New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-10
RATTLE or BEAUMONT.


LONDON. September 5.-The T'idune's
correspondent at the Kings headquarters
sends us the following account of the battle
OF Beaumont on August 30:
Up to Thursday evening, August %, at
three o'clock, we all thought we were going
to continue our march Parisward, without
turning to the right or left; but Thursday
evening, when the officers Of the staff were
at dinner, in the refectory of the Lyceum
at Barbecue, an orderly came with impor-
tant news. Two officers jumped up from
the table and rode off north, in the direction
Of ClermOnt.
The news that he had was indeed impor-
tant, viz: That Mcmahon, who had quilted
Chalons and taken up a very strong de
fensive position at Rheims, was in full march
the next morning was therefore changed
and we started for Clermont-en-Argonne to
throw ourselves between Mcmahon and
Steinmetz.
* After tedious marching. bad quarters. and
wretchedly cold, wet weather, we reached
the village of Grandpre on Monday even
ing, August %.
'Grandpre, the Kings headquarters, to see
the battle expected on a line from the vii
lage of StOune to Stenay, nearly midway,
passing through Beaumont. Mcmahon WAS
believed to be trying to push on to Metz,
T. according to plan, of catching Steinmetz
between himself and Bazane, but the Prus-
slams were always just thirty-six hours in
advance Of Mcmahon from the time he left
Rheims.
had not gone far on my road to the front
before / fell in with the Crown Princes
staff, his royal highness riding ut the head
of his aides-de-camp in certain uniform
of q Prussian general, with no orders but
the star Pour lie Merioe and the iron cross.
We rode slowly over the hills until we
reached an eminence above the valley OF the
Bar. On this hill we sat for tolerably
long time, but at ten minutes to one o'clock
there was suddenly puff of white smoke
from a hill about two miles in front OF us,
and before we had fairly got our glasses on
the hill French battery of six guns
opened ON the PIussian columns advancing
in the road below.
1 So Intellectual was the fire that it was not
thought advisable to send up Prussian
battery to reply, especially as we did not
wish to let the enemy know what our force
was and whetherwe werea corps d'armee or
merely advance guards. After little moro
than half hours fire OF the French bat
feries, they limhered up and retired down
the hill to gain the high road to Beaumont.
Our scouts discovered the French were i'll
full retreat in the direction of Stounc,
where they again took up position later in
the day, and that the cause of their rapid
retreat on StOune was the advance Of our
right wing, Prince sAlbert of Saxony in
command, between Beaumont and the
Mouse, threatening to turn part OF the
French left.
On the ridge of hill, which lies here, the
enemy made stand. but the attack from
the Prussian right was SO determined that
al. ofo In
hill. Yet they had very strong position,
they had'two mittrailleuses and fired twelve
rounds or SO, with what object it was di1i-
cult to discover, as they were too far from
our most advanced columns to do the slight
est mischief. Possibly they hoped to
attract the attention of their own right
tank. The Emperor was with them, ana
they may well enough have been nervous
about his safety.
After some time Prussiau battery came
mp and shelled the store. and then retired
for half an hour to see if they could get
reply. AT five O'Clock we advanced IA Didly
from our hill to that of Starne. the column
climbing the slope. Below the village they
.cheered loudly as the heir to the throne
passed them.
However, when we got on the hill above
Stoune We had a capital view Of nearly the
whole of the right, and one adedecamD
came up with news We soon learned what
was passing there A whole French division
had been surprised near Beaumont in camp
and fled, leaving all tents and baggage
When say fed, mean all fed who could.
and whom the Prussians were not too quick
for. More than six thousand were made
prisoners without striking blow.
The peasants in the village told us the
Emperor had been there only two hours be-
fore the Prussian slSirmishers entered it,
This was confirmed by some prisoners taken
In the woods on our left. The troops that
had been opposed to us had fallen back to
the other side of the descent, beneath Us,
and occupied sides of a narrow valley lead
inc toward Rancourt. 1t was more imp0r-
tant for the French to defend this valley, as
had the Prilssians been able to reach down
they would have turned the French right
flank, getting between Mousson. whittier il
had fallen back, on the road TO Sedan.
The French had concealed their sklrmish-
ers so well that we on the hill were aston
ished to hear independent firing suddenly
begin as our foremost tirailIcurs entered the
low ground and pressed up the Rancourt
road.
It was. necessary for us to act vigorously,
for the sun was sinking, and there was
barely an hour more OF good light.
at is too late too Late said one of my
staff to me chad we got here at 80 III
stead of $3.50, we could have forked that
battery. and got down on the valley of the
Meuse by Rancourt to Reyiliy, broken the
I,r;doe there and so caught the French be
twcen the river and our troops"
:" wish j could understand clearly
aid. "what the French are trying TO DO
his morning. Are they trying stlh 10 al
varce toward Metz, Or are they IN retreat
' ,,s Sedan. having abandoned all hope |
!. Sw saI;ev;ng Bazaine In other words, are we
= ;ab t their advance guard or their guard
Z. nI nh nv dear Sir. answered this officer,
Who, t thougS did not know then, ! being nsr.
traneer at the Crown Princes head a,!sna
ers, was Count Won Gutenberg : ! nen nrob,
an Oh no one is certain, for you have ProD.
Nv discovered it docs not do to 1nloE 1Sv~