The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-15 00:00:00

FUGITIVE FAMILIES.

A correspondent of the Cologne Gazette notices that the
prospect of an armistice brought quite a number of
French families from their hiding place in the Paris
district. " God knows where they have been concealed.
Lines of them are seen on the roods of the Seine and
Marne department, with heaped-up waggons, in
which they are bringing their household goods
back into their villages. The poor creatures
must have hidden mostly in the woods, and
have suffered much. They now appear again in the light
of day, with saucepans, tables, chairs, chests, and beds.
A goat, donkey, and horse belong to almost every
household, and from the side of the loaded cart hangs a
large hutch, containing the wild rabbits which serve them
for food. The external appearance of the poor people is
often pitiable. Their clothes are bespattered with mud,
frequently, indeed, encrusted with it, as they never un-
dressed in the damp woods. Their feet are bound up with
rags, their weather-stained faces are gipsy-like, and
they shyly avoid the. German soldiers if they meet any on
the road. It is evident they no longer believed the news
which reached them in the woods ; perhaps they pictured
something quite different, and now encountered the hated
enemy, who they thought had retreated. Cold, how-
ever, may have driven these unfortunates from their con-
cealment, and they may have resolved, their limbs
swollen by the frost, to choose the more merciful of two
enemies."

General Moltke has issued very strict orders respecting
the bearers of the Geneva Cross.

The pigeons brought out by the balloons from Paris are
not of much service. Only a few of them have returned
to the capital.

EThe French have armed their new redoubt at Villejuif,
with twenty-two heavy guns, and are constructing
another redoubt between Villejuif and Vitry. In front
of these redoubts are trenches and rifle-pits ; the whole
being a Jac simile of Todleben's celebrated defences at
Sebastopol.
The New Zurich Gazette publishes Count Bismarck's
reply to the request of the Ambassadors of various small
States remaining in Paris to be allowed to communicate
with their Governments. He says :—" Whatever may
be our confidence that the signers of the letter of the 6th
of October would know how, in (their communications to
their Governments to conform personally to the obliga-
tions which their presence in a besieged city may impose
on diplomatic agents according to the rules of martial law,
one must take into account the possibility that the impor-
tance of certain facts in a military point of view might
escape them. It is evident, moreover, that they are not
in a position to give us the same guarantees for the mes-
sengers whom they may employ, and whom we should
have to let pass to and fro through our lines." Count
Bismarck, however, expressed himself willing to confer
with the neutral Governments respecting the anomalous
position of the unfortunate diplomatists.

THE FIGHTING ROUND ORLEANS.
TOURS, Saturday.

At last the tide has turned. It may soon turn again ;
but the prospect of that unfortunate contingency does not
render the joy of the people here at the first victory of
the war at all the less justifiable. An army which was
but a mob a month ago, which six weeks ago did not exist
at all, has attained within so short a period a respectable
degree of efficiency, has taken the field, driven back a
Bavarian general of renown, captured a large number of
prisoners, two guns, and Orleans. It is true that the
French in the engagements just reported enormously out-
numbered the Germans ; but so did the invaders out-
number the French in many other battles which were
accounted glorious. Theimportant fact is that the conduct
of the French troops and the dispositions of their leaders
were such as to afford hope of further achievements.
The fighting of the last few days consisted of a movement
to surround and outflank Der Tann, the evacuation of
Orleans and retreat on the part of the Bavarian leader in
order to avoid this danger, and severe attacks upon him
whilst in the course of retreating. The Army of the
Loire moved forward about a week ago, and
on the 7th the first action took place at
Marchenoir, a place where Der Tann had assembled a
reconnoitering party. The French had crossed the Loire
at Bourgency and taken up their quarters between that
town and Vendome. At Marchenoir the German recon-
noitring party were driven back, and on the Bth the
French advanced further, the movement being continued
with greater vigour on the next day. General Aurelles de
Paladine seems to have designed the complete surround-
ing of Orleans so as to shut up the Bavarian within the
place, and take his whole corps. The enterprise, though
highly gratifying, did not succeed to this extent. The
whole French force was thrown forward from Beaugency
towards Orleans ; but whilst the right drew up
round about Ormes, the centre and left, pivoting round
the right, was directed towards G6migny, Saint Peravy,
Boilay, and Briey, whilst General Martin des Pallieres
was to lead a body of cavalry to Cercottes, on the extreme
left of the line, and thus complete the encircling array.
Fighting commenced early on the morning of the 9th, and
lasted until night. Bacon and Coulmiers were succes-
sively gained by the French. At the former place the
fighting was very severe. General Chanzy moved
upon Gemigny, where he met with serious resistance,
and Reyau, who commanded the left, marched upon
Saint Peravy-la-Colombe. The possession of this place
was the key to the whole movement. If Reyau had been
able to get possession of it, the retreat of Der Tann must
have been cut off. Unfortunately he could not do so.
Der Tann, warned of his danger in time, sent powerful
forces against Reyau on the extreme left, whilst he op-
posed but a rearguard to the right. By thus following
the good rule of accumulating his resources on the im-
portant point, the Bavarian was enabled to get away. All
Reyau's attacks upon Saint P6ravy failed, and he
was obliged to retire, as was General Chanzy
from Gemizny. Der Tann thus found the way ,
open to Artenay and Patay. This is the account given
in the Gazette de France on the first day's doings, and
it seems perfectly trustworthy. The French were
frustrated in their attempt to destroy Der Tann's army;
and were driven back at two points. But en revanche they
succeeded at other points, and, compelled the evacuation of
Orleans.

It is very difficult to determine the exact lb e of demar-
cation between the events of the 9th and of the 10th.
So far, however, as I can ascertain, the fighting on the'
former day ended with what I have described. On the

10th the French proceeded to take possession of their
prize—Orleans. They found 500 sick and wounded Ger-
mans, whom the retreating force could not carry off.
General Pallieres came up with his cavalry on this day,
and assailed the retreating German rear. Here a large
number of prisoners was taken, and two guns. Von der
Tann withdrew further, and is now reported at Toury,
about 20 miles from Orleans. That he should have been
driven back so far is clear proof of the superiority the
French secured in this encounter.

The papers give various details both of the engagements
and the losses in which they resulted, but there is
really no certainty on these points. One estimate gives
10,000 as the number -of killed and wounded. This
is clearly an exaggeration. Another puts the prisoners at
1,800, which I quite believe. They cannot be many fewer.
Yet another version says the Germans retreated in dis-
order ; but narratives better worthy of credence affirm
that there was nothing like a rout in the Bavarian camp.
It is idle to exaggerate the advantages won. They are
great enough in themselves. The success is material ; the
moral effect must be greater. With respect to strategical
considerations, it must be noticed that Der Tann is now
driven to the north, and that all chance of Prince Frederic
Charles at once joining him with the large army from
Metz, is cut off. If Aurelles de Paladine can speedily
attack Der Tann with superior forces, the cause of France
will look bright. If he does not move quickly, he is lost,
notwithstanding the successes of the week.

The Tours correspondent of the Standard, in a letter of
the 10th instant, writes as follows :—At last the tide has
turned—at last victory has attended the French arms. I
have just been to the telegraph office to dispatch the news
that the army of the Loire has advanced, that Orleans has
been retaken, and that the Prussian loss was 500 killed
and wounded. We have, as yet, no official news
upon the subject, but before I close my letter it is
probable that a bulletin will be issued. Even since
sending my despatch I have obtained some further
particulars. The fighting began some leagues on this
side of Orleans, and the Prussians were gradually driven
back towards the town, offering an obstinate resistance.
At last they were driven into the town itself, which the
French were obliged to bombard for some hours to drive
them out. The Prussians then retreated towards
Paris, and were followed for four or five leagues by
the French. lam assured that the Prussians left 500
wounded behind them in Orleans alone. Should this be
true, it is probable that their total loss will not be under
two thousand men. It is impossible to exaggerate the
importance of this victory to France. However brave
soldiers may be, they cannot but fight with dis-
couragement when they find that victory never crowns
their efforts. There seemed almost as if a spell
hung upon the French arms. At last this spell is
broken. The Army of the Loire has proved that
it is no myth, as the Prussians were pleased not long ago
to call it, and the army of General Von der Tann, de-
feated and broken, is in full route for Paris, where
its arrival will, perhaps, cause a doubt in the
mind of King William and his advisers whether
France is so helpleasly at the feet of the in-
vaders as they had supposed. The news will be
received throughout France with a burst of enthu-
siasm, and the preparations for war will go on with
greater ardour even than before. Before men armed
with a determination to die for France, now they will
hope to conquer for her. The defeat of Von der Tann's
army, and the occupation of Orleans by the French, will
not improbably modify considerably the Prussian plans
of the campaign. As long as Orleans was held by the
Prussian; there was no fear whatever of any assistance
coming towards Paris from the South. There is no doubt
the Prussians were entirely ignorant of the real strength
of the Army of the Loire, and considered that Von der
Tann, with comparatively smell reinforcements from the
army of Prince Frederick Charles, would be able to make
all safe in that direction. The great bulk of the besieging
army was therefore divided into two portions, the one,
under General Manteuffel, to march •to the north7west
of Paris, the other, under the Prince himself, to pro-
ceed towards Besancon, and after defeating General
Michel, to besiege Lyons. Now, however, that Orleans
is occupied by a strong French army, and Orleans, be it
remembered, is little over sixty miles from Paris,
the situation is completely changed, and I imagine
we shall hear ere many days that either the
army of Manteuffel is ordered to march south instead
of north of Paris, or that Prince Frederick
Charles is recalled with his corps in all haste
In another fortnight, in fact, &he besieging army of Paris
will be threatened by three powerful armies—by that of
the Loire from the south, by that of Keratry from the
south-west, and by that of Bourbaki from the north-west,
besides the army of Paris, 250,000 strong, and ready to
sally, out from any side at a moment's notice. It is evident
that the game is by no means lost yet.