stricken；　they　broke　and　fled；　infantry；　cavalry；　and　artillery
  coming　down　the　slope　without　any　pretence　of　formation；　the　French
  hotly　following　and　pouring　in　a　heavy　and　constant　fire　as　the
  fugitives　fled　back　across　the　ravine　toward　Gravelotte。　　With　this
  the　battle　on　the　right　had　now　assumed　a　most　serious　aspect；　and
  the　indications　were　that　the　French　would　attack　the　heights　of
  Gravelotte；　but　the　Pomeranian　corps　coming　on　the　field　at　this
  crisis；　was　led　into　action　by　Von　Moltke；　himself；　and　shortly　after
  the　day　was　decided　in　favor　of　the　Germans。
  When　the　French　guns　opened　fire；　it　was　discovered　that　the　King's
  position　was　within　easy　range；　many　of　the　shells　falling　near
  enough　to　make　the　place　extremely　uncomfortable；　so　it　was　suggested
  that　he　go　to　a　less　exposed　point。　　At　first　he　refused　to　listen　to
  this　wise　counsel；　but　yielded　finallyleaving　the　ground　with
  reluctance；　howeverand　went　back　toward　Rezonville。　　I　waited　for
  Count　Bismarck；　who　did　not　go　immediately　with　the　King；　but
  remained　at　Gravelotte；　looking　after　some　of　the　escort　who　had　been
  wounded。　　When　he　had　arranged　for　their　care；　we　set　out　to　rejoin
  the　King；　and　before　going　far；　overtook　his　Majesty；　who　had　stopped
  on　the　Chalons　road；　and　was　surrounded　by　a　throng　of　fugitives；
  whom　he　was　berating　in　German　so　energetic　as　to　remind　me　forcibly
  of　the　〃Dutch〃　swearing　that　I　used　to　hear　in　my　boyhood　in　Ohio。
  The　dressing　down　finished　to　his　satisfaction；　the　King　resumed　his
  course　toward　Re'zonville；　halting；　however；　to　rebuke　in　the　same
  emphatic　style　every　group　of　runaways　he　overtook。
  Passing　through　Rezonville；　we　halted　just　beyond　the　village；　there
  a　fire　was　built；　and　the　King；　his　brother；　Prince　Frederick
  Charles；　and　Von　Roon　were　provided　with　rather　uncomfortable　seats
  about　it；　made　by　resting　the　ends　of　a　short　ladder　on　a　couple　of
  boxes。　　With　much　anxiety　and　not　a　little　depression　of　spirits　news
  from　the　battle…field　was　now　awaited；　but　the　suspense　did　not　last
  long；　for　presently　came　the　cheering　intelligence　that　the　French
  were　retiring；　being　forced　back　by　the　Pomeranian　corps；　and　some　of
  the　lately　broken　right　wing　organizations；　that　had　been　rallied　on
  the　heights　of　Gravelotte。　　The　lost　ground　being　thus　regained；　and
  the　French　having　been　beaten　on　their　right；　it　was　not　long　before
  word　came　that　Bazaine's　army　was　falling　back　to　Metz；　leaving　the
  entire　battle…field　in　possession　of　the　Germans。
  During　the　excitement　of　the　day　I　had　not　much　felt　the　want　of
  either　food　or　water；　but　now　that　all　was　over　I　was　nearly
  exhausted；　having　had　neither　since　early　morning。　　Indeed；　all　of
  the　party　were　in　like　straits；　the　immense　armies　had　not　only　eaten
  up　nearly　everything　in　the　country；　but　had　drunk　all　the　wells　dry；
  too；　and　there　seemed　no　relief　for　us　till；　luckily；　a　squad　of
  soldiers　came　along　the　road　with　a　small　cask　of　wine　in　a　cart。
  One　of　the　staff…officers　instantly　appropriated　the　keg；　and
  proceeded　to　share　his　prize　most　generously。　　Never　had　I　tasted
  anything　so　refreshing　and　delicious；　but　as　the　wine　was　the
  ordinary　sour　stuff　drunk　by　the　peasantry　of　northern　France；　my
  appreciation　must　be　ascribed　to　my　famished　condition　rather　than　to
  any　virtues　of　the　beverage　itself。
  After　I　had　thus　quenched　my　thirst　the　King's；　brother　called　me
  aside；　and　drawing　from　his　coat…tail　pocket　a　piece　of　stale　black
  bread；　divided　it　with　me；　and　while　munching　on　this　the　Prince
  began　talking　of　his　sonGeneral　Prince　Frederick　Charles；　popularly
  called　the　Red　Princewho　was　in　command　of　the　Second　Army　in　this
  battlethe　German　left　wing。　　In　recounting　his　son's　professional
  career　the　old　man's　face　was　aglow　with　enthusiasm；　and　not　without
  good　cause；　for　in　the　war　between　Prussia　and　Austria　in　1866；　as
  well　as　in　the　present　campaign；　the　Red　Prince　had　displayed　the
  highest　order　of　military　genius。
  The　headquarters　now　became　the　scene　of　much　bustle；　despatches
  announcing　the　victory　being　sent　in　all　directions。　　The　first　one
  transmitted　was　to　the　Queen；　the　King　directing　Count　Bismarck　to
  prepare　it　for　his　signature；　then　followed　others　of　a　more　official
  character；　and　while　these　matters　were　being　attended　to　I　thought　I
  would　ride　into　the　village　to　find；　if　possible；　some　water　for　my
  horse。　　Just　as　I　entered　the　chief　street；　however；　I　was　suddenly
  halted　by　a　squad　of　soldiers；　who；　taking　me　for　a　French　officer
  （my　coat　and　forage　cap　resembling　those　of　the　French）；　leveled
  their　pieces　at　me。　　They　were　greatly　excited；　so　much　so；　indeed；
  that　I　thought　my　hour　had　come；　for　they　could　not　understand
  English；　and　I　could　not　speak　German；　and　dare　not　utter
  explanations　in　French。　　Fortunately　a　few　disconnected　German　words
  came　to　me　in　the　emergency。　　With　these　I　managed　to　delay　my
  execution；　and　one　of　the　party　ventured　to　come　up　to　examine　the
  〃suspect〃　more　closely。　　The　first　thing　he　did　was　to　take　off　my
  cap；　and　looking　it　over　carefully；　his　eyes　rested　on　the　three
  stars　above　the　visor；　and；　pointing　to　them；　he　emphatically
  pronounced　me　French。　　Then　of　course　they　all　became　excited　again；
  more　so　than　before；　even；　for　they　thought　I　was　trying　to　practice
  a　ruse；　and　I　question　whether　I　should　have　lived　to　recount　the
  adventure　had　not　an　officer　belonging　to　the　King's　headquarters
  been　passing　by　just　then；　when；　hearing　the　threatenings　and
  imprecations；　he　rode　up　to　learn　the　cause　of　the　hubbub；　and
  immediately　recognized　and　released　me。　　When　he　told　my　wrathy
  captors　who　I　was；　they　were　much　mortified　of　course；　and　made　the
  most　profuse　apologies；　promising　that　no　such　mistake　should　occur
  again；　and　so　on；　but　not　feeling　wholly　reassured；　for　my　uniform
  was　still　liable　to　mislead；　I　was　careful　to　return　to　headquarters
  in　company　with　my　deliverer。　　There　I　related　what　had　occurred；　and
  after　a　good　laugh　all　round；　the　King　provided　me　with　a　pass　which
  he　said　would　preclude　any　such　mishap　in　the　future；　and　would　also
  permit　me　to　go　wherever　I　pleaseda　favor　rarely　bestowed。
  CHAPTER　XVII
  SEARCHING　FOR　QUARTERSHUNTING　UP　PROVISIONSA　SLENDER　BREAKFAST
  GOING　OVER　THE　BATTLEFIELDTHE　GERMAN　ARTILLERYA　GROUP　OF　WOUNDED…
  …DINING　WITH　THE　KINGON　THE　MARCHTHE　BAVARIANSKIRSCHWASSER
  URGING　ON　THE　TROOPS。
  While　I　was　absent；　as　related　in　the　preceding　chapter；　it　had　been
  decided　that　the　King's　quarters　should　be　established　for　the　night
  in　the　village　of　Rezonville；　and　as　it　would　be　very　difficult；　at
  such　a　late　hour；　to　billet　the　whole　party　regularly；　Count　Bismarck
  and　I　went　off　to　look　for　shelter　for　ourselves。　　Remembering　that　I
  had　seen；　when　seeking　to　water　my　horse；　a　partly　burned　barn　with
  some　fresh…looking　hay　in　it；　I　suggested　that　we　lodge　there。　　He
  too　thought　it　would　answer　our　purpose；　but　on　reaching　it　we　found
  the　unburned　part　of　the　barn　filled　with　wounded；　and　this
  necessitating　a　further　search　we　continued　on　through　the　village　in
  quest　of　some　house　not　yet　converted　into　a　hospital。　　Such；
  however；　seemed　impossible　to　come　upon；　so　at　last　the　Count　fixed
  on　one　whose　upper　floor；　we　learned；　was　unoccupied；　though　the
  lower　one　was　covered　with　wounded。
  Mounting　a　creaky　ladderthere　was　no　stairwayto　the　upper　story；
  we　found　a　good…sized　room　with　three　large　beds；　one　of　which　the
  Chancellor　assigned　to　the　Duke　of　Mecklenburg　and　aide；　and　another
  to　Count　Bismarck…Bohlen　and　me；　reserving　the　remaining　one　for
  himself。　　Each　bed；　as　is　common　in　Germany　and　northern　France；　was
  provided　with　a　feather　tick；　but　the　night　being　warm；　these　spreads
  were　thrown　off；　and　discovering　that　they　would　make　a　comfortable
  shakedown　on　the　floor；　I　slept　there　leaving　Bismarck…Bohlen
  unembarrassed　by　companionshipat　least　of　a　human　kind。
  At　daylight　I　awoke；　and　seeing　that　Count　Bismarck　was　already
  dressed　and　about　to　go　down　the　ladder；　I　felt　obliged　to　follow　his
  example；　so　I　too　turned　out；　and　shortly　descended　to　the　ground
  floor；　the　only　delays　of　the　toilet　being　those　incident　to
  dressing；　for　there　were　no　conveniences　for　morning　ablutions。　　Just
  outside　the　door　I　met　the　Count；　who；　proudly　exhibiting　a　couple　of
  eggs　he　had　bought　from　the　woman　of　the　house；　invited　me　to
  breakfast　with　him；　provided　we　could　beg　some　coffee　from　the　king's
  escort。　　Putting　the　eggs　under　my　charge；　with　many　injunctions　as
  to　their　safe…keeping；　he　went　off　to　forage　for　the　coffee；　and
  presently　returned；　having　been　moderately　successful。　　One　egg
  apiece　was　hardly　enough；　however；　to　appease　the　craving　of　two
  strong　men　ravenous　from　long　fasting。　　Indeed；　it　seemed　only　to
  whet　the　appetite；　and　we　both　set　out　on　an　eager　expedition　for
  more　food。　　Before　going　far　I　had　the　good　luck