The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-26 00:00:00

THE WAR.

THE FIGHTING Al .PARIS

A special correspondent of the Daily News, writing
from Paris on the 20th inst., gives some very interesting
details respecting the fighting around Paris. After
speaking of the attempt on the part of the French to burn
the woods he says :—Through all those clusters of trees
which form the woods and copses called after Notre Dame,
Saint Martin, and Gros Bois—all that remains of the once
vast Forest of Bondy—they (the Prussians) advanced along
the Orleans-rrad to Savigny, where they cut the line.
Between Ablon and Athis they found the ford, as the
Seine is now low ; they soon crossed it with water up to
their waist, immediately proceeding to construct a con-
toon-bridge at Juvisy, where the railway branches off
towards Chatillon-le-Petit and Viry. By this movement
they avoided the bridge at Joinville-le-Pont. which had
been blown up on the approach of their Uhlans. From
this point they rapidly gained the Bois de Verrieres and
Meudon, and presently Versailles, where, in the old
palace of the Kings of France iu the ancient hunting-
box of the Grande Monarque, Messrs. the Uhlans,
rested their weary limbs on Sunday night. This
is the corps of the Crown Prince, that of
Prince Frederick Charles being occupied still
under the walls of Metz. No time has been lost
by them in getting to work. Reconnoitring parties have
been out from the French side, and General de Vinoy's
corps had a fierce skirmish with the advanced guard—
some say the rear-guard, which seems more likely —last
Friday. Men fell on both sides, but the general whose re-
treat to Laon has already made his name famous in the army,
finding the Prussians too many for him, retired under
the forts of Charenton and the guns of Vincennes. Their
strength was set at from thirty to forty thousand, and
they had cleverly contrived during the night to plant a
battery upon the heights which cover Mely, near
Creteil. This corps marches in a parallel line with
that of the Crown Prince, only somewhat in the rear.
An artillery engagement took place, General Vinoy
having found it necessary to bring his up, with a battery
of mitrailleuses, in order to cover his retreat. This is
called the combat of Crdteil. The same evening a
skirmish took place on the right bank of the river
between the forts of Charenton and Ivry, but
though it has been christened the combat of Ivry,
it does not appear to have outgrown the pro-
portions of a handsome "skrimmage." All this
time the Prussians were creeping into the Bois de Cla-
mart, under Meudon, and were already massed there,
when it was semi-officially announced that they had not
been seen there. Possibly they had the most con-
clusive reasons for not exhibiting themselves.
Chatillon, which was yesterday the scene of
a serious fight, lies —as before stated be-
tween the forts of Montrouge and Vanves, that
of Ivry being beyond the latter again, in a line with a
farm called La Verrerie. The space between the two
first-named forts is occupied by a redoubt, unfortunately
not yet fully armed, but strong as a defence with steady
troops behind it. To obtain possession of this redoubt
was the object of the Prussians yesterday ; but it was
defeated. Already the previous day, the division of
the 13th Corps (Vinoy's) set out on a reconnaissance
against the Prussian columns signalled towards Choisy-
le-Roy. A smart affair took place, the advantage in
which remained to the French, with a loss of 6 killed
and 37 wounded. The official reports set down the
Prussian loss at 400, of whom 58 killed. The Prussian
forces amounted to from 3,000 to 4,000, and were marching
upon Versailles, forming the rear-guard of a much larger
body, which were turning the position of ChAtillon and
Clamart. This fact bad been ascertained by General
Ducrot, who, with two divisions of infantry occupied posi-
tions extending from the heights of Villejuif to Meudon.
Early yesterday morning the general advanced from his
post to reconnoitre. He found himself opposed by
heavy masses concealed in the woods and villages, and
supported by a formidable artillery. A sharp encounter
took place, but the French were outnumbered and re-
tired. Part of the right effected its movement in good
order, but another portion did so with what the official
statement calls " regrettable precipitation." The orderly
party reached the redoubt or earth - work con-
structed on the elevation of Chtitillon. The left, feebly
attacked, was able to keep its position on the heights of
Villejuif. At this moment the Prussians suddenly
opened a terrific fire, and General Ducrot was obliged
to withdraw his troops within the protection of the
forts. This movement he accomplished at a about
four in the afternoon, after a struggle which had
lasted the best part of the day with only a slight inter-
ruption at about ten in the morning. Having secured
the retreat of the trains and waggons of the eight
guns in the redoubt he spiked them under the
eyes and fire of the Prussians, and withdrew under
the fort of Vanve. Thus far the first official
bulletin, which was soon followed by a postscript
to the effect that the French artillery fired 25,000
coups, and twice silenced that of the enemy. The
Gardes Mobiles are said to have fought most
bravely, and with the steadiness of old troops.
On the other hand, the Zonaves of the 28th
marching regiment turned tail at eleven in the
morning, throWing away their arms and accou-
trements. The majority of them were arrested
later in the day by the National Guards and Mobiles.
General Ducrot—who escaped from Sedan—explains the
presence of the Prussians at Meudon thus : One of their
columns is marching upon Versailles by Bievres, turning
the wood of Verrieres. To effect this movement they
detached a small column of infantry and cavalry, which
reascended the Bievre, near Petit-Bicetre and the
percussion cap factory of Meudon. It is said that Gene-
ral Trochu intends to call the whole of the troops into
Paris which are now outside, and not on fort service. The
heavy guns of the Fort d'lvry did, it is said, great harm
to the Prussians massed in the wood. The French losses
are not yet published, but it is affirmed—as is usual on
such occasions—that those on the Prussian side greatly
exceed them.