A RABBLE AGAINST AN ARMY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 4, 15 January 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

A RABBLE AGAINST AN ARMY.

THE DRAMATIC STORY OF A " MILITARY PROMENADE " TO PARIS.

Nearly.a century cf years has passed over France since, in obedience to his dying wish, th € heart of Francois Kellerman, one of her greatest Generals, was laid to rcct on the summit or a hill, looking down 011 the Ullage of Valmy, a few miles distant from Chalons. To-day, says a writer in the " Sheffield W'eekl.y Telegraph," tho shells of Germans and Allies are aliriekmg over the simple monument that marks Kellerman's burial-place; and if his gallant heart had still any feeling it would thrill at tho sound, for it was on this very spot that the Prussian and Austrian guns thundered 0110 day ;ii 17!) I', a»J it was from this eminence that the French troops under his command rolled back the proud and insolent invaders in panic flight over the frontier. You may search the annals of war in vain for a more striking illustration of the saying that " history repeats itself." for the yea!r 1702 witae-ve,] a,! almost. exact rehcar-al of th*> terrible ' drama that is Wine: enacted in 11)3 i. | ThcnV'as n<w. 1'; ;: and Austria were leagued to bring France "io »-i' 1 ; then, as now. they were inspired wit.n' tiie same insolent contempt ct their enemy, the sumo arrogance" of demeanour. They spoke, with tli 1 :' sifo confident boastfulnees, of a "Military Promenade" to Paris; they would sweep the "French rabble" before thorn as chaff before a whirlwind ; and in six weeks' time *h c .V would hold hi;tli revels in Paris, with France groveliing at the Conquerors' fe. r. And, indeed, there seemed jufitification for their boasting. The Prussian army. 60,000 strong, was composed of the "finest troops in Europe," men trained under the eyes of tho Great Frederick himself, "heirs to the glories of the Seven Year 1 -' War." The Austrian army consisted or -1",0(10 picked men, fresh from thrir victories in the Turkish war. The Hessian host were seasoned warriors to a man; and with them marched to war 15,000 of the bravest sons of France. Knots for the most part of noble houses with centuries of martial hi-iory behind them. UN"DISCIPLINED FRENCTT. Against t-liis army—tho flower cf Europeaii chivalry—was pitted a mere rabble of Frenchmen, without training or discipline—a paltry force cf loaKX) men, "raw artisans and trader men. burghers, mechanics and peasants," their numbers swelled by a few thousands of Garmagnohs, tho lowest rufhans from Paris, who had played a leading part in the Revolutionary orgies of outrage and blood —-men who preferred murdering their officers to facing tho enemy. Strange stories are told of the cowardice of this army of France, which was destined, in a supreme hour of heroism, to crush the might of Prussia and Austria and to lay firm the foundation of her Republic. 15ut a few weeks before the crowning day of \ almy their first corps, 4,000 strong, had turned tail before a mere handful of Austrians at Tournay, before a shot, could bo fired or a bayonet levelled. Arid on the same day. another divi-ion of 10.000 men had fled in panic at first sight of a few Austrian skirmishcris, galloping madly away with cries ef " Wi<> are hetfrayed!" Such was the material with which Generals Kellerman and Duniouriez were expected to hurl back the might of two of the most powerful nation s of Europe from tho soil of France; and how magnificently they perforin.d this stupendous task the story of tho historic battle of Valmy proves. Nui" were France's fortress defence# any more reliable than her soldiers. Between the Rhine and the goal of the Allies, to which they were to make their boasted "promenade." were only th ree so-called strongholds Sedan. Longwy and Verdun, all in a dismantled jumdition and ill-equipped with ordnance and stores. These feeble barriers overcome, the way to Paris was clear. Never in the history of war was the issue of a campaign such a foregone conclusion; never has the event bo upset all expectations. At the end of July the allied armies marched through ' Luxemburg and across the frontier of France 011 tho first stage of their triumphal gress. under the supreme command of the Duke of Brunswick, a soldier who had won the chief laurels in the Seven Years' War. and whose military reputation was second only to that of Frederick himself. Moving majestically. with the power and precision of a colossal machine of destruction, l.ongwy and Verdun opened their gates to them almost at the firing of the. first cannon; and the Allies found tliemselve s well advanced into France! without a blow lieinc struck against! them. In front. of them now lay the* French army—the contemptible rabble! that was to fl.v before tilieni like sol many frightened rabbits. f • WITH IV A IT A TH.SBP E A DTIT OF DESTRUCTION." Before them, three leagues or distant, rose a long ridge of broken ground ca?!ed the Argonne. thickly wooded and stretching Rom 6 forty mile* south-west from Sedan, and separate! from them hv a broad stretch of marshland. Reamer bv n network of streams; and it was on. this ridge that

Dumouriez, the French generalissimo, iiad taken his stand with his 2-5,000 men. All th© passce through the Argon no were strongly held, except one which ho considered of small importance—a mis judgment which nearly involved him in disaster, for tlie pass was forced by tha enemy, and it was only by a rapid retreat to the south tliat he saved ins army trom being enveloped ai:d destroyed. As Dumouriez admitted, " Franco was within a hairsbreadth of destruction.'' Retiring to a strong position at St. Menehould, protected by the marshes of tlie River Aisne, ho was joined by Kedlennan and his 20,000 men; -and here the combined armies took their final stand, in thy rear of tiio Allies who were now actually nearer Paris than the French troops. Such was tho situation when dawn broke on tho morning of the 20th of September, 1702, one of the most fateful and glorious days in the history of Franco, when her whole future hung ou the issue of tho " cannonade ut Valmv '* —the struggle between her rabble army and the might cf Prussia and Austria.

U'heu. the allied hosis moved against Kellerman's army, ranged on the plateau of Yaiiii/, "a thick mist floated in waves of vapour over the plains and ravines that 'ay between tho two armies, leaving only the create and peaks of the liills glittering in tho early light. About ten o'clock the log began to clear off, and the French saw emerging from tlie white wreaths ot m;st a net glittering in tli© sunshine, tiie countless Pru.-sian. cavalry that were to envelop them if once driven lioiiL their position; the solid columns of infantry that moved forward as if aniinat-d by a single will; tho bristling batteries of the artillery, and the glancing clouds of the Austrian light i'ioops, fresh from their combat with the Spahis of the East."

COWARDS TURNED TO HEROES.

AS'oll might the sight licivo struck terror into Kellerman's brave heart. Against his tmall army was moving a force, 6cve.ll tinns as numerous, of Europe's finest soldiers, seasoned warriors every man of them; while hii own men not only lacked training and discipline, but in every fight so far they had. ehown their backs in flight to tiie enemy without striking a blow. Jiut to-day 'the "uncertain heap of sliriekers and mutineers'' were to be transforced, as by a miracle, into a " phalanxed mass of fighters, very sons of fire, the adroitest, hastiest, hottest ever seen since Attila's time.'' While Kellerman was watching this rabble with keen and anxious eyes, expecting them every moment to turn tail at sight of the farspread battle array moving on to their destruction, to his amazement and delight lie saw them brace themselves for the seemingly hopeless fight like old warriors to whom death was more palatable than fc'.rrrencier. And when ;tho kittle burst in fierce flame each "coward" proved himself a hero. Goethe, who was a spectator of this epoch-making struggle, t lis us how lie rode up to the outworks of La Lune, occupied by the Prussians. " The roofs." he <nys. "were shot to pieces; the corn- : scat •< r< •] .' 1 *•"» ixidies (•'• men mortally .. i stretched upu; them here m.u 1 ■—£i'<J occa.-.or,niiy a spent- <-anti»i:-Wul f.-ll -anti i : .1 afiioi'i- tnvU;:' f. (lie lile 1 ■ Qui!.' ai.'iie 1 iode away fill t'} 1 o ! il'.'S lO tt'e I'h, " i; ' 1 plainly frurve; - the favourable po.-'tion of th© French; they wuo m the form of a semi-circle; Kellerman, who was being attacked, on the left wing. . • I had now arrived quite in tho region whore the balls were playing across me; the sound of thera is curious enough, as if it were composed of the humming of tops, tiho gurglinrr of waters and the whistling of birds. . . Fiercer and fiercer the hatt] e raged, the Frenchmen standing unflinching and impregnable as a rock, while tho Prussian guns hni'led a tempest of shot at them; and, with their own artillery, ploughing deep furrows through the closely-massed enemy. When, after a time, the Prussian lire .slackened Kellerman formed a column in charging order, and dashed down into tho valley; but a marked battery opened such a t e<i'riiic fire on them that their rush was checked, and th-.y were compelled to retreat in some d it-order. Kellerman's horfio was shot under liim. and he was with difficulty carried back to safety. Sow t.ho Prussians, gaining 'heart from the enemy's r. pulse. advanced in UiTn, storming gallantly up the hill. For one. fearful moment the Frencli artillerymen wavered and half turned to fly before the onrushiiig iiost; then, rallying tinder the encouragement of their officers, they poured such a <!eluge of iron into tho Prussians that ill turn 'they wavered and began t,-> fall back. At'this critical moment Kellerman rushed on foot to the front and called on his 1110:1 to charge' with the bayonet; and the troops, lired by his enthusiasm, broke into a thunderous cry, "Vivo la Nation!"' and poured down the hill with the impetuosity of n torrent, sweeping back the Prussians far into the valley, and strewing the ground with hundreds of the fallen. A FORLORN HOPE. At this critical juncture the Prusi/ian King, who had seen with dismay clio flower of his army scattered like chaff before a handful of the despised Frenchmen, rodo aong the re-formed column heaping bitt.r reproaches on their cowardice. "'J myself will lead mil," 110 said, "and wee to tho man who flinches!" Putting himself at the bead of liis troops, he led them to the assault which was to sweep tho canaille out of existence. Put again the Froicli guns swept the oncoming masses with a tornado of .-hot. The Prussians were mown down in hundreds, until once more they had to beat an ignominious ret'i'cat; and when dusk fell 011 tins momentous day the French remained victors on tho Valmy lieights. S.icli was the Ic.-sorr iulniinistered that day to the lioastful Allies that they abandoned all hope of crushing the revolutionary army. For some time they lingered in the Argonne, fearful to advance, until, their numbers wasted !>v sickness, they recK'o sed the frontier, a broken ami disillusioned remnant of the armies that lukl so proudly iet forth a few months earlier on their military promenade to Paris! At tho close of the hatitle Goethe visited the camp of the Allies, where he had many friends. ;-.:i<l found the Prussians terribly crestfallen and subdued. "Most of them." lie says, "were silent, and. in fact, the power of reflation and judgment was wanting to nil. When "they asked me wha\ I thought of tho engagement, I said 'Tn this place, and from this day forth, commences a new era in the world s history; and you can all say that you were pi'< sent at ita birth.' " A new era had commenced, for on that very day France proclaimed herself a Republic. Tier baptism was of blood on the heights of Valmy. Infant though she was. she proved herclf strong enough to drive from tier land two of the great war-nations of

En rone; as to-day, in her maturity. sh« is sweeping them hack over the same ground, and destroying for ever the illusion that to strike at her capital, which is her heart, is a mim " military promenade."