44,9 
IN| Oan dn SS" 
ON 
GERMAN MANCUVRES, 1894. 
BY | 
COLONEL A. H. TURNER, C.B., A.-A.-G., R.A. 
Last autumn I had the privilege of being in the field for about a fort- 
night with the 3lst German Division during its manoeuvres, on the 
ground on which took place the events of the 4th, 5th, and 6th 
August, 1870 in the war between Germany and France, as far as 
the 3rd German Army under the Crown Prince of Prussia and the 
force under Marshal MacMahon were concerned. 
I was present at a night alarm at Weissenburg, followed by a rapid 
march of the troops in and bivouacked round it, to the Geissberg, 
whence they repelled an attack on the far side from the town. Four 
batteries came into action at the “ Drei Pappeln,” on the position taken 
up by the guns which were toilsomely dragged up the heights on the 
4th August, 1870, when it was found that without artillery the brave 
French defenders could not be driven out of the chateau. 
TL also accompanied a brigade pursuing another from Worth to Siilz, 
during which advance I had an opportunity of seeing the fine monument 
to the late Emperor, erected on the spot from which he, as Crown 
Prince, directed his army at the Battle of Worth. MacMahon’s position 
on the opposite heights, marked by the tree, now known as “‘ MacMahon’s 
Baum” is clearly visible to the naked eye. I was also present ab an 
attack on Albrechtshatiserhof and the Niederwald, from the direction of 
Gunstett ; and I witnessed a night attack upon a very strongly posted 
skeleton brigade in the heights between Reichshofen and Hberbach 
by a strong brigade supposed to be advancing from Bitsche and 
Niederbronn. 
The position was about a mile long and was captured about day- 
break. As soon as it was light it became manifest that that had 
happened, which must generally be the case after such an attack. The 
troops of both sides were intermingled in curious confusion, most of 
the position was captured, but the defenders in many portions of it held 
on, long after the troops on either side had been driven far to the rear, 
1 These notes formed the concluding portion of a lecture delivered to the City of London Artillery 
Volunteers on the 8th February, 1895 on the Battles of Weissenburg and Worth, 
9, Vou, Xxit. 61 
