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VOL. XIV NO. 40.
PHILADELPHIA, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1870.
DOUBLE SHEET THREE CENTS.
IL irwui
FIRST EDITION
THE WAR IN EUROPE.
The Latest Situation.
The French Movement
From the Bloselle to the IVZeuso
The Prussians HarassingTheir Rear
The Ramparts of Paris.
The Moielle.the Heuse.and the Argonnes
The Latest Advices by Mail.
About in the French Camp.
The Emperor at Metz.
The Neutral Powers and Policy.
I3tc, Ktc. Etc.. Ctc. Etc.
TXIX2 SITUATION.
THE RECENT BATTLES.
toafllrtloc Keporiaof Threel Days' Fighting
In the Neighborhood of Met The Grund
.llovemeut of the French from the Moselle to
he Arute.
For tbrcc days past fighting between the two
hostile armies baa been going on within 175
utiles of Pari., and Paris in as much in the dark
about thceiaet locality and result of the battles
as if they bad not yet been fought. In the
Corps Leglelatlf yesterday afternoon Deputy
Keller called attention to this fact, and the only
satisfaction received from Count de Palikao,
the Minister of War, was to the effect that the
Prussians had been checked several times, and
were retiring towards Coiniaercy. Now Com
mercy is situated on the Memo, some 15 miles
west of Toul, at the point where the river is
wroeecd by the railroad from Paris to Strasburg;
and If the Prussians are retiring towards that
point, they have not only succeeded in getting
the French west of the Moselle, but are actually
in possession of a portion of the line of the
Meuse. The Paris tlauloi refers to the battle
of Sunday as the ''battle of Lougueville," which
is about 15 miles still further west of Comercy,
some miles west of the river AUue, and almost
on the banks of the Marne! Indeed, the Paris
rresiw of yesterday declares that the army of
the Crown Prince, after the battle with
MacMahon at Woertb, advanced as far as Bar
le-Duc, a few miles west of Lougueville, and
almost on the Marne, and but 125 miles from
Paris. The Prefect of the Meuse also corrobo
rates this far advance of the Prussians, by
Hating that he has destroyed a portion of the
Paris and Strasburg Rail way in the neighborhood
cif Bar-le-Duc, towards which a body of German
1'hlans were seen marching from Comercy.
The most, and indeed tbe only, circumstantial
account as yet received of the battle of Sunday,
the 14th, states that
"It was on!y a semblance of success or s mitiga
tion of disaster. The Germans having cut oil' ail
railway coinirunicatlou with Metz, lia.uliit) com
menced to retreat across the MijjhIId, and proposed
to loilow the ordinary high roail towards Verdun.
"When half the army was across the river he was
surprised and attacked by a large force of the
enemy, wbo, after four hours' lighting, were re
pulsed with great loss. From appearances the Prus
sians once more outgeneraled the French, and got
around in great force to tbe side of the river by
winch Eazaiue meant to retire, aud checked his
retreat."
Despatches from King William to the Queen
J of Prussia render it certain that a battle was
fought on Monday, the 15th, directly In front of
Metz, in which the French were repulsed and
driven Inside ot the fortifications. Tie Paris
Tresse of yesterday, however, speaks of a move
ment of MacMahon from MeU towards Verdun
and Cbalons, intended to prevent the army of
Prince Frederick Charles from cutting the com-
munication between himself and Bazaine, and
addsjthat, before he reached Longuevllle,
1 the corps of L'Admlrault and De Caen encoun
jT tered the army, the battle of Monday resulting.
l Prussian accounts of Monday's fighting refer to
V an attempt on the part of L'Admlrault to flank
I tbe 1st Corps of the Prussians, commanded by
funeral von .MauteuHel, from all of which we
are forced to infer that the fighting on Monday
extended all the way from MeU to the neigh
borhood of Lougueville, a distance of about fifty
miles, although the contest along this
-icxienueu uuo was prouaoiy not
a simultaneous one. While by Kins
William's bulletins of Monday's battle, we
f are assured that the Prussians were victorious,
the sub-prefect of Verdun forwards to Paris re-
' ports of a Prussian defeat between Metz and
Verdun, with a loes of 40,000 (tic), followed by
a retreat towards the boutb, and the correspon
dent of the Londoa Daily Xetcs alleges lb-it the
result of the battle of that day was to force the
Germans back to tbe Moselle.
Tbe fighting waa continued yesterday, and as
we write we are in receipt oi a caoie telegram
A from Paris which states that ''there is no doubt
tara ngnung nas oeen going on since Saturday
last, the French being engaged la a great
fctrategieal movement Involving a series of en-
gagemeuts." This movement is probably an
attempt to transfer the entire French army,
with the exception of the garrison of Metz, from
tbe line of the Moselle to tbat of the Meuse; and
.1 ! 1 1' A I. . .
bm uie raiinajr nuiu nou tu tciuuu is ltji yet
completed, and the parallel line to the south
from Paris to Strasburg has been destroyed at
several points, and at others is in possession of
the Prussians, between Jrouard and Com
mercy, the French are obliged to
move their troops without railway ap
pllances, thereby permitting tne enemy
y to harass their rear at every step. A running
light has apparently been kept up for tbe past
S three days, extending all the way from Metz to
t Coinmercy; and while the 1 rench may have
uucccciled ;n reulaiug the Praiiiu at isolated
points along the line, there is little doubt that
they have received the worst of the contest
thus far. If they should be able to ' give
the invaders a signal repulse,
they would be at liberty to complete their at
tempted movement and strengthen thair new
position before a general engagement could be
brought about. But in case this continual fire
in the rear is kept up with almost unvarying
success by the Prussians, the danger is great
that the westward movement of the French will
assume the character of a rout, and
the demoralization resulting be so
great as to prevent them from making a stand
east of the defenses of Paris. The two armies
are at present operating in a section of country
completely encircled by railroads, but not inter
sected by them, and all the telegraphs having
been cut, communication with either force is
extremely difficult and tbe news correspondingly
meagre and unsatisfactory.
FBEXCII LINES OF DEFENSE.
The Nntirnl Raniparte of Parls-The Lines of
the Moselle, the ftleuae nod tbe Argonnea, nod
tbe Network of Rivera to the Kaat of Parle.
On the 14th it was announced that Count de
Falikao, the new Premier and Minister of War,
had issued an address to the troops, in the
course of which, after blaming for firing too
quick and wasting their ammunition at Weis
senburg, he
"Reminds the soldiers that they are now on the
grand line or defense from Thionville to Metz and
Nancy, and they must hold their ground. Back of
that is the line or the Meuse; then the Argonnes;
then the line or rivers illustrated by the campaign of
1814, and behind all this is Paris, and behind Paris Is
all France, with four millions of armed men and a
thousand millions of treasure."
A review of these "lines within lines" will
not be uninteresting at the present crisis.
The Line of the ftloaelle.
The line of defense from Thionville to Metz
and Nancy, which has already been abandoned
by the Emperor, is based on the river Moselle,
which rises in the southeast corner of the De
partment of Vosges, flows first in a general
northerly direction post Remlremont, Epinal,
Toul, Frouard, Pont-a-Mousson,Metz,land Thion
ville; and then, verging towards :the north
east, separating the Duchy of Luxemburg from
Rhenish Prussia, passing Treves near Its conflu
ence with the Soar, and finally emptying into
the Rhine on the left of Coblentz. Its total
length is 828 miles, and it Is navigable up to its
confluence with the Meurthe near FrouarJ.
Ascending the stream towards the south, we
encounter just within French territory the small
walled town of Sierck, which has already fallen
into the hands of the Prussians. The next place
of consequence is Thionville, eleven miles to the
southwest, with a population of 9000 souls. It
is strongly fortified, and bus been tbe headquar
ters of the extreme left of the French army from
the outset of the war.
Seventeen mllcB to the south, and 170 cast of
Paris, is Metz, in close proximity to which were
fought the battles of the 14th and loth, the most
formidable stronghold in all France, and a place
tbat has never surrendered or Buffered a hostile
army to enter its gates. Of the situation, his
tory, and defenses of this city we have already
given full details.
A little to the east of south, and fifteen miles
distant, is Pont-a-Mousson, an unfortified town
of about 8000 inhabitants, which has figured
conspicuously In the cable reports during the
past few days, having been first occupied by the
Prussians on the 12th for a short time, and being
again reported in their possession. At this p'sce
the Moselle is crossed by a fine stone bridge of
eight arches, which has probably been destroyed
by the I rench.
Ten miles south of Pont-a-Mousson Is the
village of Frouard, at the point where the rail
road to Metz branches off from the main line
between Paris and Strasburg, and near the con
fluence of the Meurthe with the Moselle. After
the evacuation of Nancy by the French, and Its
occupation by the Prussians en the 13th, Frouard
fell into the enemy s hands, and a portion of the
railroad to the west of it was destroyed, thereby
cutting off MacMahon s communications with
Metz by the most direct route.
The course of the Meurthe Is to the southeast,
and five miles from Frouard, and twenty-nine
directly south of Metz, is Nancy, one of the
finest provincial cities of France, with a popu
lation of nearly 50,000, and an interesting his
tory, which we have already given at length
For a long time considered indispensable to the
security of the line of the Moselle, It was held
by the French until the 13th, when MacMahon,
having concentrated his army around it on his
retreat from the disastrous field of Wocrth,
abandoned the city to the advancing army of
the Prussians.
Ten miles southwest of Frouard, and twelve
miles west of Nancy, is situated the strongly
fortified town of Toul, with a population of
about WOO. It is on the left bank of the Mo
selle, and may be regarded as the i outhern
point of the defensive line of the Moselle. The
railroad from Paris to Strasburg passes through
it, but the I rench have lost their communica
tions with Toul by this road, the
Prussians having destroyed it near Frou
' ard, while they themselves have done
the tame In the neighborhood of Bar-le-Duc and
Commercy, to the west. On forsaking Nancy,
McMahon continued to hold Toul, and on the
afternoon of the 14th, when a demand for its
surrender was made by an advanced party of
200 Prussian Uhlans, the garrison declined to
surrender. Toul has long been regarded as a
military point of great value, and its fortifica
tions were strengthened by Vauban, but of late
years it has dwindled in importance by reason
of the overshadowing strength of Metz.
Even if the French continue to hold posses
sion of Metz, their recent movements have been
such as to render
The Uoo of the Meuae
their most reliable barrier against the Prussian
advance at present. It is based on the river
Meuse, which takes its rise in the Department
of JIaute-Marue, near the fortified town of
Langres. Its general course is a little to the
west of north. Traversing tbe Department of
Voegee, it disappears under ground near
Bazoillee, reappearing near Neuf chateau.
4 miles distant. Then passing Commercy, Ver
dunwhere It becomes navigable Niezleres
and Civet, in France, it traverses Belgium and
Holland, and enters the North Sea by three
principal, mouths, after a total course of 431
miles. Its general course in French territory is
almost parallel with that of the Moselle, at a
distance of about SO miles to the west.
About thirty miles due west from Metz, on
the railroad from that point to Rhelms
not yet completed east of the city is
titualtd Verdun, tl i.onheru poiU of the de
fensive lino of the Meuse. Verdun is directly
on the Meuse, has a population of about 15,000,
and is regarded as a fortress of considerable
strength. In 1793 it was bombarded and taken
by the Prussians, but restored to the Freneh
after the battle of Valmy. During the old Na
poleonic wars, it was at one time a place of
detention for English prisoners, from which now
and then incredible escapes were made.
About 35 miles 8. S. E. of V erdun is Commer
cy, a town of some 3500 inhabitants, on the
raitjo.id from Paris to Strasburg. It was found
worthy of a siege in 1544 by Charles V, but at
preecnt is of no intrinsic Importance.
The fortified town of Toul, already referred
to, is brought by a sudden detour in the Mo
selle and the Meuse within 10 miles of the latter
stream, and thus becomes essentially the south
ern point in the line of the Meuse, as it is in the
line of the Moselle. The abandonment of Toul
by the French will, in fact, render the line of
the Meuse of but little avail as a barrier against
the advance of the enemy, and as it is about 40
miles in length, it is doubtful if Napoleon will
be able to man so extended a line in a manner
that will oppose any material resistance to the
Prussians.
The result of the fighting during the past
three days will probably determine his aoillty
to make a stand on the line of the Meuse; and,
if he is driven from it, with Verdun and Toul
at its extremes, the next barrier is
The I Jne of the Argonnea,
an elevated plateau about 10 miles in average
width, and still covered in some parts with dense
wood. It extends from the neighborhood of
Toul to that of Niezleres, a distance of about
100 miles, and separates the basin of the Meuse
from that of the Alsnc. This plateau is invari
ably counted on as one of the ramparts of the
French capital. In 1792, after their capture of
Verdun, the Prussians under the Duke of Bruns
wick crossed it, but only to sustain a signal de
feat by Kellerman and Dumourlcz at Volmy,
on the 21st of September, the result of which
was their expulsion from France.
The Network of Rivera Jutit Eaat of Pari,
comprising the Alsne, the Olsc, the Marne, and
many smaller streams, is that referred to by
Count de Talikao as having been illustrated by
the campaign of 1814. The fortified towns scat
tered through this section of the country are
those on whJch Napoleon must depend to repel
the invaders if they succeed in crossing the
plateau of the Argonnes after driving him back
of the Meuse.
The principal bulwark is that of Chalons, 90
miles east of Paris, on the railway to Strasburg,
and on the rignt bank of the river Marne, a
confluent of the Seine, which at this point is
crossed by a fine stone bridge. It has at present
a population of about 45.000 only, although
early in the Christian era it was one of the most
important commercial cities of Europe, and
during the times of the Merovingian kings is
said to have had a population of 00,000 souls.
It is enclosed by old walls, and derives its pre
sent importance not because of its intrinsic
military strength, but from the fact that it is the
point which has been selected by Napoleon as
his grand training camp.
1 he camp of Chalons, which is about fifteen
miles distant by rail from the city, and is situ
ated on the vast plain of Mourmelon, is not,
properly speaking, an intrenched camp, as it is
sometimes called, but rather an enormous mili
tary rendezvous, made np chiefly of barracks
and other unfortified buildings necessary lor the
housing and instruction in the art of war of
large levies of raw recruits. The camp works
include artillery, infantry and cavalry barracks,
all permanent, as well as the headquarters,
magazines, administrative departments, hospi
tals, coffee-houses and restaurants. Among
the other appliances of the camp
are a theatre, a street railway,
and works for furnishing plentiful supplies of
water and gas. In short, Chalons has bcen,evcr
since the accession of Napoleon III, a vast mili
tary colony, in which all the arts of life were
carried on, as well as instruction in the art of
war. Within itself, therefore, it possesses no
material strength, but its position is an advan
tageous one, and when it comes to the worst a
determined stand will be made by the Emperor
in its locality, to keep the invaders from the
gates of the capital.
Twenty-five miles northwest of Chalons, and
about eighty miles E. N. E. of Paris, and the
centre of railroads diverging to all points of the
compass, is situated the important city of
Rhelms, with a population of about 60,000. It
is located in an extensive basin, surrounded by
slopes which are covered by vineyards. It is
surrounded with a wall flanked with towers,
tbe ramparts being nearly three miles in circuit
and planted with trees, forming a
splendid promenade. Philip Augustus
was consecrated here in 1179,
and all his successors have been also, np to the
time of the Revolution of 1830, with the excep
tion of Henry IV, the first Napoleon, and Louis
XVIII. It is renowned for having maintained its
liberties against the Bishops during the Middle
Ages. While at present it is not a place of any
considerable military strength, a struggle will
be required before it falls into Prussian hands,
unless the eastward movement of Napoleon
should soon assume the character of a mere rout.
If the Emperor should be so hard pressed as
to be compelled to fight the enemy in the neigh
borhood of Chalons or Rhelms, a victory will be
absolutely necessary to save the capital and his
throne. The fortifications of Paris are regarded
as impregnable, but such would be likely to
prove the case only in the event of the people
of Paris being more determined upon repelling
the invader than upon getting rid
of a tyranical and imbecile ruler
at any cost. The recent demonstrations
in the city have developed an extremely bitter
feeling against the whole Bonaparte family,
which, in case of an advance upon the capital
by the enemy, would probably become so power
ful as to overthrow the last vestiges of Corsican
misrule.
WAR NEWS BIT MAIL.
NEUTRALITY.
Koaain aad the War A Prenoaed Neutral
League.
Frmn lite Eaatera Budget, .
"Within the last few days the policy of the
Russian Government in the war seems to have
undergone a remarkable change. In the begin
ning, as I reported to you at tbe time, Prince
Gortscbakoff's organ, the Journal de at. Peters
bourg, was strongly in favor of Prussia. It began
to alter Its tone on the 22d, when it contained an
article highly praising the patriotism of the
French Chamber, and on the day after it pub
lished a communique, sUJog that General
Fleury had received special directions from the
Emperor Napoleon to remain at St. Petersburg,
and that this incident proves the desire of the
Russian and French Cabinets to continue on the
same amicable terms as before. The same
intelligence had been published in pre
cisely the same form by the Exchange
Gazette four or five days previously, and
there is little doubt that this tardy reproduction
of the news in the semi-official paper was not
accidental. As to the declaration ot neutrality,
which was also proclaimed on that day, it is
rather a step in favor of France than otherwise,
for it had been hitherto assumed as a matter of
course tbat Russia would fight by the side of
Prussia. Since then the Journal de St. Peters
bourg, like the other papers, has entirely come
over to the French side. Another semi-official
paper, the Goloss, after severely condemning
Prussia for its arrogance, says that Russia de
sires her humiliation, but not her ruin, and that
Prussia ought to be greatly obliged to Russia
for her neutrality, as, if the latter power used
it, she might annihilate Prussia without herself
drawing the sword. All she would have to do
is to declare herself on the side ot France; this
would compel King William to send half his
army to the eastern frontier, and place him at
the mercy of his enemies in the West.
AT 3IETZ.
The Arrival of the Imperial Cortege The Re
reiaton Accorded the Emperor and the
Infant.
A correspondent of the New York Times gives
the following graphic description of the recep
tion of Napoleon and the Prince Imperial at
Metz on the 28th of July:
Tbe Imperial train arrived at precisely CJ.
The Emperor was received on the platform by
the Prefect of the Department of the Moselle,
Marshal Le Basuf, Minister of War, Marshal
Bazaine, who had come from Boulay during the
day, and a number of officers and gentlemen.
The Kmperor at once stepped into the open
barouche which was waiting for him at the sta
tion, and the procession left the court-yard. It
was led by four Cent Gardes, after whom came
three outriders in buckskin breeches and green
and gold liveries, followed by seventeen Cent
Gardes, looking (superb with their sky-blue uni
forms, gold-lace facings, magenta and gold sad
dle coverings, and powerful dark-bay horses.
They were followed by a grand outrider who
preceded the Imperial carriage, while the Em
peror and Marshal Le Bocuf, attired as Generals
of Division, were seated on the back seat facing
General Vaubert de Genlis and General Bour
baki, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial
Guard, which constitutes the 8th Corps of the
Army of the Rhine. M. Raimbeaux rode
beside tbe carriage. The second car
riage contained the Prince Imperial, wear
ing the uniform of a Lieutenant in
the Voltigeurs of the Guard, having on his left
Prince Jerome Napoleon, and in frent Generals
Lasalle and Decain. In the third carriage was
Marshal Bazaiue; In the fourth, General de la
Franconnlere, the Prince Napoleon's Aid-de-Camp,
and M. Corvisart, the Emperor's medical
attendant; and in the fifth were the Prefect
and other gentlemen. A body of seventy-five
Cent Gardes followed the Prince Imperial's car
riage. Contrary to all the reports which have lately
been spread respecting the EmDeror's health,
his Majesty looked remarkably well, and were
it not tbat he is somewhat stouter than when he
left Paris, in 1859, to join the French army, the
ordinary spectator wouia not nave detected a
great difference in his general appearance-
ana yet mere was a ainerence for eleven years
aero, when he passed alone the Boulevards on
his way to the railway station, be was seated
erect in his carriage, bowing every minute
in recognition of the cries of "Vive
l'Fmpereur!" which greeted him at every
step. ixow, nowever, ne leaned back
in his carriage, and the mere lifting of his kepi
from his head seemed to fatigue him. The
Prince Imperial made ample amends for his
father's apparent lassitude, for he continued
bowing to the people, without intermission, all
through the town. The young Prince, who
bears a striking likeness to bis mother, looks
very delicate ana m awe to support the fatigue
Di a cauijjiuu. j. no reception wnicn lie re
ceived was even more enthusiastic than that of
his father.
THE FRENCII CAMP.
Edinond About nt the Front Ilia View, of the
French Cnmp-Persecution of Joornallata.
Edmond About, the distinguished French
writer, for whose safety grave fears have been
lately entertained, but who has finally turned up
safe, addressed the following letter to the Paris
8oir, dated "From the extreme frontier, July
31:"
People speak from habit of the licentiousness
of camps. The word licentiousness continues
part of the language, but It is no longer a part
of our practice. I am in the camp; I am not
purblind, and I have seen nothing like licenti
ousness. It is a characteristic of memory to out
live reality, and to hand it down long after it
has ceasea to exist, up to tne last ceatury,
when wars lasted many years, there was a long
interval between two campaigns which must be
filled up somehow; the soldier must not feel
ennui, or he gets ill. A regiment of girls was
brought to the camp. Comedy began. Recollect
Marshal de Saxe and Madame Favart in the first
place. French officers do not like to amuse
themselves without their soldiers. The trooper.
therefore, had his "dears." Prlvato Tulipe
and Sargcant Ramee divided the favors of
Jeanneton, while the strapping fellows of the
staff courted Cclimene. They indulged in a
liberty of language and manner which astonished
the nation somewhat, although the nation was
anvthiner but prudish. Now. tbe aspect of a
camp is serious, not to say severe. Men who
sleep, well or ill, under their tents awake in the
fresnness of tbe morning, and the mornings are
almost cold. They dress, take coffee, and pile
arms; every one is busy; there is no time for
ennui or meiancnoiy. reverai soiuiers are
reading or writing, by which you see tbat the
1 , C 1 . . I 1 I 1
average icvui ui inBiruuuuu uius ueeu raibeu.
Here ana mere you may near a errosa
expression, but you also of ten hear a bit of plea
santry in gooa taste as snarp as it is oroad. lne
very Arabs, those Turcos who so terrify the
Germans, conduct themselves like civilized men.
I visited yesterday a body of 4000 of these native
sharpshooters. All the neighboring village was
walking through their tents, and were not in the
least shocked. Sometimes at tbe sight of a
pretty Lorralner, or a blonde Alsatian, white as
a drop of milk, a fire sparkles in the eye of the
African, he opens his mouth and exhibits thirty
two teeth which would gladly crunch the pullet
as they crunch the Government biscuits; but this
is all. The women ore not over frlghteued at
this natural homage, and are, perhaps, even
pleased with It.
There is little or no marauding. The standing
crops which surround these cities of the canvas
are generally respected. But the soldiers are
often shamefully cheated bv tbe small traders.
They sometimes pay three sous for a piece of
bread which is worth only one, and are charged
for a vellow colored and bitter water the same
price as for me excellent beer of the Grand
Balcon. They have never taken their revenge,
It is an exceptional case when they borrow
potatoes from the neighboring fields. They
are far from any town, the communications
are difficult; perhaps the officer has said
to his men somewhat imprudently,
"Scatter yourselves abroad." All is fair
to a man who U allowed to scatter himself
abroad, and who has to depend on himself, but
they use, and do not abuse. 1 visited an en
campment with the Mayor of a village. lie spied
In tbe pot potatoes the size of nuts which be
plane J for his own Ube. "Well, my boys, whre
have you bought these curious potatoes?" "Mo!
I got mine from Lyons." "I bad mine from
Marseilles." "And I purchased mine in Lor
raine to save the cost oi carriage." "But we in-
ture no one, the Emperor will be here soon, and
ie will pay everybody." "No, I will not have
him pay; his expenses are too heavy this year,
but if you will accept a check on the King of
Prussia" and this remark produced general
laughter. The good-hearted Mayor replied,
"Come, and I will show you a field where the
potatoes are riper. Take what yon want, but do
not waste. I prefer that my potatoes should be
eaten by brave fellows like you than by those
beggarly Germans."
lne rigorous measures against the journalists
are pitiful. If Marshal Le Boeuf continues in
tbis mood the army will suffer more than we.
The reception we have experienced ever since
tbe commencement ot tne campaign sbows that
the officers do not despise a free press, the only
possible medium between the nation on the
march and the nation in suspense. My resolu
tion is taken. If I am refused the commission
of interpreter which I have asked from the 1st
Division of the 5th corps, i shall wait on the
frontier for the abrogation of an illiberal and
vexatious measure, which the force of things
and the wishes of the people equally condemn.
An order from headquarters is circulating from
mouth to mouth. We are to cross the f rvatier
to-morrow in spite of the storm that is raging.
Thunder to-day; cannon to-morrow.
SAARBRUCK.
General
Froaaard'a Official Report of the
liaule of Auau.t
The following is General Frossard's report of
the battle of Saarbruck, August 2, made to the
Emperor:
Sire:I have the honor to report to your Malestv
the movements effected this day by the 2d Army
Corps, in pursuance of your orders to take posses
sion oi tnu positions on tne leit DanK oi tne saar,
whlcn command the heights of Saarbrueken. Gen
eral Bataille s divlHlon, supported on the right by
that of General Laveaucoupet, and one of the
twelve pounder batteries of the reserve, and on the
left by the first brigade of the division of General
Verge, with a second battery of twelve-pounders,
formed the first line. General Bastoul, en
camped at Spfcheren, and entrusted with
the duty of directing the movement on our
right, was ordered to send two battalions to occupy
the village of SU Arnual and the heights above it.
whilst the remainuer oi nis Drigaue, crossing the
ravine in front of Spichercn, was to make a front
attack on the positions to the right of the road from
Forbaeh to Saarbrueken. The other brigade of the
Butallle division was to move on to the position
known as the exercising ground. Three squadrons
of the 6th Mounted Chasseurs preceded it to clear
the way. Finally, Colonel Du Ferron, of tho 4th
Mounted Chasseurs, with two battalions of the 1st
Brigade of the Verge Division, was to push on a re
connoissanoe to Gucrswiller, to connect the move
ment of the 2d Corps with that of Marshal Dazalne.
The troops left their bivouacs between 9
and 10 o'clock. Lieutenant-Colonel Thebeaudin,
with two battalions of his regiment (the 67th), in
advancing to the attack of the village of St. Arnual,
found it strongly occupied and defended by batteries
of position planted on the right bank of the Saar
To demolish this artillery, General Mieheler, whose
brigade had como forward to support the move
ment of General Bastoul, ordered into action a
battery of the 15th Regiment, which effectually
opened fire on the Prussian guns. Supported by a
battalion oi tne win uegunenioi me une, ana uy tne
company of sappers and miners of the 3d Division,
materially assisted by the tlank movement of Colonel
Mangin, who, with the remainder of the 6Tth Regi
ment, asu tne outn itegiment, oescenueu tne Heights
on the left, Lieutenant-Colonel Thebandln was able
to carry the village of St. Arnual, and occupied It
with a battalion of the 40th Regiment, and the com
pany of Sappers and Miners. The battalions of the
tilth, with great elan, rushed np the slopes of the
hillock of St. Arnual, and established themselves on
the crest, opposite Saarbrueken. The 66th, with
equal resolution, took possession of the heights up
to the exercising ground, drivlug the enemy from ail
his positions. At the same time General Uataillo
rapidly moved bis first brigade to the rising ground
on tne left of the Saarbrueken road, connecting his
movement with that of his second brigade by ad
vancing a battalion of the 83d Regiment. Advanc
ing in line the battalions of the 23d and 8th Regi
ments, their front covered by numerous skirmishers,
resolutely carried the many ravines which run across
the ground, which Is very difficult and thickly
wooded. One battalion ot the 8th Regiment, work
ing Its way across the woods, followed the railway
as far as the village of Frotrany, where it effected
its junction with the other battalions of the regi
ment, and together they attacked the exercising
ground of the right. On gaining the heights
General Bataille planted one of his batteries in front
of the lines of the 66th Regiment, and another on the
exercising ground, to Ore on the railway Btatlon and
silence the enemy's artillery, which had taken up a
position on tne leit oi saarurucKen. it was uname
to sustain our lire, and had to fall back. Tbe Im
pounder battery of the reserve was ordered by me to
support the fire of the batteries on the exercising
ground and finally a battery of mitrailleuses of the
2d Division threw into utter disorder the enemy's co
lumns of Infantry, which were evacuating the
town. During this artillery duel the troops
were able to acclaim nis Majesty the .Km
peror and the l'rlnce Imperial on the very
ground from which they had just dislodged the
enemy. The movements of the Infantry were ex
cellently seconded Dy the 5th Regiment of Horse
Chasseurs, under the orders of Colonel de Sereville.
The squadrons, supported by infantry fh skirmish
ing order, searched every nook in the ground, and
rapidly gained all the crests of the hills whence they
could descry the enemy. The 12th Battalion of Foot
Chassenrs and tbe company of Sappers aad Miners
of the 2d Division formed the reserve of General
Bataille. They joined the troop of the 1st Brigade
of the Verge Division, which formed the
second line, constantly kept at 400 or 500 metres of
the first line, and availed themselves of every rise in
tbe ground to cover themselves. The reports I have
received up to this time announce the following
losses: The 09th Regiment bad one officer killed.
W. de Bar, lieutenant of the francs tireum; Captain
Adjutant Major Privat has a very dangerous gunshot
wound; Lieutenant Laramey received a bullet
through bis shoulder; fifteen or sixteen rank and
tllfe were killed or wounded. The 67th had no casualty
among its ettlcers ; rank and tile, twenty men killed
or wounaeu. ins ma iiepuueui, iwo rann
and file wounded. The 3d Division reports a
sergeant killed and a private wounded. 1
have not received the report of Colonel du Ferron,
1 am told that be was engaged, and had about ten
men wounded. Neither have I received the report of
tbe commander of the loth Battalion of Foot Chas
seur, which has pushed forward on the right along
the road from Saarguemlues to Saarbrueken. The
troops are encamped on the grouad they have
gained. 1 have bad a few entrenchments thrown up
in' front and 11 an k of their position. Some epaule
menu have also been established to protect our guns
and Runners. I was greatly pleased witn the uasu
and resolution of the troops. Tbey showed great
energy in marching up steep ground, and also in
action. Tbe beads of the several corps congratu
late themselves on the steadiness of their men, their
intrepidity, and the growing coutldeuce they show
in their weanons. I will make known to your Ma
jesty the names of tbe officers and men of all ranks
who specially merit being pointed out. Our losses
amount to e kuiea ani t wounueu. receive, etc.,
FHOSSAlO).
KOTES OF THE WAR.
Why the French were Hlow In Attacklag tbe
rruaauiua.
From the rail Mall Gazette.
Various reasons have been eiven for the tardi
ness of the French attack. We are assured that
the French have been checked bvthe knowledge
that Prussia mean& to leave tbe Rhealsh pro
vinces bare of all sustenance for any invading
force. Ihe railway will be utterly destroyed.
and no sort of forage or provision will remain
for French use. At Metz we are told that "tho
army has an order to carry four days' rations In
their knapsacks and elgbt days' rations la their
regimental foursons." With regard to forage
the arrangement is much moro difficult; its
transport necessitates an endless train of all
sorts of vehicles. The whole of the neigh
boring country employs its peasants and
horses for this kind of work. Tbey come
even from Luxemburg and the southwestern
part of Belgium, ana are Hired at tbe rate oi bt,
a day per horse and 2! -A. a day per man. At
Metz all the squares, every available spot in
deed, are crowded with these vehicles; and so
it is elsewhere." We shall probably hear to-day
or to-morrow news from Metz of the advance of
tbe whole cavalry de la jartfe; aud with tt
news conjectures as to tho beginning of hostili
ties. But the cavalry is to be sent away simply
because there is no accommodation in the place
for them, and because all tho barracks, maga
zines, etc., are to be used for hospitals and so
forth, now in course of preparation. The Em
peror is represented as much depressed by this
forced delay. lie counted upon giving battle
-days before; and his chances of winning it have
too obviously diminished, and are decreasing
hourly. 6
The Latest ftluater-Rolt of the Rival Armies.
From the London Army and A'avy Gazette, Aug. 1.
The following is a correct statement of the
available strength of the French and Prussian
armies:
French Army. Total strensth of field trmv.
286,400: army of reserve, 93,600; troops remain--
ing in Algeria, ou,uw; in iortiucations, depots,
etc., in France, 85,000: available for callinc in
North German Army Present strcneth of
field army, 447,838, with 1212 guns; reserve
164,935, with 234 guns; leaving in fortifications'
etc., 154.RW, with 240 guns. Total strength.
IUU,irUi, nihil iwu KUUB.
Army Furnished by the South German Ptatpa.
Bavaria, 117,438 men, 240 guns; Wurtemberg,
34,680 men 66 guns; Baden, 30,21)0 men, 64 cues.
Total, 182,408 men, 370 guns.
It will be seen that the whole available troops
of the German States amount to the colossal
figure ot m,3ia men, witn suoe guns.
' Bullet Pumps" and other Old-Time rtlltraH-
The mitrailleuse, it appears, is by no means so
novel an invention as has been supposed. On
tne l-tn August, inn, a gentleman named Rc
nard offered to the National Assembly a machine
of the sort by which one man could, in a second,
fire ninety shots. The Moniteur of that date an
nounces that the invention was referred to the
Military Commission, and there's an end of it.
In 1848 a locksmith invented and exhibited a
kind of machine which he chose to call a "bullet
pump." It also disappeared after a time with
out attracting notice. In the exhibition of 1867
M. Renault, a Frenchman, showed an
instrument called "A Reaper of
Men," by which 8000 bullets could
be fired per minute by three persons. It had
seventeen barrels. M. Renault and his invention
have alike been lost sight of. M. Perrot con
ceived the idea of three sorts of mitrailleuses,
all worked by compressed air. The first two
fired bullets, and the only difference between
them was that the one was stationary and the
other movable. The other was a sort of ballista,
ana tnrew stones, are, or any otner projectile to
annoy the enemy. The following year, 1868,
the real mitrailleuse was discovered. What are
its powers in war yet remain to be proved. The
Prussians have also some machine of the sort;
a model of the form they use was exhibited
at the exhibition of 1867. It is believed that
it could not fire more than 100 or 200 bails a
minute.
niamarclc and the "Peace" Preaa.
The whole of the Northern Confedration ex
cept Silesia and Saxony being, says Galignani's
JUessengi r, in a state of siege, Count Bismarck
proceeds with the greatest rigor against all
those who are pointed out to him as entertaining
anti-Pruesian sentiments. Thus he has ordered
a large number of arrests among the Hanoverian
aristocracy who are devoted to the cause of the
ex-King. All the particularist journals have
been suppressed, the lihenische Courier, the
Francfnrter Beebachter, the Bchleswische Zei.
tung, ike. The moderate ones have been men
aced with extinction in case tbat they should
sqek to hinder tbe national movement instead of
throwing themselves into the current.
The Catholic Clergy and the Pruaalan Army.
From the Far is Monde, Aun 2.
In Prussia the authorities have accepted all
the offer of material and religious aid made by
the Catholic Orders. The greater part of the
Jesuits' establishments, among others, those
of Laach and Munstcr, tbe Franciscans,
Redemptlonists, and Laarists, are fitting
up hospitals in their houses. A large
number of fathers of those Orders and
many of the ordinary clergy have already left
for the army. On the 28th of July Prince
Frederick Charles and General de Steinmetz
passed through Cologne with several officers
and Catholic ecclesiastic! on their way to the
camp. Among the priests were Prince Edmond
Radzlwlll, who will attend especially to the
Polish soldiers, with whose language he is per
fectly acquainted. The Knights Hospitallers
are displaying extraordinary activity. The Cen
tral Committee of those of St. John of Prussia
(Protestants) Is at Berlin, under the Presidency
of Prince de Fless. An immense hall serves
as a depot for gifts In kind. Those of St. John
of Malta (Catholics) have their seat at Cologne.
The Knights who follow the army wear a green
uniform.
I.eBoent'a Speech to Ilia Six Secretaries.
Marshal Le Boeuf's little speech to the six
young Gardes Mobiles who are now his secre
taries eeems to hive been very much to the
purpose: "Gentlemen, we are beginning the
campaign; we will live well when circumstances
are favorable; when we can get nothing, which
may happen, we will buckle our waistbands in
tightly. You will have much work and little
rest, mv esteem, the certainty of being useful
to your country, and, on the least indiscretion,
a ball through your head. And now, gentlemen,
break up."
Koumanla Favoring France.
The latest intelligence brought by the Eastern
mail from the Danubian Principalities repre
sents the sympathies of the Roumain popula
tions in favor of France as deep and unani
mous. "Neither the Moldavians nor the Wal
lacbians," observes the Paris Constitutionnel,
"have forgotten the debt of gratitude they owe
to the Emperor, and tbe whole country puts up
ardent prayers for the success of the French
armies.1'
t.eneral Doubt, Killed nt Welaaenbarr.
General Douay, who was killed at tho battle
of WeUsenburg, was one of tbe most popular
of the superior oflicers in the French service.
He rose from tbe ranks, and was appointed to a
captaincy for his dashing courage during the
siege of Rome in 184'J. He was gradually pro
moted to his late high rank for distinguished
services In Italy, in the Crimea, and lastly in
Mexico, where he was promoted to his present
grade of general of division by Marshal
Bazaine. In harmony with a most powerful
physical organization, General Douay was en
dowed with a voice so loud aud sonorous as to
become legendary In tbe regiments he has led
into tbe field. His word of command could be
beard above all the tumults of battle. The Em-
Eeror has lost a very faithful friend and ad
erent in the General who has Just fallen in his
Philadelphia Trade lteport.
Wkpnesday, Aug. IT Cloverseed is scarce ant
nominal at T-509. Timothy Is in fair demand at
15. Flaxseed, If here, would readily command 2'85.
Bark In the absence of sales we quote No. 1
Quercitron at $30 per ton. Tanner's Bark ranges
from 13 to $19 per cord.
The Flour market is without change worthy of
special note. Tbe demand for shipment is quite
limited, and tbe operations of the home consumers
were confined to their immediate wants. The sales
comprise 10O0 barrels Market Street Mills extra
family on private terins.and tioo barrels various grades
at ta-MHg.vVBforsupertinejttks-M for extras :t6 W
gi for Northwestern do. do. ; I7&7-6U for Penn
sylvania do. do. ; ;Itj2i for Indiana and Ohio do.
do.; and 7-76iaS 50 for fancy brands, as In quality.
Rye Flour may be quoted at fa.
The receipts of Wheat from the West continue
heavy, reaching to say il.tioo bushels, bat there is
only a moderate Inquiry, and prices favor buyers.
Sales of old Pennsylvania red at f l'xl"4S, and new
Western do. at tucuf l .. Rve is more active, and
1300 bushels new Werner n sold at $1. Cora is Inac
tive and weak : sales of yellow at Hls, aud V.fat
em mixed at 6ae9ao. Oats are dull ; ln.ooo bushyis
new Western sold on private terms, aud wot) bushels
(southern at 46,6oc.
"Whisky ii more active. S10 barrels Western lion,
bound sold at 7 : and a barrels do. wood-
' bound o;a at w;.eu