The New York herald., 1870-10-05
SIEGE OF METZ.
A French Sortio and Its Repulse-The Star.
walton Process.

A French Sortio and Its Repulse-The STAR
walton Process.
correspondent OF the London Times with the
Prussian army before Metz, writing on the 10th OF
September, says
On the day MacMahon was attacked at Sedan Ba-
Kane made his sorue near Courceles 1t is sur
prstng that SO little has been heard OF this battle
or, rather, OF these two battles The attack was
made IN the first instance at about ten at night and
lasted from about ten till one when the French
were driven back, or ut least withdrew, with
heavy losses. II was renewed again at dawn on
the follow ing day and continued until nearly eleven
A. NJ, but wth this dinerence In result, that the
French suffered on the second occasion far more
ncavly than ON the nrst The Prnssians lay on the
ground with their knapsacks in mont OF them, over
which they fired. The French had, OF course, to
advance standing, and their loss was awful Yet
manner that could be compared 10 the determination
with which the PrussianS met them under far more
a. the heights OF
has decided the fate OF Metz. We know that
II must surrender. The Prussians have
/ can believe in what iney say, they
would rather take Metz than Paris. With the stone
walls the Prussians say they do not mean to medde
risks The stone walls they know cannot hurt them,
but the men inside lhem can. They have only 10
bide their time till the great hosts which lie within
them are reduced to the level OF chdren they have
only to wait III, according to the usages OF 'civil
tZed' war, the women and children In the city are
starved out and then till the army is reduced by
attenuation TO such state that the stone
walls anu great UaSt0nS the m0atS and covered
causeways, and all the great defences which
might make even towards brave Will become USE
less In the hands OF lamished crowd. There Will
bo no blood.staned ruins here but there will be as
bad; there Will be houses filed with dead and
dying, or almost empty, and echoing only to the
hollow voice OF famine Heaven forgive US all--for
a. O Christian ! cannot but feel that n Metz Is
starved 1t Will be spectacle to shock the world.
You have not seen what ! have; you have not
seen the miserable traces OF starvation; you have
not seen, IS have, what real starvation ls with all
its horrors not OF grown men suffering, but Of
women and little children; have; but yet dread
the day when we shall enter Metz after II has been
starved 'Starvcdn In writing or In print is only
particple; think for second OF what 1t means done
10 $4,000 people. would not dwell on the repul-
sive horrors Of Sedan; would not dwell on the
abjecg sunerngs OF the French prisoners; nor can
dwell, for have not seen 1t yet, on what the suffer.
ing In Metz must be, where people are Kept TIL
they die Of hunger unless t0ey yield. The
troops will take all the provisions, and then
think what the condition OF the women and
front, tho officer drew my attention TO balloon
that had been sent up from Metz He at once ex-
claimed "Tlere win be sortle tonight Ali night
we anxiously waited an attack, but towards mid
night three guns were fired at intervals OF one
minute. Nothing came OF It, We therefege concluded
that II was signal TO countermand the sortie.
During the day we could distinctly hear the bands
graphic communication all around Metz, by which
means they are enabled to collect over 5000 men IN
onc spot within The space or fifteen minutes and
upon late occasion had the opportunity OF 0bserv.
Ing. when the assembly sounded, tnat within
twenty eight minutes force OF q, 900 men, consist
ing OF every branch OF the service, were In full
marching order ready to proceed to the 'front.'.