The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-08-22
sundar,s battle at Metz. /.

.
A TRIBUNE CORRESPONDENT WITNESSES
THE ENGAGEAtRNT--AsUc ccEssBuL TRAP
SET FOR THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
oNBoTH sDEs-THE FoRcE1R-: ESSP 4 0E,p
-RETREAT OF THE FRENpH.
LONDON, Friday, August 49, 1870: Z
The special correspondent the Tribune
at Metz writes on Monday (15th):
Yesterday VIC thought ourselves shut
Up here, and all chance Of sending letters
gone; for we get nothing, even from Paris
But this morning l hear that post will
start for the capital, and I take my chance
OF your getting what ! am able to tell
from the inside Of town whicllis sur
rounded by armies-whethcF French or
Prussiau does not much matter so far as
news is concerned. 5't'S' 'l,l 'E'
"At II o'clock on Sunday Bazaine et'
fected grand reconnaissance with one di.
vision Of L'Admirault's corps. iiAt Q a
battle commenced on the right at Borney.
Till 4 o'clock it was Of no great import
ance. Then, the Fourth Army Corps
forming tho first line Of battle, accom-.
pllshcda mancuver intended to deceive
the Prussians into the belief TINT 1t was
retrcating. This was accomplished by
E15. The Prussians fell into tho trap
rushed forward and attakCed with sur.
prising vigOr. Tho Fourth Corps, whose
retreat to the left was nero feint, fell al
once on the enemy's flank, while MCMa-
hon on the right attacked simultaneously,
ThcP PrusSian attack meantime had been de-
vcloped in great force on tho French centre
"The movements on both sides were
effected with singular precision, and the
whole spectacle was like q review at Cha
Ions. The Prussians advanced In close
column against the French line, which
their artillery, splendidly served as 1t was
had vainly attempted to shake. The
French officers consider that the Prussiau
infantry was relatively inferior TO the
Prussian artillery. The ncedlegun il
heavy and appears to incommode the
Prussians greatly when climbing a hight
or moving rapidly over broken ground
The soldiers, themselves, are active, They
fire lying fiat on the ground, seeking coveI
from every irregularity; but do not use
their knapsacks as the French do to make
little ramparts IN front Of them and rests fol
their guns. 1t Is true Of this, as has been
said OF the other battles Of Worth and
Forbach, that tho Prussians fired with
great deliberation, while the French rat
Tied away as fast as they could discharge
their chGssepots.
"The regiments most closely engaged
were the Goth, Doth, 44th, Goth, ,S0th, SD
54th, 65tl, and 95th Of the line; the It'll
and 18th foot chasseurS; and the 9Th, 9th
and 10th batteries Of the first regiment o.
artillery. Those which suffered most
were the 44th and Goth Of tho line, and the
18th foot chasseurs. Tho 44th especially
was shattered, while the S5th, though ID
tho thickCst Of the action, lost but IS men
killed and wounded. The Colonel Of the
44th was killed; the Colonel Of the Sd horse
chasscurs and Gems. Duplessls and Costa
mer were wounded. I 'Gz - Eli .'.''.y
"AS It Is impossible to leave tho town,
and this action was fought, or at any rate
begun, at some distance outside the tOrtt-
fiCatiOns, l cannot pretend to give you tho
account Of IN eyewitness, nor a complete
account at all. The above details arc
chiefly gathered from officers coming INTO
town after the fight was over. At the be.
RinnlnE.I followed troop Of hussars as
Iar AZ permitted, and what saw Of the
fi0ht was from hillock close by the
walls. Previously, was seated in . cafe
with some officers Of the hussar regiment
A staff officer came to summon the regi.