personal memoirs-2-第52节

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whom　he　was　naturally　very　anxious；　General　von　Moltke　entertained　me

by　explaining　the　positions　of　the　different　corps；　the　nature　and

object　of　their　movements　then　taking　place；　and　so　on。



Before　us；　and　covering　Metz；　lay　the　French　army；　posted　on　the

crest　of　a　ridge　extending　north；　and　about　its　centre　curving

slightly　westward　toward　the　German　forces。　　The　left　of　the　French

position　was　but　a　short　distance　from　the　Moselle；　and　this　part　of

the　line　was　separated　from　the　Germans　by　a　ravine；　the　slopes；

fairly　well　wooded；　rising　quite　sharply；　farther　north；　near　the

centre；　this　depression　disappeared；　merged　in　the　general　swell　of

the　ground；　and　thence　on　toward　the　right　the　ground　over　which　an

approach　to　the　French　line　must　be　made　was　essentially　a　natural

open　glacis；　that　could　be　thoroughly　swept　by　the　fire　of　the

defenders。



The　line　extended　some　seven　or　eight　miles。　　To　attack　this

position；　formidable　everywhere；　except　perhaps　on　the　right　flank；

the　Germans　were　bringing　up　the　combined　forces　of　the　First　and

Second　armies；　troops　that　within　the　past　fortnight　had　already

successfully　met　the　French　in　three　pitched　battles。　　On　the　right

was　the　First　Army；　under　command　of　General　Von　Steinmetz；　the

victors；　August　6；　of　Spicheren；　near　Saar；　and；　eight　days　later；　of

Colombey；　to　the　east　of　Metz；　while　the　centre　and　left　were

composed　of　the　several　corps　of　the　Second　Army；　commanded　by　Prince

Frederick　Charles　of　Prussia；　a　part　of　whose　troops　had　just　been

engaged　in　the　sanguinary　battle　of　Mars…la…Tour；　by　which　Bazaine

was　cut　off　from　the　Verdun　road；　and　forced　back　toward　Metz。



At　first　the　German　plan　was　simply　to　threaten　with　their　right；

while　the　corps　of　the　Second　Army　advanced　toward　the　north；　to

prevent　the　French；　of　whose　intentions　there　was　much　doubt；　from

escaping　toward　Chalons；　then；　as　the　purposes　of　the　French　might

be；　developed；　these　corps　were　to　change　direction　toward　the　enemy

successively；　and　seek　to　turn　his　right　flank。　　But　the　location　of

this　vital　turning…point　was　very　uncertain；　and　until　it　was

ascertained　and　carried；　late　in　the　afternoon；　the　action　raged　with

more　or　less　intensity　along　the　entire　line。



But　as　it　is　not　my　purpose　to　describe　in　detail　the　battle　of

Gravelotte；　nor　any　other；　I　will　speak　of　some　of　its　incidents

merely。　　About　noon；　after　many　preliminary　skirmishes；　the　action

was　begun　according　to　the　plan　I　have　already　outlined；　the　Germans

advancing　their　left　while　holding　on　strongly　with　their　right；　and

it　was　this　wing　（the　First　Army）　that　came　under　my　observation　from

the　place　where　the　King's　headquarters　were　located。　　From　here　we

could　see；　as　I　have　said；　the　village　of　Gravelotte。　　Before　it　lay

the　German　troops；　concealed　to　some　extent；　especially　to　the　left；

by　clumps　of　timber　here　and　there。　　Immediately　in　front　of　us；

however；　the　ground　was　open；　and　the　day　being　clear　and　sunny；　with

a　fresh　breeze　blowing　（else　the　smoke　from　a　battle　between　four

hundred　thousand　men　would　have　obstructed　the　view　altogether）；　the

spectacle　presented　Was　of　unsurpassed　magnificence　and　sublimity。

The　German　artillery　opened　the　battle；　and　while　the　air　was　filled

with　shot　and　shell　from　hundreds　of　guns　along　their　entire　line；

the　German　centre　and　left；　in　rather　open　order；　moved　out　to　the

attack；　and　as　they　went　forward　the　reserves；　in　close　column；　took

up　positions　within　supporting　distances；　yet　far　enough　back　to　be

out　of　range。



The　French　artillery　and　mitrailleuses　responded　vigorously　to　the

Krupps；　and　with　deadly　effect；　but　as　far　as　we　could　see　the　German

left　continued　its　advance；　and　staff…officers　came　up　frequently　to

report　that　all　was　going　on　well　at　points　hidden　from　our　view

These　reports　were　always　made　to　the　King　first；　and　whenever

anybody　arrived　with　tidings　of　the　fight　we　clustered　around　to　hear

the　news；　General　Von　Moltke　unfolding　a　map　meanwhile；　and

explaining　the　situation。　　This　done；　the　chief　of　the　staff；　while

awaiting　the　next　report；　would　either　return　to　a　seat　that　had　been

made　for　him　with　some　knapsacks；　or　would　occupy　the　time　walking

about；　kicking　clods　of　dirt　or　small　stones　here　and　there；　his

hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　his　face　pale　and　thoughtful。　　He　was

then　nearly　seventy　years　old；　but　because　of　his　emaciated　figure；

the　deep　wrinkles　in　his　face；　and　the　crow's…feet　about　his　eyes；　he

looked　even　older；　his　appearance　being　suggestive　of　the　practice　of

church　asceticisms　rather　than　of　his　well…known　ardent　devotion　to

the　military　profession。



By　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　the　steady　progress　of　the　German　left

and　centre　had　driven　the　French　from　their　more　advanced　positions

from　behind　stone　walls　and　hedges；　through　valleys　and　hamlets；　in

the　direction　of　Metz；　but　as　yet　the　German　right　had　accomplished

little　　except　to　get　possession　of　the　village　of　Gravelotte；

forcing　the　French　across　the　deep　ravine　I　have　mentioned；　which

runs　north　and　south　a　little　distance　east　of　ihe　town。



But　it　was　now　time　for　the　German　right　to　move　in　earnest　to　carry

the　Rozerieulles　ridge；　on　which　crest　the　French　had　evidently

decided　to　make　an　obstinate　fight　to　cover　their　withdrawal　to　Metz。

As　the　Germans　moved　to　the　attack　here；　the　French　fire　became　heavy

and　destructive；　so　much　so；　indeed；　as　to　cause　General　Von

Steinmetz　to　order　some　cavalry　belonging　to　the　right　wing　to　make　a

charge。　　Crossing　the　ravine　before　described；　this　body　of　horse

swept　up　the　slope　beyond；　the　front　ranks　urged　forward　by　the

momentum　from　behind。　　The　French　were　posted　along　a　sunken　road；

behind　stone　walls　and　houses；　and　as　the　German　cavalry　neared　these

obstructions　it　received　a　dreadful　fire　without　the　least　chance　of

returning　it；　though　still　pushed　on　till　the　front　ranks　were

crowded　into　the　deep　cut　of　the　road。　　Here　the　slaughter　was

terrible；　for　the　horsemen　could　make　no　further　headway；　and　because

of　the　blockade　behind；　of　dead　and　wounded　men　and　animals；　an

orderly　retreat　was　impossible；　and　disaster　inevitable。



About　the　time　the　charge　was　ordered；　the　phase　of　the　battle　was

such　that　the　King　concluded　to　move　his　headquarters　into　the

village　of　Gravelotte；　and　just　after　getting　there；　we　first　learned

fully　of　the　disastrous　result　of　the　charge　which　had　been　entered

upon　with　such　spirit；　and　so　much　indignation　was　expressed　against

Steinmetz；　who；　it　was　claimed；　had　made　an　unnecessary　sacrifice　of

his　cavalry；　that　I　thought　he　would　be　relieved　on　the　spot；　though

this　was　not　done。



Followed　by　a　large　staff；　General　Steinmetz　appeared　in　the　village

presently；　and　approached　the　King。　　When　near；　he　bowed　with　great

respect；　and　I　then　saw　that　he　was　a　very　old　man　though　his

soldierly　figure；　bronzed　face；　and　shortcropped　hair　gave　some

evidence　of　vigor　still。　　When　the　King　spoke　to　him　I　was　not　close

enough　to　learn　what　was　said；　but　his　Majesty's　manner　was

expressive　of　kindly　feeling；　and　the　fact　that　in　a　few　moments　the

veteran　general　returned　to　the　command　of　his　troops；　indicated

that；　for　the　present　at　least；　his　fault　had　been　overlooked。



The　King　then　moved　out　of　the　village；　and　just　a　little　to　the　east

and　north　of　it　the　headquarters　were　located　on　high；　open　ground；

whence　we　could　observe　the　right　of　the　German　infantry　advancing　up

the　eastern　face　of　the　ravine。　　The　advance；　though　slow　and

irregular；　resulted　in　gradually　gaining　ground；　the　French　resisting

stoutly　with　a　stubborn　musketry　fire　all　along　the　slopes。　　Their

artillery　was　silent；　however；　and　from　this　fact　the　German

artillery　officers　grew　jubilant；　confidently　asserting　that　their

Krupp　guns　had　dismounted　the　French　batteries　and　knocked　their

mitrailleuses　to　pieces。　　I　did　not　indulge　in　this　confidence；

however；　for；　with　the　excellent　field…glass　I　had；　I　could

distinctly　see　long　columns　of　French　troops　moving　to　their　right；

for　the　apparent　purpose　of　making　a　vigorous　fight　on　that　flank；

and　I　thought　it　more　than　likely　that　their　artillery　would　be　heard

from　before　the　Germans　could　gain　the　coveted　ridge。



The　Germans　labored　up　the　glacis　slowly　at　the　most　exposed　places；

now　crawling　on　their　bellies；　now　creeping　on　hands　and　knees；　but；

in　the　main；　moving　with　erect　and　steady　bearing。　　As　they

approached　within　short　range；　they　suddenly　found　that　the　French

artillery　and　mitrallleuses　had　by　no　means　been　silencedabout　two

hundred　pieces　opening　on　them　with　fearful　effect；　while　at　the　same

time　the　whole　crest　blazed　with　a　deadly　fire　from　the　Chassepot

rifles。　　Resistance　like　this　was　so　unexpected　by　the　Germans　that

it　dismayed　them；　and　first　wavering　a　moment；　then　becoming　panic…

stricken；　they　broke　and　fled；　i