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12 Introduction thereby any especially note-worthy information."18 He also revisited Secretary Seddon and called on Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin, but by far his "most interesting" experience was his conference with Jefferson Davis, who asked him to seek an audience with Emperor Napoleon on behalf of the Confederacy: If the Emperor will free me from the blockade [Davis said] and he will be able to do that with a stroke of the pen, I guarantee him possession of Mexico. We forced this state into submission in the year of 1842 [sic] with about 12,000 men since our soldiers are accustomed to the climate and to the opponent's method of combat. We can still do that at any time, for the dispatching of a corps of some 12,000 to 20,000 men would by no means be difficult for us in return for the advantages of lifting the blockade, which is gnawing at our vital nerve.19 Scheibert promised Davis that he would do all within his power to help. At five o'clock on Thursday morning, August 8, Captain Ross and Captain Scheibert "took the cars" for Charleston, where they again fell in with Frank Vizetelly.20 There the three foreigners shared many interesting and amusing experiences ,21 particularly those caused by shells from the "Swamp Angel," a mighty Federal cannon which continually threw "Greek fire" into the streets.22 Vizetelly and Ross left Charleston for Chattanooga on September 14 and shortly thereafter Scheibert took the train for Wilmington. He spent a week there, inspecting fortifications , fishing, and sailboating in the company of "two 18 Nevertheless, Scheibert wrote Das Zusammen'Wirken der Armee und Marine . .. twenty-seven years later, a volume which evidenced his academic but keen appraisal of amphibious warfare. 19 Mit Schwert und Feder, p. 154. 20 Hoole, pp. 85ff. 21 Ross, pp. 118-120. 22 Vizetelly's sketch and story appeared in Illustrated London News, XLIII, 561-574 (Dec. 5, 1863) and in Harper's Weekly (New York), VIII, 28 (Jan. 9, 1864) ; see also Hoole, p. 91. Vizetelly's remarkable essay, "Charleston Under Fire," was published in Cornhill Magazine, X, 90-110 (July, 1864). Introduction 13 beautiful Carolina women." Toward the end of the month he sailed for Liverpool, which he reached in late October, after having been delayed in Bermuda and Nova Scotia. Upon his arrival in Europe, Scheibert, now a confirmed Confederate, hastened to Paris in hopes of somehow personally delivering President Davis' plea to Emperor Napoleon , but before he could "make all the diplomatic arrangements ," Prince von Radziwill recalled him to Prussia.23 Immediately, Scheibert was ordered to report his observations on the American Civil War, to discuss his views and findings with various Prussian leaders, and to lecture before military organizations.24 In early 1864 he participated in the Austro-Prussian invasion of Schleswig as a member of Field Marshal von Wrangel's staff; in 1866 he fought in the Seven Weeks' War in Bohemia with General von Moltke, who "had learned golden lessons from the American Civil War..." (doubtless from Scheibert); and on August 6, 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, Scheibert was thrice so badly wounded at the Battle of Worth as to be evacuated to his homeland.25 Between 1870 and 1878, now as Major Scheibert, he spent several months recuperating at the castle of General Vogel von Falckenstein, after which he served as post engineer at Posen, Minden, Ciistrin, and other places. In the mid-187'O's he traveled to Tirol, seeking a cure for his wounds. Meantime, Scheibert's interest in the military became more and more academic. In 1878 he resigned his active status in the Prussian Royal Engineer Corps and thereafter devoted his talents and time to military lecturing and authorship. The year before he had contributed an essay on General Robert E. Lee to the Jahrbucher fur die deutsche 23 Mit Schwert und Feder, pp. 154ff. For Scheibert's eulogy on Davis, largely a translation of an address by John W. Daniel, see SHSP, XIX, 406-416 (Dec., 1891). 24 Mit Schwert und Feder, pp. 45ff. At the conclusion of one of Scheibert's lectures before 800 Prussian officers, according to Col. C. S. Venable, the audience stood and "gave three cheers for General Lee" (SHSP, IV, 89, Aug., 1877). 25 Die grosse Reiterschlacht . . . , pp. 178; W. L. Langer (ed.), Encyclopedia of World History (Boston, 1948), p. 683. [3.136.97.64] Project MUSE (2024-04-25...

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