The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-26 00:00:00

THE BATTLE-FIELD OF THE 16111.

In the Vossische Zietung a letter dated the 19th describes
the scene of the strife that raged round Vionville and the
neighbouring villages on Tuesday week :—After Prince
Frederick Charles, in the evening of the 16th, had obtained
a decisive victory over the French, the 17th passed
off quietly ; but a decisive action was expected
to take place on the 18th. The French armies are being
pressed ever closer around Metz, whilst the German troops
have continually moved nearer towards each other.
As on the previous day, so yesterday the King betook
himself to the troops at about half-past five in the
morning, he being attended by Prince Charles, the
Duke of Mecklenburgh-Schwerin, Count Bismarck,
and his suite. At about seven a.m. he arrived
at St. Thiebault, a small outbuilding close to Gorce,
and there he mounted his horse. From Pont-h-
Mousson a country road leads along the left banks of the
Moselle ; and it passes through Vandieres Pagny, Arne-
vile, Ars, and Moulins, to Metz, mostly close to and
parallel with the railroad. The Moselle flows in a deep
vale, which on both sides is hemmed in by considerable
heights. These, again, descend from an undulating
plateau, in which the several ridges branch out in various
directions, and where the roads now take a steep rise,
and now a sharp descent. If you fancy you have reached
the summit, fresh heights start up in sight. Thus the
ground draws along towards Metz. Most wild and pic-
turesque are the surroundings of Gorce. This place, a
large marketing town, lies about an hour's drive to the
north-west of the railway, and of the road adjoining
this and the Moselle. The gradients of the road exceed any
rise seen in other highlands. Skids and other appliances
are barely sufficient to restrain a vehicle in its impetuous
rolling. The roads are lined by deep ditches, and the
ridges are partially covered with forests and clusters of
bashes. At rlalf-nn-hour's distance from Gorce, where the
rise commences, the road is fringed with the carcases of
horses. Gored itself spreads out in an extended block
along both sides of the road. At the right a vineyard
towers up, crowned by a gilt image of the Virgin, which
is visible at a remote distance. In entering this place a
horrid spectacle presented itself. A peasant who shot at
a waggon with wounded men was seized by the soldiers,
gibbeted, and then riddled with bullet shots. Thus he
remained suspended, as a deterring example, for two
entire days. He was dressed in the ordinary blue blouse
as worn here by the labouring classes, and his hands held
a stick. In this narrow lane every house was filled with
the wounded of the battle on the 16th, and on each house
was fixed the white flag with Athe red cross. The inha-
bitants—male and female--engaged to tend the sick,
wore an analogous badge on their arms. Behind this
place a plateau is extended, on the north-western rim of
which lies St. Thiebauld, the property of a private indi-
vidual. It consists of dwelling and farming premises, and
of a chapel dedicated to St. Thiebauld. This and the
pretty front area, enclosed by a wall and railings, was
now filled with 300 wounded. Straight before this build-
ing, in the direction of Metz, is seen a densely wooded
ridge, joining the outwork of the fortress ; so that yester-
day a soldier, in bringing a spy to the guard station of the
staff, was severely wounded by a shot fired out of those
bushes. The woodland ridge hides from view all that is
behind it. Towards the left side rise steep and deeply-
incised plateaux. Here the battle of the 16th has raged,
and here, tolerably close to the outworks, rest some of
the dead, still unburied.