Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1893 — How a Battle Was Nearly Lost. [ARTICLE]

How a Battle Was Nearly Lost.

At the battle of Woerth Lieut. Gen. von Obernitz, when leading the VVurtembergers across the valley, received from the Crown Prince the order, already mentioned, ’to march on the rear of the French, but shortly afterward the Prussian officers coming from the battle raging on the plateau told him that re-in-forcements were imperatively required there, and urged him to come to their aid. Again the spirit of knowing “better than one’s betters” exercised its pernicious influence, and although the power oi determining when and whether re-inforce-ments shall be sent to any point of the battlefield should above all others rest absolutely with the supreme commander, Gen. von Obernitz elected to judge for himself, and on to the plateau he led his troops. For yet two hours the now utterly mixed-up German troops were kept from Froshwiller by the intrepid bravery of their foes. But now the toughness of the infant try of the Fifth German Corps was about to be rewarded; the moment for their revenge on those who had sent to destruction their 5,000 dead and wounded—of whom nearly 4,000 belonged to the four regiments, Thirty-seventh, Fiftieth, Sixth, and Forty-sixth, first across the stream —was close at hand. It was a grand revenge; it was the splendid victory that was to crown with laurels the men who had sinned against them. While they had been so stubbornly holding on to the vine clad slopes, time had been given for the gradually closing round of MacMahon’s 45,000 men by the greater portion of the overwhelming ho3t of their enemies. And now the French, attacked from the north, south and east, at last broke, arid, covered by a small rearguard, fled away out of touch and sight of the victors through the gap so generously left open to them by that independent Lieutenant, Gen. von Obernitz.

The Germans gained their victory by sheer weight of numbers, and the support given to ther infantry by an artillery overwhelmingly superior in number of guns, technical efficiency, and tactical employment to that of their opponents. The French owed their defeat to the mediocrity of their commander. Against critics and commeutators on the acts of soldiers in the field, it is sometimes alleged that they are “wise after the event;” as regards the battle of Woerth, it is only wisdom of this kind that the leading soldiers who took part in it can find any ground of justification for their proceedings. Well might a German officer of the very highest rank say, as he afterwards did: “We -were within an ace of losing the battle; but the French did not know it, and I hope they never may.” Probably they know it now. — [Lonsdale Hale, in the Contemporary Review.

Victor Emmanuel Wasn’t Pretty. John Augustus O’Shea, in his “Roundabout Recollections,” tells a story of Victor Emmanuel, whom he describes as “t squat Hercules—ugly to such a degree that his ugliness had the charm of the unique.” One day while on a hunting expedition in the Alps, he met an old woman gathing brambles. She inquired of the stranger whether it was true, as she had heard, that the King of Italy was in the neighborhood. If so, was there any chance of seeing him? “Yes,” said his majesty, “he is about, Would you really like to see him!” The old woman declared that few sights would give her more pleasure. “Well, mother, I am the King.” She stared at him for a moment and broke into a grin. “Get out with you, jester! Do you think a nice woman like the Queen would marry a chap like you, with that hideous mug?” The King was not offended. Perhaps the compliment to his wife mollified him. He gave the woman a piece of money, with which he is al ways free, and passed along.—[St. Louis Republic.