The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-24 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF METZ.

A letter from before Metz, dattd the 13ih, which
appiara in the Cologne Gaeetle, soya:
'• Yesterday evening a Prussian captain went with sit cap-
tured French ctn.:ors up to the onto Lsts as as exchange for
Mx wounded Prussian tiillers whom Marshal Bazainerecnntly
lib th'od. On his expreming a wish to speak with the Cthi
toander the Marshal suddenly stepped out of the bivouac hut
of the front sentinel and spoke a long time with the Captahl,
warring him he had no thought of a capitulation. The
Fri nth to-day sent 201 famished homes bnyond the outposts.
With the opera-glass a large herd of cattle can he seen
feeding in the meadows by the Moselle, between the I ar-
nothing outworks and the inner fortress. anti much drilling
of French soidinrs. The sound of military music is alai
sometimes audible. There is no hope of a speedy surrender,
and I am convinced it will be • tolerable while before our
banner can float there."

lierr Wit hole, writing to the same paper, states that for
"Tilorahol I tizaine to break through the ti 211111111 lines Is an
utter impossibility. The Germans would now be simply on
the defensive, behind earthworks anal other protection. On
It .zaille'e last attempt, on the 2ud, i he French fought with the
courage of despair, and the Guards charged with the bayonet
with the greatest bravery. When their ranks were frightfully
thinned they allowed themselves to be dashed to pieces by
the Nut Prussian Grenadiers rather than give way. Bea.lim,
nevertheless, was repulsed with great loss, while the Germans
had only 60 killed and wounded, a sufficient writhes, it
is true, but incomparably smaller than at Gravelotte, na
. the 18 h of August, where they lost 20,000. Beashm will
not surrender until compelled by the direst hunger, for he
Is a rough, passionate, ambition. man, quite the opposite
of the unselfish and noble Mac-Mahon, who belongs to the
few real chivalrous characters, and is a true gentleman, as
well as • courageous and able aoldier. Bon btgan his
military career as a common drummer, and owes all that he
las ice, me to Ills resolution and talents. lle Is anxious to
pity a part In France—perhaps that of Dictator, or even
Emperor—snd he knows that this can only succeed if ho de-
fends Metz to the last \Yuen informed of Napoleon's sur-
render, he imlted • Whet the deuce does that fonfaren
Napoleon concern melt I atoms am master lu Mete, and will
not dre MI of surrendering the place.' Famine, however, meat
Lillie:defy bring him to it. The wirmau troops who
are well fed, can wait in their barracks until the gate.
are open cf their can accord. In consequence of
the espture of Macllishon and Ids entire army, Metz
will be spared • bombardment, as like Strasburg, it will
perhaps become • front), r fortress for Geramny. more-
over, to take It by a Dueler siege would be along and eestly
work. The inightmerhood of Metz, where eve bloody battles
have been height. In more wasted than any other part of
France. Almost all the fields are trampled down, the
vineyards are for the most part destroyed, the villages are
almost deserted, and much of the woodwork of their bout it
has been used for the construction of barracks. 'I should
like,' adds Herr Wicked°, 'to show one of the Parisian
journalists who for years has been blowing the war trumpet
so lustily and encourseng the chatatiniente of the French
people so Infamously, over one of the battle-fields near Metz,
In order that these gentry might learn what war really is and
what misery it produces."