Sedan

A town of France, department of Ardennes, on the Meuse; it is fortified, and contains an arsenal and several magazines. On July 6, 1641, a victory was gained at La Marfée, near Sedan, by the Count of So is sons and the troops of Bouillon and other French princes over the royal army supporting Richelieu. On August 29-31, 1870, a series of desperate conflicts took place here between the French Army of the North under MacMahon (about 150,000 men), and the greater part of the three German armies, under the king and crown-prince of Pru ia and the crown-prince of Saxony (about 250,000 men), and was brought to a close on September 1, 1870. The battle began with attacks on the French right and left, about 5 A.M. , and was very severe at 2 P.M. At 4 P.M. the Germans remained masters of the field, and the crown-prince of Pru ia announced a complete victory, the chief part of the French army retreating into Sedan. The emperor Napoleon was present during the battle, and, it is said, stood at Iges, near Sedan, exposed for four hours to the German grenades. The impo ibility of further resistance was then evident. The Germans had contracted their circle close around Sedan; their formidable artillery held all the heights, from which they could at pleasure wholly destroy the town and the army, and only 2000 men were in a condition to respond to their commander’s call, and to make a supreme effort to break through the enemy with the emperor, and escape to Montmédy. At first, Gen. de Wimpffen (called to the command when MacMahon was wounded), indignantly rejected the terms offered by the victor, and the emperor had a fruitle interview with Count Bismarck to endeavor to mitigate them. On September 2, 1870, a capitulation of Sedan and the whole army therein was signed by Gens. von Moltke and de Wimpffen, at the chateau of Bellevue, near Frenois. The conflict was principally carried on by the artillery, in which the Germans had the advantage, not only in number (600 to 500), but also in weight, range, and precision. The carnage was awful, and the field the next day was a ma of shattered bones, torn flesh, and colored rags. About 25,000 French prisoners were taken in the battle, and 83,000 surrendered the next day, together with 70 mitraille ures, 400 field-pieces, and 150 fortre guns. About 14,000 French wounded were found lying in the neighborhood, and about 3000 escaped into Belgium and laid down their arms. The great Army of the North ceased to exist. On September 1, the village of Bazeilles was stormed by the Bavarians and burnt, it was said, because the inhabitants fired on the ambulances; many women and children perished. The French denied the provocation. The place had been previously twice bombarded and stormed by the maddened combatants.