The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-08-12
Present Position OF the COntending
Armies.

Armies.
From the New York Herald.
Although the Geographic dispatcbe
are confused and contradictory (per
haps naturally SOY enough can be CLEAN
ed to form clear idea of the millitar.
position in France. 1t is evident tina
Mcmahon was surprised and beaten IL
detail by the Crown Prince, who ad
vanced his army rapidly across thu
Lauter river, struck Douays division
with overwhelming numbers, driving i
from Weissenburg and established s
base of operations at that town. Al
most simultaneously the Baden ant
Bavarian troops must have crossed tn,
Rhine above Lauterbourg, occupied thu
city, and forming junction with thu
army Of the Crown Prince, pushed OF
for Sultz, town Of some importance
lying on the railroad between Hagenau
and Weissenburg. When the frs
blow was struck a part of Marsha
McMahon's corps was lying at Bru
math. This force, with divisions from
Strasbourg, he seems to have hurried
forward to meet the enemy, ignorant o.
the Prussian strength We think il
very probable that in the battle Of
Woerth the Germans far out-numbered
their adversaries and for the reason
not less than four German corp. a.e
spoken of as having taken part in the
battle, two being Prussian, one Ba.
yarian and one composed Of Prus.
sian, Wurtemberg, Bavarian and
Baden troops. Opposed to them was
McMahon's corps and five divisions
of de Failly's corps. Mention is made
of Canrobert's corps, but it could not
possibly have participated in the en-
gagement, rs it was stationed at Chalons
and Paris.
While the armies of the Crown Prince
of Prussia and Marshal Mcmahon were
engaged, the corps of General Stein.
metz moved upon the left centre of the
French position, driving Frossards
corps from Saarbruck and compelling
it to fall back upon Metz. 1t will be
observed that both movements were OF
the same character. No attacks were
made on the extreme right and left and
the left and the centre. The Crown
Prince pierced the right centre and
General Steinmetz forced the left centre
to fall back. Looking at the move
ments in a purely military light they
were very skiltul and energetic But 1t
is not unlikely that the Prussians have
failed in their great design OF cutting
the French army in two. II Mcmahon
at SAverne and Bazaine at Metz can
maintain interior lines, or, in plain
language, if Mcmahon can prevent the
Crown Prince from getting between
Saverne and Metz the reciprocal support
which the two French columns can
afford each other will, it the soldiers re,
main resolute and confident, finally
neu,ralize their defeat at Woerth.
Position of Bazaine's forces.
AZ far as can be ascertained the
French army is now in the following
position: iOn the extreme left are mass
Ell the Third corps, Marshal Pazaine
Fourth corps, General Count Ladmir.
rault; Second corps, Major General
Frossard and part Of the Imperial
Guard. In addition it is probable that
the troops concentrated at Dunkirk
(some 100000 have been hurried 10y rail
to Metz, and it is not unlikely that a
part OF the Garde Mobile has also been
sent there. Considering that of these
troops Frossard's corps alone has been
i'm action, the force concentrated at Metz
cannot he less than one hundred and
fifty thousand, and may reach az high
as two hundred thousand. Whether
Bazaine will risk a general engage
ment with this army seems undecided,
as We have report that he intends re
firing to the Nosges mountains, thereby
nncovering Paris. To the superficial
mind such movement rs this may
seem another evidence OF French weak
ness. But, in fact, it would he an ad
mirable change OF front. 1t Is the
same plan which Napoleon !. began in
ISl4-viz., to uncover Paris and retire
to the tortresses Of Alsace and Lorraine.
Baron ,Jemini writes that had Marmon'
or Mortier joined him, land had h'
possessed 10000 more men, this plan
would have produced the most decisive
results and have put the seal on his
military career,
! Metz ~ an Obstacle 10 IL Prnssian
Advance.
Should the French army now concen
trated in front OF Metz be defeated in 6
general engagement and fall back upor
! the Nosges mountains, or should i
! voluntarily retire TO the mountains, (ht
road TO Paris would be open to the
/ PruSsians. Before an advance could b'
made il would he necessary 10 reduce
Metz. And Just here the German:
would encounter their first difficulty
Metz Is the strongest fortress in France
and is regarded As impregnable 10 any
thing but starvation or voluntary sur
render. In 1852 the Constable Mont
morency gained possession of it b,
stratagem. Charles V, Emperor o
Germany, Immediately after besieged /
with an army OF 100000 men. At thu
end of ten months he raised the sieg
and retired, having lost @O,OOO of hi
force in iruitless contest.
The present Notifications OF Metzwer'
MANNED hv Eauban II may be vel
to say here that the city is seated OF
the Moselle river, at the junction of
small stream called La Seille. Tn
nomlation is nearly 10000. The cit.