September 2, 8 p.m.
Three thousand French soldiers , with five hundred horses , had been driven across the Belgian frontier , and had there surrendered . A gentleman sitting near me , evidently a Frenchman , politely begged me to show him the telegrams . `` Oh , '' said he , `` these are old ones , brought over from the evening papers . Let us look at the front page , '' and , turning the leaves , he pointed to a few lines printed in large letters , `` Sedan , September 2 , 8 p.m. MacMahon 's army has surrendered and laid down its arms . MacMahon is severely wounded , and General Wimpffen has taken command in his place . The capitulation was signed by him . Napoleon has personally surrendered to the Prussian King . ''