The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-02 00:00:00

PRUSSIAN MILITARY REPORT.

The following article is from the Military Weekly, the
official organ of the Berlin War Office :
" The capitulation of Metz is an event of unprecedented
magnitude in the history of European sieges. Nearly
180,000 men, the pith and the last remnant of the glorious
army of France, commanded by renowned Marshals, and
quartered in an impregnable camp, have been compelled to
lay down their arms. The result has been attained by a
German army of slightly superior numbers nailing them
to the spot with an iron fist for a period of seventy days.
Detached forts of formidable strength, constructed in
accordance with the latest principles of the art, and com-
manding a wide space all round the central rampart which
serves as their reduit and tete de pont, offered Marshal
Bazaine a favourable field for manoeuvring and sallying
forth north, south, east, and west. The ground lent itself
the more readily to his pin-poses, in that he could promptly
cross and recross the river, whereas the investing
forces could change banks only after making long and
troublesome detours. The Marshal had the further
advantage th at least two of his forts covered each
of his sorties, and that, choosing his own time
and place, every one of his sailies was, in a
certain sense, a surprise. Nor had he any reason
to complain of the bearing of his troops, whose bravery,
assiste by numbers and the tremendous artillery of
the forts, was repeatedly displayed in brilliant relief. But
wherever they turned their progress was arrested by the
energetic resistance of our men. Our advanced posts
might be driven in by an overwhelming strength, but our
supports were always in time to hurl the enemy back and
frustrate his attempts to break through the human
wall encircling him. However often the French tried
to liberate themselves from the prison in which we had
shut them up, they were always forced to return, leaving
not a few killed, wounded, and prisoners in our hands.
Having been gradually made to feel his inability to get
out, Marshal Bazaine was at last compelled by hunger to
surrender. We knew what was going on inside the fortress,

and prepared for the reception of the starving capitulants
by ordering an abundant supply of provisions in advance.
The army of his Royal Highness Prince Frederick Charles,
stationary before Metz during full ten weeks, has in this
trying period been exposed to as many and as severe hard-
ships and fatigues as any of the troops who continued their
victorious career to the very heart of France. By hold-
ing steadfastly out in front of Metz, Prince Frederick
Charles's army has, moreover, not a little contributed to
secure the progress of our main army to its val. At first
they had to guard against Bazaine's breaking out in the
direction of Strasburg and effecting a junction, as he evi
dently intended, with General Uhrich in Alsace. Subse-
quently, when Strasburg had been subdued, Bazaine turned
his endeavours in another direction, and strove to reach
Thionville, thereby causing /he greater part of our forces to
quit the southern for the northern front of his stronghold-
But all was in vain, and virgin Metz, never conquered be'
fore, has fallen into our hands. With it immense milit3ll
depots have become ours. The place so long the pivot of
French resistance has now been converted into a mainetali
of our position in the country—a doubly suspicious eac'
important event at the present moment"