New-York tribune., 1870-08-24


have separate names-Mars-La-T Tour, FlaUgny,
a little south of the road, Vionville, Recon-
vile, and GravelOtte, which is divided into
Great and Little GravelOtte On my night
were the thickly wooded hills behind which
lies the most important village OF the neigh
borhood, which had Just left-GOrze. So en-
vironed was the foreground of the battle, which
should, one would say, be called the Battle OF
Gravelotte for it was mainly over and around
that devoted little town that it ragged. The
area | have indicated is perhaps four miles
square.
SPECTATORS OF THE BATTLE
arrived lust as the battle waxed warm. 1t
was about noon of the 18th. The headquarters
of the King of Prussia were then at the spot
which l have described. The great represent
ative men of Prussia, soldiers and statesmen,
were standing on the ground watching the
conflict just begun, Among them recognized
the King, bismarck, Gen. Won Moltke, Prince
Frederick Charles, Prince Carl, Prince Adal-
bert, and Adutant Kranski. Lieut.-Gen. Sher-
idan of the United States army was also pres
ent. At the moment the French were making
a most desperate effort to hold on to the last
bit of the Verdun rOad-that between Recon-
vile and Gravelotte, or that part of Gravelotte
which in some maps is called ST. Marcel The
struggle was desperate but unavailing, for
every one man in the Frenth army had two to
cope with, and their line was already beginning
to waver. Soon it was plain that this wing,
the French right, was Withdrawing to new
position. This was swiftly taken up under
cover of a continuous fire of their artillery
from the nights beyond the village. The
movement was made in good order, and the
position, which was reached at one o'clock and
thirty minutes, would, / believe, have been
pronounced impregnable by nine out of ten
military men. When once this movement had
been effected, the French retreating from the
pressure of the Prussian artillery fire, and the
Prussans as rapidly advancing, the battlefield
was no longer about Rezonville, but had been
transferred and pushed forward to Gravelotte,
the junction iOf the two branching roads to
Verdun. The fields in front of that village
were completely covered by the Prussian re-
serves, and nterminable lines of soldiers were
steadily marching onward, disappearing into
the village, and emerging on the other side OF
it with flaming volleys.
THIS SECOND BATTLEFIELD
was less extensive than the first, and brought
the opposing forces into fearfully close quar-
tiers. The peculiarty of it is that it consists OF
two nights, intersected by deep ravine This
woody ravine is over 100 feet deep and at the top
some 800 yards wide. The side of the chasm
next to Gravelotte, where the Prussians Stood is
much lower than the other side, which gradu-
ally ascends to a great hight From their COM
mandng eminence the French held their ene-
mics fairly beneath them, and poured upon
them scorching fire. The French guns were
in position far up by the Metz road, hidden
and covered among the trees. There was not
an instant's cessation of the roar. Easily dis
tipguishable amid all was the curious grunt-
ing roll of the Mtrailleuse The Prussian ar
tillery was posted to the north and south OF
the village, the guns on the latter side beng
necessarily reised for an awkward half vertl-
cal fire.
THE CARNAGE.
The French stood their ground and died
the Prussians stood their ground and died
both by hundreds, / had almost said thousands.
This, for an hour or two that seemed ages, so
constant was the slaughter. The hill where L
stood commanded chiefly the conflict behind
the village and to the south OF 1t. The Prus-
sian reenforcements coming up on their right,
filed out of the Bois des OgnOns; and it was
at that point as they marched on to the field
that one could perhaps get the best idea OF
the magnitude of this invading army now
in the heart of France. There was no break
whatever for four hours in the march of men
| out of that wood. 1t seemed almost as II all
the killed and wounded revived and came
back and marched forth again. Birnam Wood
advancing to Dunsinane Hill was not more
IL A. A. nf
| Gen. Goeben's army to Bazaine, shielded as
they were by the woods till they were fairly
within range and reach of their enemies guns.
So the French must have felt; for, between 4
and s o'clock, they concentrated upon that
spot their heaviest fire, massing all available
| guns, and shelling the woods unremittingly.
Their fire reached the Prussian lines and tore
through them; and though the men were
steady, it was a test to which no General cares
to subject his troops long. They presently
| swerved a little from that line OF advance,
and there was no longer continuous column
of infantry pouring out of those woods
THE PRUssIANs RECEIVE CHECK.
The attack of the Prussians in the center
was clearly checked. About 8 o'clock, how
ever, brigade Of fresh infantry was again
| formed in the wood and emerged from lts
| cover. Once out from under the trees, they
advanced at double-quick. / watched their
movement The French guns had not lost the
range of the wood, nor of the ground in front
Seen at distance, through powerful glass
the brigade was huge serpent bending WIN
the undulation of the field. But 1t left dark
track behind it, and the glass resolved the
dark track into falling and dying and DEAD