The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-02 00:00:00

THE BATTLE OF TUESDAY.

The following letter, from a correspondent d the
Standard, is a somewhat confused collection of details ;
but in the want of proper information about the great
events of the weekevery detail is of interest. It is dated
from Vaux, which on Tuesday was MacMahon's head-
quarters :—As you will have already seen by my tele
grams, which I hope have reached you in due time,
my assurance that fighting was going on at a distance,
not far from the little engagement I had witnessed
on Sunday morning on the railway line at Chau-
vancy, was perfectly correct. Soon after I had written a
few lines I started for the Belgian frontier, and, after a
night's rest, I have continued'my journey without other
guide whatever than the noise of the cannonade I had
heard; and following the neutral frontier to avoid the
Prussian eclaireurs, I passed Florenville (Belgian frontier)
last night, and arrived late in the evening at Carignan
(Ardennes). Carignan, a little frontier town on
the railway line from Sedan to Montmedy, is situate
at about 16 miles from this last town, but at least 30 by
the road I have followed. In the evening the greater part
of Marshal MacMahon's army had arrived and were
camping at Vaux, two miles from the town ; they came
from Ramour, Mouzon, and Moulins; the Emperor
has also arrived this morning from the same direc-
tion. A few of his aides-de-camp and household
have been busy this morning in making arrange-
ments for the stay of his Majesty. I have met
here several of my old acquaintances of Metz, but not one
officer from the head-quarters of the Army of the Rhine ;
and whets I ask for them the same invariable answer is
given—we have heard nothing since the 18th ; and I am
told that I left just in good time. Al-
though I give you these few words as the
result of a mere conversation (en passant), and
although it would be perhaps premature to give
them too much weight, you must not forget that they
come from officers on the Emperor's staff. About the
different partial engagements which have taken place, I
can only add what I know positively for the present.
On Thursday hat some fighting too plaoe between
Rethel and Stenay ; Sunday, near Buzancy (important
it would seem) ; Monday (yesterday), near Mouzon, in
the direction of Ramour ; and this morning, time ten
o'clock, between Mouzon and Moulins, at about four miles
from Vaux and six from Carignan. The country around
Carignan and Vaux is very uneven and elevated. A large
plateau, where is situated the farm of Labahiville, com-
mands a view of the encampment and of the meadows
between Mouzon and Moulins, which are five miles further
on. At ten o'clock this morning I visited the camp at Vaux ;
there and a few miles around are assembled about
100,000 men, part of the same that I saw at Chalons and
Rheims. I have not seen the marshal, and inquiries I
was making have been cut short by the noise of the
cannonade in the direction of Moulins ; I have at once
made for the most elevated point, and have found
myself at the farm of Labahiville, where the Emperor
himself and his staff have been since the morning. It
appears that a corps of 30,000 men is engaged between
Moulins and Mouzon. Cannonading is well heard, and
movements of large bodies are distinguished now and
then in the middle of the smoke and of artillery fire.
In the meantime the troops of the camp close to
as are not moving, and seem simply on the qui
five, while the convoys and carriages are at hand.
It would be madness to ask for any explanation, or any
details. I am lucky enough to be here, and my best policy
is the greatest discretion. lam told that the object of the
fighting is to drive a large Prussian body from the en-
campment, but I confess I cannot see it, and I cannot either
understand the present position of the French army. I
am told, also, that the junction with Marshal Bazaine
will be soon accomplished ; but when I look at my
maps, when I look at the line of territory occupied by the
Prussians ; when I think that to' avoid their scouts
I am obliged to come from Montmedy by turning round
the Belgian fronti2r, I cannot come to this conclusion.
I left at four o'clock for a house near Carignan to write
my letter and telegram ; they must start at once for
Florenville, and I must leave till to-morrow further
news. I have just met a detachment of infantry going
to Lamouilly, near Chauvancy, for retaking or protecting
the railway line from the enemy.