The next day I set out in advance of the headquarters, and reached Bar-le-Duc about noon, passing on the way the Bavarian contingent of the Crown Prince’s army.  These Bavarians were trim-looking soldiers, dressed in neat uniforms of light blue; they looked healthy and strong, but seemed of shorter stature than the North Germans I had seen in the armies of Prince Frederick Charles and General von Steinmetz.  When, later in the day the King arrived, a guard for him was detailed from this Bavarian contingent; a stroke of policy no doubt, for the South Germans were so prejudiced against their brothers of the North that no opportunity to smooth them down was permitted to go unimproved.

Bar-le-Duc, which had then a population of about 15,000, is one of the prettiest towns I saw in France, its quaint and ancient buildings and beautiful boulevards charming the eye as well as exciting deep interest.  The King and his immediate suite were quartered on one of the best boulevards in a large building—­the Bank of France—­the balcony of which offered a fine opportunity to observe a part of the army of the Crown Prince the next day on its march toward Vitry.  This was the first time his Majesty had had a chance to see any of these troops—­as hitherto he had accompanied either the army of Prince Frederick Charles, or that of General Steinmetz—­and the cheers with which he was greeted by the Bavarians left no room for doubting their loyalty to the Confederation, notwithstanding ancient jealousies.

While the troops were passing, Count Bismarck had the kindness to point out to me the different organizations, giving scraps of their history, and also speaking concerning the qualifications of the different generals commanding them.  When the review was over we went to the Count’s house, and there, for the first time in my life, I tasted kirschwasser, a very strong liquor distilled from cherries.  Not knowing anything about the stuff, I had to depend on Bismarck’s recommendation, and he proclaiming it fine, I took quite a generous drink, which nearly strangled me and brought on a violent fit of coughing.  The Chancellor said, however, that this was in no way due to the liquor, but to my own inexperience, and I was bound to believe the distinguished statesman, for he proved his words by swallowing a goodly dose with an undisturbed and even beaming countenance, demonstrating his assertion so forcibly that I forthwith set out with Bismarck-Bohlen to lay in a supply for myself.

I spent the night in a handsome house, the property of an exceptionally kind and polite gentleman bearing the indisputably German name of Lager, but who was nevertheless French from head to foot, if intense hatred of the Prussians be a sign of Gallic nationality.  At daybreak on the 26th word came for us to be ready to move by the Chalons road at 7 o’clock, but before we got off, the order was suspended till 2 in the afternoon.  In the interval General von