New-York tribune., 1870-09-14

lFROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
RHEIMS, August 23.-I posted yesterday even
ing letter to you from here when had just arrived.
There then about 10000 or 10000 men in and round
this town under the command Of MacMahon. During
the night they began to in the direction Of the Ar
dennes, and they still moving from here in that
direction and by this afternoon should think this place
would be entirely evacuated They have taken the roao
to Rethel but how far they gong in that de'"on
IL is impossible TO know. The officers themselves o NV
II what was told at st. Menehould was true-'h' 90
zsine passing through Vouziers-it wouiu "pp'",
that the two French armies would JOIN sooh'
have heard here from OF the cohiSS"'''
that Bazaine is keeping close up 10 'i' -
Of the Prussians and that they nave aN"i'ou
as far "A rmonten-Argone, this side OF Neruuh'
out of these different d" on dts perhaps you can
mako something cannot All can tell you for certain
is the route taken by the army am following ana tha'
il the direction Rethel and Mezeres AS soon as ca
shall follow in their lneed not start Tor several
hours vet or till evening for they advance but slowly
comparatycly and with carriage or on horseback
ba GO much faster than they do lam trying to come
across some OF the transport people who are going the
same way this night probably, but in this large Town
people are separated that does not know where To
find each other. All the officers say great battle IS I'M
mincnt Marshal Bazlne reported to have said in
dispatch he brought about the battle on the 2Oh
he could beat the enemy but that he waited til the
25th ne could anuhilate them. beginning to fear
from the obscurity which Cnveloped his movements to
u that he in awkward position or nearly cut on
one o'clock D. MI have spent the time intervening
between writing the above and the present in trying TO
find out my acquaintance OF the "convoi and also IN
looking for kind of trap TO follow the army
with in case should fall in with the entrepreneurs
of the couvoi. II raining fearfuly when got up
this morning ut seven, ana kept raining Ill about H.
and il was so cold and raw that obliged to buy
greatcOat, for had started as you know, without any
luggage whatsoever, excepting one extra shirt made of
new kind Of flannel "A few socks, pockethandkerchiefs
&C. She whole of which could easily carry sung across
my back have had many opportunities OF fehcating
myself this arrangement for all my conJrereS met
(who are but few now) and all the officers know have
either lost their portmauteaus entirely are so far
separated from them that they Of no use to them
whatsoever. During al the walks about the town. the
troops were pouring through without interruption
cavalry, artillery nfanry-cOnstanty and close to each
other and this began last night at about lOocoeR, ana
wa. going on at II O'Clock to-day. There pomp or
circums nee Of war about that march The rain was
pouring down heavily and steadily. and men piodded
along nearly all of them with their blankets spread
over Their heads and their knapacks; drummers
in front Of each regiment certainly, but that was
nearly all the distinction that could be seen between the
regiments and battalOns of infantry that passed. The
field officers horses in most cases led by their
broken-down looking servants, for thing remark is
that in this campaign officers of al ranks do all they
perform the "etspe days march, in carriages or
whatever vehicle they can hire! This is not in the Old
great traditions or tne ffencn
doctors paymasters &C., suppose to travel as
they can most easily, so long they with their
corps, but surely cOlones and field officers used TO
ride at the head Of their This is simply thing
have noticed and which may have good reasons for its
but appears to me TO be result of the same
state of things which tolerated FrOssard smoking his
cigar on balcony with the Mayor of the town during
the battle of Forbach and Fay shillyshalying on the
road to Bsohofshcim Nearly 100000 men, composed OF
the army of Chalons and the levy en- moSse of old sol
diers. passed through here. found trap, which
think / could have for several days TO follow the
army WITH but Just had nearly completed the bar
gain which would be a very one, think, met
the two enrepreneurs of the "eonvoi Messeurs Pele
grain and Kntzinger, with whom went to breakfast,
and heard more about the movements than knew.
The army bound in direction which is not quite
Rethel but which bears upon Lanenvillesur Meuse
The "cOnvo" itself has orders to go directly to Mont
m6dy The entrepeneurs assure me that by going with
them am 10 fall in with the Army Corps at the
time before the great battle which is expected but
cannot take place before the latter part OF the
month current report among them is that Bazaine,
in dispatch sent by "esafete" Gor there no tee-
graphs appears by his Orders that the situation OF
the Prusans already SERIOUS" but after the 2Sth
IL would become every day more compromised Bazalne
is QH Sc berce pas d. illusions, and who does
not poeze positive questions; everybody seems to know
now that he has nearly cut off, for while quite
cut off. but that now his communications were again
free That he had been cut Off the following facts are
proof
While sitting at breakfast with my friends of their
subordinates came in and was asked by them 10 sit
down with u.s. He dressed in blouse and at first
sight might have passed for young paysan Of the bet
ter class entering into conversation with him
found he quite educated man lin fact, very supe-
riOr the other two privates, bdcheliereSettres
contributor to the paperOf Montmedy and really very
intelligent and gentenanly This is accounted for
by the fact that many who have been taken by the
lev6e en- massc" preferred doing any service to
being put in regiments made pioneers OF in fort
nights time they have entered the imprOvsed mill
ary train in plain clothes He told me that the l7th
going across country join the corps which being
formed under the management of the two gentle
men have named, he was stopped between Metz and
Verdun by young Uhlan. And he remarked upon the
extreme poteness and civilty with which it done
soldier had the tact to pass from the right hand TO
the left the short broad-muzzled musquetoOn with
which he was armed before he bade them stop He then
asked TetrOgrade his orders motto etany
party pass No search was made, any annoyance
proceeded to. He added that in few hours they would
be able TO pass. A gentleman who was breakfasting
with his back turned and who had been hitherto
silent then turned round and told us that he
been stepped on the same road few hours later
by party of Uhlans, who also had been
exceedingly courteous. They merely asked him
to retrace his steps. They did not search him
his carriage and yet the bearer Of papers which
would have entitled them 10 shoot him. He showed
them us without shame. He attached to the police
of the army and his papers were headed "servce des
Renscignemens" upon which of the gentlemen who
was with said, with without intention, l don't
know which: "Yes; have got very bad spies" My
scquanances do not know exactly when they will have
orders 10 start but they tell me they to be
the scene Of action I'm time that had better 20 with
them and that of urgent need they will be able
TO find place for me; 50 think will stckltO them.
Walking through the streets home passed by knot
I 20