New-York tribune., 1870-09-22
THE BATTLE OF SEDAN.

THE STORY OF YE-WTTNESSES.
STIRRING NARRATIVE OF THE CAMPAIGN AND
BATTLE-THE STRATEGY OF Won MoLTKE-
TERRIBLE SCENES OF SUFFERING IN THE
TOWN.
IRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
SEDAN, Sept. 4.-After the surprise, on the
29th OF Failys Corps, which formed MacMahon's left
wing the front being toward Paris and after the defeat
which the French army suffered in consequence thereof
on the sOth the positions the hostile armies appeared
to have undergone principal change. On the morning
of the Goth it had been the French commander who
seemed to threaten the offensive The line Beaumont
Cargnan held with the front eastward with Sedan
not much point d. appui as mere waystation for
the accommodation OF Vinoy's corps in their eastward
march from Paris to join MacMahon. say seemed to
threaten the offensive" for the proposed line Of march
was so chosen any serious conflict with the German
troops might be avoided until the neighborhood Of the
objective point were reached. This point was the
wooded region whose center would be trayersed
by straight line connecting Briey and Thlon-
ville The French army to march in
two coIumns-the the great road Carignan-
Montmedy- -Marvile the other the great road Beau
mOntstenay Jametz-y -yitarye. The Germans were sup
posed to stand the general line, Briey-Etain
Varennes-Grandpre, and TO occupy no position further
north than Buzancy. The proposed line OF march would
avoid them and if 1t possible TO pass the enemy
safely the movement would be continued by the left
wing the great TOdu
while the left was follow the valley Of the Loson to
It's head at ysOusManennes, then TO cross the hills
10 yaudoncourt the Othain whence 1t was to divide
into smaller columns and to push due east through the
mountainous region separating the Othaln Naley from
the headwaters Of the Nance. II the right wing fay)
shOuldleel the enemy too strongly they were TO IAN
back on the main body by Mangiennes Plon Arraney-
PierrepOnt, or, later. by Vaudoncourt-Spincourt
Perrepont. From Landres, the mobile right wing was
oudO 81
Frederick Charles while the gros to attempt gain
ing the strong southern nights Of the F6ret de Rangue-
yaux from the by the dee FontoyNeufchef Ihose
nights once gained il presumed movement on inc
road from Clouange to the Maison Rouge, two miles
north OF Metz the Thi0nvle Railroad, Would dFert
enough OF the Princes army from their positions on the
nights sauny enable the garrison Of Metz to make
successful sortie by Plappeyie on the rear IN
which case the desired junction Of MacMahOn with Ba-
zaine would have been effected by the defH OF Woppy
Saulny.
Such was the plan yet the evening Of the 2sth. The
actions the 29th and SOth too well known to need
redescrptOn here Their result was that the Frehch
front changed from the east to west; tho crown
Prince who been really at BuzancyS yStenay, when
he supposed at Varennes-Grandpre, now STOOD Oh
Donchery rapidly throwing his gros around py
the west Of its north while his right center en-
bodying all the Bavarian artillery, was thrown against
the line Of the Meuse, by stOnne-RancourRemlly, ana
his extreme right the Saxon army under frlnce GEORGE
came up the stenay Mouzon road against the If flank
OF the French CENTER the French left wing Qt since tue
change OF 'front.', having been virtually annihated in
the surprise of morning OF the 29th The French line
was then leaning Sedan, which had been intended
only for base of supplies and reenforcements as ts
poinl ddppui and, strangely enough, the point fappu
was between the forces and the enemy in front OF the
forces OF The right rested on the slopes
north of Flong extending to nearly three miles north
by Of Sedan the rest of the line leaned on the
slopes north OF Balan, la Moncele and Rubeeourt ex
tending four miles eastbysouth east of Sedan Thus
the French line formed angle OF about 100 degrees
with limbs of unequal length and its apex SEDAN turned
toward Paris.
Thus were the positions on the morning of the 3lst The
French commander, feeling against his right wing
the of the Crown Princes go hastened to mass
his own toward the north where at first there had
been but weak position. The German GenerallnChief
however had correctly foreseen the entire game so far
and beyond to its very concusonand had predi-
rected massng Of artillery and the heavy Bavarian in-
fantry fire the nights opposite Douzy, nearly five
miles southwest Of Sedan. the south borders Of the
Meuse and an advance at the time, from Carignan
toward DOuzy by the Saxon army the Fourth and
Twelfth Corps These had on the 30h advanced from the
Mouzon to Cargnan repusng the French left center TO
the north side OF the Chersa little stream which joins
the Meuse four miles southwest OF Sedan-for the
pecia purpose OF being in position the 3st TO roll up
sian Third, Eleventh, and Garde Corps,
and part Of the Sixth, should turn the
French right at ges The purpose Of Won Moke was to
occupy the enemy so severely the line Bazeilles-
Douzy by heavy fire from the nights south Of the mouth
OF the Chiers that MacMahon should neither be able
the 3st to the Chers and Meuse southwark aud
thus to turn right flank OF the German position,
on the ls TO prevent the Crown Princes turning the
French right flank. II this offensive point about Re
my could be successfully held and maatained in ae-
tyty for 20 hours from the morning of the Slt Of
two things must in the mean time happen: either the
French would have to bring their main body to counter
attack on this point and thus weaken the right limb OF
their ange sufficiently TO enable the Prusians to fail
their rear and then descend Sedan from the steep
inences northwest; or, IL they gave way at their
left CENTER opposite Remily the Bayaran heavy infant
~ would, under the protection Of their guns on the
south bank cross the Meuse below the mouth OF the
Cbers ion che saxons the north side OF the Meuse,
and drive the French gros back and into sedan where
they would be under fire from the nights of Waden-
court Immediately south Of the fortress, aud command
ing the latter.
Both these things happened in succession, and thus the
German victory became complete and the French posi-
ton at Sedan OF inevitable suicide. All day the
3lst the artillery at Remilly thundered away at the
French all day the French artillery and mitrailleuses
from q much longer line and somewhat taller hignts
thundered back at the crowded. chokedup Bavarans
the em6Ouehure of the deH; all day she Prus
sians who had come back from Lachene ARD Buzancy.
and who had had little part in the affairs the previous
days, marched and fought against tie French the
north and all day the saxons marched and fought
against the French the west. NacMahon counted he
could hold his the right and SO troops he had
ordered to the northeast in the morning ordered
back 10 the southwest noon they were TO break
the Bayarians at Remy to the Meuse there and
to fall into the Prussrn flank at Wadelinconrt But the
Bayarians stood tair ground; the Crown Prince threw
the French across the hill from Foing west down into
the Vale OF GvSnne he took the nights OF Giyonne and
chased the French southwark along the ravne to Dauy
and la Moacele Then late in the day, MacMahon again
drew pps TO the north TO resist the Prussans whose