CHAPTER IV
COMMERCY—BAR LE DUC—CLERMONT EN ARGONNE
On Tuesday, August 23rd, we were to continue our journey westwards. Sheridan and his companions were to accompany us or to follow without delay. Regierungspräsident von Kühlwetter remained behind as Prefect; Count Henckel went to Saargemund, and Count Renard, a huge figure with a beard of corresponding amplitude, went to Nancy in a similar capacity. Bamberger, the member of Parliament, visited us again. I also noticed Herr Stieber on one occasion in the neighbourhood of the house at the corner of the Rue Raugraf, and as I was walking about the town to take a last look at the place before leaving, I saw the fine-drawn, wrinkled, clean shaven face of Moltke, whom I had last seen as he entered the Foreign Office in company with the Minister of War five or six days before the declaration of hostilities. It seemed to me that his features wore to-day an expression of perfect content and satisfaction.
On my return to the office I was much interested by a report of the views recently expressed by Thiers as to the immediate future of France. He regarded it as certain that in case of victory we should retain Alsace. The defeat of Napoleon would be followed by the loss of his throne. He would be succeeded for a few months by a Republic, and then probably by one of the Orleans family, or perhaps by Leopold of Belgium, who, according to the source from which our informant obtained his news (one of Rothschild’s confidants), was known on the best authority to be extremely ambitious.
We left Pont à Mousson at 10 o’clock. In the villages along the road the houses stood side by side as in a town. Most of them possessed handsome municipal buildings and schools, and some had seemingly ancient Gothic churches. On the other side of Gironville the road passes a steep hill, with a wide prospect of the plain beneath. Here we left the carriages in order to ease the load for the horses. The Chancellor who drove at the head of our party with Abeken also got out and walked for a quarter of an hour, his big boots reminding one of pictures of the thirty years’ war. Moltke walked beside him; the greatest strategist of our days striding along towards Paris on a country road near the French frontier in company with the greatest statesman of our time!
After we had returned to the carriages we saw a number of soldiers to the right putting up a telegraph line. Shortly after 2 o’clock we came to Commercy, a bright little town with about 6,000 inhabitants. The white blinds in the better class houses were for the most part drawn down, as if the occupants did not wish to see the hated Prussians. The people in blouses were more curious and less hostile.
The Chief, together with Abeken and Keudell, took up their quarters in the château of Count Macore de Gaucourt in the Rue des Fontaines, where a Prince von Schwarzburg had lodged, and which was now occupied by the lady of the house. Her husband was in the French army and was accordingly with his regiment in the field. He was a very distinguished gentleman, being descended from the old Dukes of Lorraine. There was a pretty flower garden near the house, and behind it was a large wooded park. I put up not far from the Minister’s quarters at No. 1 Rue Heurtebise, where I had a friendly and obliging landlord and an excellent fourpost bed. I called afterwards on the Chancellor, whom I found in the garden, and asked if there was anything for me to do. After thinking for a moment, he said there was, and an hour later I provided work both for the Field Post and the new telegraph line.
Amongst other things I wrote the following paragraph: “It is now quite clear that the Princes of the Orleans family consider that their time has come, as they expect to see the star of the Napoleons sink lower and lower. In order to emphasise the fact that they are Frenchmen, they have placed their swords in the present crisis at the service of their country. The Orleans lost their throne in great part through their own sluggishness and their indifference to the development of neighbouring States. They would now appear determined to regain it by energy, and to maintain their position by flattering French chauvinism, and love of glory and universal dominion. Our work is not yet done. A decisive victory is probable, but is not yet certain. The fall of Napoleon seems near at hand, but it is not yet accomplished. Even should it occur, could we, in view of the considerations already mentioned, rest content with it and accept it as the sole result of our exertions, could we feel confident of having attained our principal object, namely, to secure peace with France for many years to come? No one can answer that question in the affirmative. A peace with the Orleans on the French throne would be still more a mockery than one with Napoleon, who must already have had enough of ‘la gloire.’ Sooner or later we should be again challenged by France, who probably would be then better prepared and would have secured more powerful allies.”
Three reserve army corps are to be formed in Germany. One, and the strongest, near Berlin; one on the Rhine; and a third at Glogau in Silesia, in consequence of the equivocal attitude of Austria. That would be a purely defensive measure. The troops on the Rhine are to be commanded by the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg, those near Berlin by General von Canstein, and those at Glogau by General von Löwenfeld.
Towards evening the military band played before the residence of the King, the street urchins holding their notes for the musicians in the friendliest possible manner. The King had also stopped at Commercy during the war against the First Napoleon.