Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-08-10
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The bloody conflict In Europe has
opened In earnest. Considerable skir
mishing has been going on between
the contending armies for the past
two weeks, but no real engagement
until Saturday last, when the two
armies encountered each other ai
Weissenburg. Tho French forces
were led by Gen. MacMahon, and the
Prussians by King William, in person
The former confcsses defeat, while
tho latter claims brilliant but bloody
victory. The Prussians captured over
1900 prisoners, including is officers
Tho number killed and wounded il
the engagement as given by thC
Telegraph are so contradictory that
il is not worth while to commence
as il is impossible for either side tc
know.
BERLIN, August 6-Tho prisoners
from Weissenburg are passing through
this city on their way to the fortified
prison of ofSpandau. The police author
tiles have issued notice calling OF
the citizens TO be dignifed in their be
havior towards and generous in th'
treatment Of prisoners, though enc
mics.
Weissenburg is small French tow
on the right bank OF the Lauter, thirty
four miles from Strasbourg, and abou
fifteen miles above the junction of tht
Lauter with the Rhine. In history
il is famous for the "Weissenburl
Line" of defcnces, built by Marshal
Villars during the war of the Spanisl
succession, and extending from thii
town along the Lauter to Lauterbure
on the Rhine They were abandoned
in 1867, but have never been destroy
ed. The town itself is fortified with
walls and towers.
The Prince Royal, Frederick vii
liam, commanding the South German
army, has issued the following procla-
nation: Soldiers Of the Third Corps
Appointed to command you by the
King, ! greet you soldiers Of Prussia
Wurtemberg and Baden. United un
der my command, your courage, dis
cipline and perseverance fill me with
pride, joy and confidence. In true
fraternity continue to spread your flag
over new victories, victories which,
God aiding us, will insure honor and
peace to United Germany.
PARIS, August 6.-The Journal OH.
ciei says: The French troops, who mum.
bered onl y seven or eight thousand,
that were engaged in the affair before
Wcisscnburg had to contend with two
Prussian army corps, including the
picked troops of the Prussian Guard,
and adds, in spite Of the inferiority OF
their numbers our regiments resisted
the assault of the enemy for several
hours with admirable hcorism when
they were forced to give way. The
loss Of the enemy was so severe that
he did not dare to pursue us. AT Saar-
bruck we have broken the Prussian
lines while our own remain intact
Another prominent French paper
says that General MacMahon moved
yesterday towards Weisscnburg. He
was but a short distance from that
point, and his men marched at quick
step. He has between sixty and sew
enty thousand men. today there
will be about one hundred aud fily
Thousand men concentrated near
Weissenburg The loss Of the Prus.
sia's in the recent engagement reach
ten thousand five hundred in killed.
wounded and prisoners. The French
forces defending the town were but
eight or ten thousand, while the at.
taeking force numbered fully forty
thousand. The enemy was so severely
crippled that he could not follow the
French when they retired.