3-039-029 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Disarming General Bourbaki's army at the Swiss frontier, 1871. Franco-Prussian War: '...the distressing retreat of the French Army of the East...[Illustration of the scene at Marin, near Travers, showing] some of the French soldiers in the act of laying down their chassepots, and the officers delivering their swords, under the inspection of the Swiss military authorities; while a cart, already laden with the abandoned weapons, is starting for Neufchatel, the chief town of the canton...[The French Army] lost nearly 16,000 men taken prisoners, being closely pursued by Von Werder; and it fell into great confusion. General Bourbaki went mad, left his army, and shot himself at Besançon, but did not die, and is likely to recover. The remains of the troops, under General Clinchamp, were led into Switzerland...the French army, still numbering about 80,000, but in a sad condition, passed into the neutral territory to escape capture by the Germans...It was agreed that the French should be permitted to enter Switzerland, laying down their arms and submitting themselves to the disposal of the Swiss Federal Government...the troops first halted at the village of Travers, where the staff of the Swiss Federal military command was awaiting their arrival'. From "Illustrated London News", 1871.