　previously　recounted；　the　result　of　information
  that　Marshal　MacMahon　was　endeavoring　to　relieve　Metz　by　marching
  along　the　Belgian　frontier；　〃a　blundering　manoeuvre；〃　remarked　the
  Chancellor；　〃which　cannot　be　accounted　for；　unless　it　has　been
  brought　about　by　the　political　situation　of　the　French。〃
  CHAPTER　XVIII。
  AFTER　MacMAHONTHE　BATTLE　AT　BEAUMONTTHE　FRENCH　SURPRISEDTHE
  MARCHING　OF　THE　GERMAN　SOLDIERSTHE　BATTLE　OF　SEDANGALLANT　CAVALRY
  CHARGESDEFEAT　OF　THE　FRENCHTHE　SURRENDER　OF　NAPOLEONBISMARCK
  AND　THE　KINGDECORATING　THE　SOLDIERS。
  All　night　long　the　forced　march　of　the　army　went　on　through　Clermont；
  and　when　I　turned　out；　just　after　daylight；　the　columns　were　still
  pressing　forward；　the　men　looking　tired　and　much　bedraggled；　as
  indeed　they　had　reason　to　be；　for　from　recent　rains　the　roads　were
  very　sloppy。　　Notwithstanding　this；　however；　the　troops　were　pushed
  ahead　with　all　possible　vigor　to　intercept　MacMahon　and　force　a
  battle　before　he　could　withdraw　from　his　faulty　movement；　for　which
  it　has　since　been　ascertained　he　was　not　at　all　responsible。　　Indeed；
  those　at　the　royal　headquarters　seemed　to　think　of　nothing　else　than
  to　strike　MacMahon；　for；　feeling　pretty　confident　that　Metz　could　not
  be　relieved；　they　manifested　not　the　slightest　anxiety　on　that　score。
  By　8　o'clock；　the　skies　having　cleared；　the　headquarters　set　out　for
  Grand　Pre'；　which　place　we　reached　early　in　the　afternoon；　and　that
  evening　I　again　had　the　pleasure　of　dining　with　the　King。　　The
  conversation　at　table　was　almost　wholly　devoted　to　the　situation；　of
  course；　everybody　expressing　surprise　at　the　manoeuvre　of　the　French
  at　this　time；　their　march　along　the　Belgian　frontier　being　credited
  entirely　to　Napoleon。　　Up　to　bed…time　there　was　still　much
  uncertainty　as　to　the　exact　positions　of　the　French；　but　next　morning
  intelligence　being　received　which　denoted　the　probability　of　a
  battle；　we　drove　about　ten　miles；　to　Buzancy；　and　there　mounting　our
  horses；　rode　to　the　front。
  The　French　were　posted　not　far　from　Buzancy　in　a　strong　position；
  their　right　resting　near　Stonne　and　the　left　extending　over　into　the
  woods　beyond　Beaumont。　　About　10　o'clock　the　Crown　Prince　of　Saxony
  advanced　against　this　line；　and　while　a　part　of　his　army　turned　the
  French　right；　compelling　it　to　fall　back　rapidly；　the　German　centre
  and　right　attacked　with　great　vigor　and　much　skill；　surprising　one　of
  the　divisions　of　General　De　Failly's　corps　while　the　men　were　in　the
  act　of　cooking　their　breakfast。
  The　French　fled　precipitately；　leaving　behind　their　tents　and　other
  camp　equipage；　and　on　inspecting　the　ground　which　they　had　abandoned
  so　hastily；　I　noticed　on　all　sides　ample　evidence　that　not　even　the
  most　ordinary　precautions　had　been　taken　to　secure　the　division　from
  surprise；　The　artillery　horses　had　not　been　harnessed；　and　many　of
  them　had　been　shot　down　at　the　picketrope　where　they　had　been
  haltered　the　night　before；　while　numbers　of　men　were　lying　dead　with
  loaves　of　bread　or　other　food　instead　of　their　muskets　in　their
  hands。
  Some　three　thousand　prisoners　and　nearly　all　the　artillery　and
  mitrailleuses　of　the　divisionwere　captured；　while　the　fugitives
  were　pursued　till　they　found　shelter　behindDouay's　corps　and　the
  rest　of　De　Failly's　beyond　Beaumont。　　The　same　afternoon　there　were
  several　other　severe　combats　along　the　Meuse；　but　I　had　no　chan