To this must be added that though, as time went on, the Princess agreed less and less with Strauss’ avowed religious views, and especially differed considerably from those enunciated in his book, “The Old and the New Faith,” she never thought otherwise of Strauss than with gratitude and esteem, as one in whom she had met with the most beautiful characteristics of the best German scholarship—viz., unflinching sincerity, combined with a rare gift of saying what it has to say clearly and pleasantly, and a winning modesty of personal demeanor.
In the end of March the Prince and Princess with their family went to Mayence for change of air after the scarlet-fever. The Princess went much into society during her stay there; but this did not prevent her from making use of every possible opportunity for furthering those institutions which she had so much at heart. She visited the hospitals at Mayence, Offenbach, and Giessen, and had many consultations with the heads of these various hospitals with a view to possible improvements.
The quiet, happy time at Kranichstein during the summer was suddenly brought to an end by the declaration of war between France and Germany. Prince Louis had to go to the front with his division, which, together with another division, formed the Ninth Army Corps, and part of the Second Army, commanded by Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia. The Princess took leave of her husband on the 25th of July. She, however, saw him again once or twice before the final leave-taking, on the 1st of August.
On the 15th of August the Hessian division for the first time encountered the enemy, before Metz, and on the 16th took part in the battle of Mars-la-Tour. During the terrible battle of Gravelotte, on the 18th of August, Prince Louis and his division occupied a central position in the irresistible force, which drove Marshal Bazaine back into Metz, and held him imprisoned there with an iron grasp.
On the 19th Prince Louis and the troops encamped on the battlefield, and he had the pleasure of meeting his brother Henry. Prince Louis took part in the battle of Noisseville on the 31st of August, when General Manteuffel commanded the troops engaged. He and his division also formed part of the army investing Metz, partly doing outpost duty, and partly serving in the reserve.
On the 8th of October, whilst the Prince was in command of his division at Gravelotte, where the troops were concentrated in hourly expectation of a sortie of the French from Metz, he received the news of the birth of a second son, who had been born on the 7th.
Ever since the Prince’s departure the Princess had remained “at her post” in Darmstadt, helping, comforting, and advising all around her. She was proud to be the wife of a German officer serving in the field in such a cause, though her life for the present was full of anxiety and care. She worked, like any other woman, to alleviate as best she could the sufferings of the sick and the wounded, and giving aid to those who were plunged into destitution by the war. Whilst she was living with her children at Kranichstein the “Hülfsverein,” or Committee of Aid, had its headquarters in her palace at Darmstadt. She herself went there every day, visited all the hospitals, also the ambulances at the railway station, and superintended the organization of “Committees of Aid” all over the country. The Committees which she had organized long previously now proved themselves an untold blessing.
The “Alice Society for Aid to Sick and Wounded” had sixteen trained nurses ready for work at the beginning of the war. Through the voluntary help of some of the best doctors and surgeons, who arranged classes at different places for the instruction of all those who were anxious to help to nurse during the war, the number of nurses was increased by degrees to one hundred and sixty-four. These were sent to the different hospitals in Hesse, to ambulances near Metz, to the hospital trains, and the hospitals on the steamers.
In her own palace the Princess arranged a depot for all necessaries required for the sick and wounded. Later on another was established in the Grand Ducal palace. Besides the many regular nurses, a number of women and ladies joined together to serve out refreshments, during the night as well as the daytime, to the wounded, who were constantly passing through Darmstadt and halted at the railway station. Similar committees were, thanks to the Princess’ own initiative, formed all over the country.
One of the hospitals at Darmstadt, erected by the English National Red Cross Society, and supplied with English surgeons, received the name of “The Alice Hospital.” Under a special arrangement it was subsequently taken over by the Hessian military authorities. In this hospital, as in others established independently of the “Alice Society,” women and girls of all classes lent their aid.