THE WRECK OF BOURBAKI'S ARMY

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 804, 25 April 1871, Page 3

THE WRECK OF BOURBAKI'S ARMY

Throughout tlie war campaign in «ance the utter disorganization of the °Me splendid French army has fur«ied means for regret and comment. Officers seem incapable of taking care « their men, and the rank and file m lost, their dash and elan, for ™ich they have been celebrated throughout Europe. The last catas-wophe--the surrender of Bourbalu's TT~^ 3 escr^ by a correspondent '"the most graphic manner. It is a painful recital, and will excite pity in JJ who read it. The writer dates his jnununication from Lausanne, and, , er some preliminary observations, to, J !*T" One morning, the Swiss heard m 8 0.000 French had crossed the Km during the night, and much ■™«y was felt as to whether the Ert! o° uld yield their arms ' whe - K r the Swiss would fire upon them if EnM USed ' wbeth er the Prussians E 8 " V Ursue ' or whether in many WW Switzerland might not find herEal 7 awkwardl y situated. The arKf.ii a .troop of French cavalry on ■f ""owing afternoon put an end to If BUriai ßings, and explained much

that we had before thought very wonderful. The horses seemed scarcely able to stand. They were undersized and half-famished. The legs were knotted and swollen ; the tails and manes of many were rotted away j the long shaggy hair of their ungroomed coats matted with dirt. The riders were warmly clothed in large overcoats, and, what seems to be nearly universal among officers and men of all arms, the broad-peaked cap. It was the general opinion among the lookers-on that ten well-mounted heavy cavalry men would have ridden over the whole 200. On inquiry, I found these were really old soldiers, and the next day I recognized the uniform, often seen in Paris, of the Gendarmerie. Day after day infantry poured into the town, the intervals between the arrival of the large bodies being filled by stragglers in every stage of exhaustion. They came slowly in, shuffling along, with hanging heads, sunken cheeks, and starting eyes. Such a multitude of famished, weary, footsore, ragged, and sickly human beings was surely never gathered together. Those unable to march came in by train. I have seen poor in London and beggars in Egypt, but never such wholesale miserv" as was here. Hundreds of poor fellows, their uniforms torn to rags, limped past. The feet and hands of nearly all were frost-bitten, causing the greatest pain. On many a face incipient fever had begun its ravages; many would never march again. In all, the shrunk features and crouching gait told of gnawing hunger, while the deep cough and hoarse voice bore witness to long nights spent on snow and frozen ground. Some had tied bits of wood uuder their bare feet, to protect them from the stones; others wore wooden salots ; hundreds had no socks, and when they had, they were merely of thin cotton; others, who appeared well shod, would show a soleless or heelless boot, the exposed part of the foot once frozen, being now a wound crusted with dirt. For weeks none had washed, or changed their clothes, or removed their boots. Nothing but hurried march and countermarch. Their hands were blacker than any African's. Some had lost their toes, the limbs of others were so frozen that every movement was agony. The men stated that for three days they had had neither food nor fodder served out to them, and that before that they often got only one loaf between eight men. Now it was understood how Werder, with some 30,000 men, resisted Bourbaki's force of more than 100,000; and small credit to hiji!

There is but one feeling now in Switzerland—that it is contemptible to fight such poor wretches and boast of victory afterwards. One Swiss soldier very aptly described the campaign as wolves chasing a flock of mangy sheep. But if there is indignation against the Prussians, there is yet more against a Government who could send forth an army in the depth of one of the severest winters known with mere summer clothing, and without regular supplies of food and fodder. The trousers of the men are of thin cloth, often so rotten as to rend on the least strain, while the soles of their boots are stuffed with brown paper, specimens of which are in the hands of the authorities here. Both officers and men complain bitterly of their chiefs and of the heads of departments. They tell of Generals without Staffs, of officers who had never fired a shot, and of general imcompetence; of days without food and nights spent in the bitter cold, none daring to light a fire for fear of attracting the shot of their pursuing enemy. As the long columns toiled wearily through the villages, defiling from the Jura passes—choked deep with snow—upon the Lake of Geneva, the inhabitants everywhere turned out with literally 'their all' to supply their wants. As regiment after regiment of tottering, starving men passed into Lausanne, it was a sight to make a strong man weep to see rich and poor, young and old, distributing to their necessities- ; while rugged hard ill-tavored faces broke out in sunny smiles as though ministering angels had met them amid scenes of death and murdt r. Here were market women, who on other days are wont to haggle over a centime, eagerly emptying their stalls; there were people rushing into shops and returning laden with loaves, rolls, biscuits, chocolate, or cigars, The particularly ragged might be seen carrying some article of clothing just received, nr a glimpse might be caught of the grateful look of joy, more than reward to the giver, as some poor fellow, with torn feet got a pair of warm socks. The poorest women came put with steaming cans of tea and coffee, and almost every house v*as ready with soup. There is much to the credit of the men. They had all, tired as they were, brought in their blankets, knapsacks, and other kit. None asked for anything ; what was offered they took, eagerly not greedily. I never saw a man try to get more than his one cigar or roll, though in the press and hurry it would have been easy for him to snatch several. It was also remarkable that, as a rule, none would take till actually held out to him individually. One case was especially sad. A fine legion of volunteers had begun a campaign full of hope on tbe 7th of January—all self-supporting men; on the 7th of February they were beggars in the streets of Lausanne. Since their arrival, these troops have been quiet and well-behaved, and have shown themselves deeply conscious < f the kindness they have received. The churches have been cleared, and straw

laid down for their reception. During the day those who are well roam about at largo, but inside lay many sick and maimed. Fresh linen and flannel and socks are supplied by Committees, and warm baths are offered all day long. In the churches ladies sit mending tattered garments, bathing frozen feet, writing letters, or supplying little delicacies for the sick. Soldiers, with tears in their eyes, tell you it is ' magnifique"