The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-06 00:00:00

THE BATTLES IN tit NORTH.

The special correspondent of the Telegraph, wilting
from gavre, January, 2, says :—From an early hour on
the 3rd ins, the French head-quarters were in a state of
commotion. The General had arrived by daylight from
Havre, the artillery were in line, the troops mus-
tered, and the rumour was everywhere to' be
heard that a great battle was going on at Bolbed.
All along from Goderville to Bolbec, and on to Yvetot,
the road was lined with troops marching to the combat.
I-ter° yOU met a body of sprightly Mobiles, there a corps
Of reckless Francs-tlreur3. A:-, one point you saw the
well-polioied fieldpiece, at Another the fatal mitrailleuse.
and Wild, ;.6_:ild Such surroundings, could remain with un-
qUiakened pulse, or With unexcited spirits? So my journey
on to Bolbed Was nitlie'r enliVeding, though
slow, for to make ore's WAY thicitigh the Crowds
of soldiers and inquisitive officials WAS 6 Schriewhat
tedious process. At last I managed to reach tariqUetot;
and here I had an opportunity of seeing the combat.
The French troops consisted of about 800 men of the
line agd 100 Francs-tireurs. The Germans occupied
a small fairri—g regttlat type of the Normandy model
of rural homesteads. dririiiiluded by ditches, the farm
offered many advantages to a defending party,
In form it was square ; and the French troops deter-
mined to surround the Prussians standing within
its boundaries. In this they almost completely
succeeded. The F-iench cavalry dashed down upon the
enemy; who, apprised by their sentinels of the approach
of their foes, had hurriedly rushed to their saddles. At
first they made a brave and desperate resistance ; but
sharpshooters met them at all points, and thinned their
ranks with fatal rapidity: They had, therefore, to
resolve on flight ; so, pitting; spnis to their fine
horses, they made a dash through . the surrounding
French, . clearing. walls, hedges, ditches, and the
other obstacles that Opposed them, with admirable
rapidity. Though, however, the Main body of the enemy
escaped, many were left behind in the fatal farm—
some killed, some wounded, some prisoners. At first the
French did not fully realise the importance cif the ad-
vantage they had gained. They have since, howeVef;
learned that no fewer than eighty of the enemy were
put hors de combat, While eleven were taken prisoners.
An Irish Ambulance Corps was oldse ,at hand
during the combat, and rendered assistance . to
the wounded. While this brisk engagement was
going on at Lanquetot, a still more important conflict was
Proceeding in the environs of La Bouille. In Orival,
likewise, and Chateau-Robert, combats of more or less
importance took plade. if We are to believe the French
official despatches, the loss of the Prussians at
Chateau-Robert in killed- and wounded amounted
to no less than 300 men ; while on the side of
the French but 25 .or thirty were killed, and 60 to 80
placed hors de combat. In several of those engage-
ments there was a singular instance of what is called
"the irony of fate." The Prussians were accompanied
by vehicles in which they intended to place the requisi-
tions on which they were intent when attacked by the
French. The defeated enemy had ultimately to burthen
these carts, which they intended to load with French
property, with Prussian dead . and wounded.
Havre still retains undiminished its resolute
determinatiol to resist strenuously if attacked.
Within and outside the town there are 16,006
Gardes Nationales and Sedentaires, and in the
neighbourhood of Bolbec, about 20,000 men. Remember
that there are, besides, large. numbers of regular troops,
of cavalry, and Francs-tireurs. From Rouen I hear that
the place is at present occupied by 2,000 Prussians. They,
lam told, behave 'father well, and, While pillaging some
stores, are guilty of no flagrant act of satielalisrri. The
town is at present in the very best of spirits, for the
news we hear from the rest of France is, if true, most
encouraging.

Writing from Boulogne, January 4, a correspondent of
the Daily News says :—Fighting was resumed yesterday,
and if French reports are to be trusted,with very fortunate
results to Faidherbe's army. By the light of
information furnished by one of the General's staff
to the local papers, and df various details which
are published in those papers, some idea may be
obtained of the progress of events in front of
Bapaume. The staff officer's report makes mention of
two divisions having been engaged on Monday, the first of
the 22nd and the first of the 23rd Corps. The Prussians
were posted on the heights of Brefvillers, eugnatrei
Grevillers, and Favreuil. The First Division of the 23rd
carried the village of Ervillers, and advancing along the
direct highway to Bapaume, occupied for a moment
the village of Behaignies. This, however, by the
staff officer's account, they were bound to abandon
with rather heavy losses. Meanwhile the First Division
of the 22nd moved down on the Prussian left, and entered
the villages of Achiet-le-Grand and Behancourt, which,
however, would appear not to have been held in force by
the Prussians, as only twenty prisoners were made.
With the repulse of the division which had attacked
Behaignies the day closed; but the French, who must
have lost considerably, were not to be denied,
and on Tuesday morning, at break of day, they
made a second assault on the Prussian centre at Behaig-
nies, and this time were successful. The fight must have
been a tough one. The Prussians at one time sue-
ceeded in capturing one of the French batteries,
and did not abandon it until they were driven
back by a bayonet charge. By midday the combat
was over, the enemy rapidly retired, pursued and
flung back on Bapaume by Faidherbe's troops, and, ac-
cording to one account, they were actually driven beyond
Bapaume. Such are the statements which find currency
here, but of which the most important still await
the seal of official confirmation. Shduld they turn out
to be trde, the French army may be congratulated on
having gained a genuine success. What was the num-
ber of the enemy's force is not stated, but there is good
reason to believe that the bulk of Manteuffel's
army was engaged, and no doubt on the second
day the remainder of Faidherbe's men took part in the
fight. The greater part, however, of ,the French troops
consisted of Mobiles and Mobilises, and it will, be no
slight praise to them if they have really succeeded in
carrying the heights in the neighbourhood of Bapaume,
and driving back the Prussian veterans who held them.