The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-09-15


Below the hill on which the Crown Prince
was placed, the ground, from Torey to lily,
through the large village of Flomig, was held
by the first and third Prussian corps, belonging
to Prince Frederick Charles and temporarily
attached to the army of the Crown Prince.
This was the position of the troops about 3
o'clock on Thursday morning, September LIST,
and no great advance took place until later
than that, for the artillery, at first, had all the
work to do. Still further to the left, near Dou-
cherry, were 10000 Wurtemburgers, ready to
cast off the French from Mezieres, in case OF
their making push for that fortress.
THE FORCES ENGAGED.
The number of Prussian troops engaged is
estimated by General Moltke at 100000, and
that of the French at 100000. We know that
Mcmahon had with him on Tuesday 10000
men; that is, four corps-his own, that was
lately commanded by General DeFailly, now
under General LIE Brun; that of Felix Douay,
brother of General Abel Douay, killed at
Weissenburg, and the Fourth Corps, principal
" composed of the Garde Mobile, the name OF.
whose commander has escaped me- McMahon,
although wounded, commanded in chief on the
French side. 1t is needless to say that the real
commander-in-chiefo of the Prussians was Won
Moltke, with the Crown Prince and Prince Al
bert of Saxony Immediately next In command.
COMMENCEMENT OF BATTLE.
There were few stray cannon shots fired,
but the real battle did not commence until b
O'Clock, becoming a sharp artillery fight at 8,
when the batteries had got within easy range
and shells began to do serious mischief At
five minutes of IL o'clock the musketry fire in
the valley in the rear of Sedan, which had
opened at l1.25 became exceedingly lively, be-
ing one continuous rattle only broken by the
growing of the mitraileurs, which played with
deadly effect on the advancing Saxon and Ba-
varian columns. General Sheridan, by whose
side was standing, told me that he did not re-
member ever to have such well-sustained small
arms fire. 1t made itself heard above the war
of batteries at our feet At IL o'clock precise
ly Prussian battery of six guns, on the slope
above the broken railway bridge over the
Meuse near La Villette had silenced two bat
teries of French guns at the foot of the bare
hills already mentioned, near the village of
Flomig. At ten minutes past IL o'clock the
infantry, no longer supported by their artillery,
were compelled to retire to Flomig, and soon
afterwards. a junction between the Saxons and
Prussians behind Sedan was announced tous
bw General Won Room who was eagerly peer
ing through large telescope, as being safely
completed.
.eaz,e. THE FRENCH SURRENDER.
From this moment the result of the battle
could nc longer be doubtful The French were
completely Surrounded and brought to bay. At
1856 we were all astonished to see clouds of
retreating French infantry on the: hill between
Flomig and Sedan, Prussian battery making
good practice, with percussion shells, among
the receding ranks. The whole hill, for quar-
ter .of an hour, was literally covered with
Frenchmen, running rapidly. Less than half
an hour after, General Won Room called our at
tention to another French column in full re-
treat to the right of Sedan on the road leading
from Bazeile to La Gavenue wood They new
er halted until they got to snail red rooted
house on the outskirts of Sedan itself Almost
at the same moment General Sheridan, who
was using my opera glass, asked me to look at
a third French column moving up a broad
grass road through La Gavenue wood, imme
diately above Sedan, doubtless to support the
troops defending the important Bazeile ravine
to the northeast of the town.
~. PROGRESS OF THE BATTLE.
At one o'clock the French batteries on the
edge of the wood towards Toney and above it
opened vigorous fire upon the advancing
Prussian columns of the third corps, whose ev-
ident intention it was to storm the hill northwest
of La Gavenue, and SO gain the key of the posi-
ton on that side. At 1:15 o'clock yet another
French battery near the wood opened on the
Prussian columns which we're compelled to
keep shifting their ground till ready for their
final rush at the hills, and in order to avoid of
fering so good mark to the French shells.
Shortly afterwards we saw the first Prussian
skirmishers on the crest of La Gavenue hills,
above Toney. They did not seem in strength,
and General Sheridan, who was standing be-
weak. They can never hold that position
against all those French"
The Generals prophecy soon proved correct,
for the French advancing at least six to one,
the Prussians were forced to retreat down the
hill to seek reinforcements from the columns
which were hnrrying to their support In five
minutes they; came back again, this time in
greater force, but still inferior to those huge
French masses.
DISASTROUS CAVALRY CHARGE.
"Good Heavens the French cuirassiers are
going to charge them," cried General Sheridan
and sure enough the regiment of cuirassiers,
their helmets and breastplates flashing in the
September sun, form in sections of squadrons
and dash down on the scattered Prnssian Skin
mishers.
Without deigning to form in line, (squares
are never used by the Prussians, the infantry
received the cuirassiers with a crushing, quick
fire. at; about. 8 hundred yards distance, loading
and firing with. extreme, rapid and unfailing
precision into the dense French squad;ons.-
The effect was startling. Over went horses and
men, in numbers, in masses, in hundreds, and
the regiment of proud French cuirassiers went
hurriedly back in disorder-went back faster
than it came-went back scarcely regiment
in strength, and not at all regiment in form.
Its comely array was, suddenly changed into a
shapeless crowd of flying men. The moment
! the cuirassiers turned back the brave Prussians
dashed forward in hot pursuit, at double quick,
the infantry plainly pursuing the flying caval-
ry. Such a thing, has not often been recorded
in-the annals of war. know not when an ex-
ample to compare precisely with, this has oc-
Cured. There was no more striking episode id