The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-08-26
Auituunb DiapaAh,
FRIDAY. ...............AUGUST 26. 1870.
THE CIRCULATION OF THE D1tPATCH
rs LARGER THAN THE COMBINED CIR
CULATION OF ALL THE OTHER DAILY
NEWSPAPERS OF THE CITY.
WAR ITEHss.
WHAT SORT OF A PLACE METZ IS.


MErz, August s, 1S70.-The more I see
Of Metz the more impossible it seems to me
that it should ever be taken. 1t may be my
ignorance, but / do not at oil see how. an
enemy Is to overcome such obstacles. II The
place Is skillfully, as / am sure it would be
gaIlantly, defended, The raGiipalts which
enclrcic the entire city are strengthened by
forts at every salient point, and the Moselle
flows everywhere in broad, deep canals,
with high, perpendicular walls. Then the
whole city and its entiroris are rottnianded
by two jn1niense Notifications, which could
pour plunging fire upon besieglng army.
It Toouiu be in vain to attempt to capture
Metz until these fortresses are taken, and
they are on the SUBMITS of two hills a
thousand feet above the river.-Letter to
Near York Times.
A Paris paper quotes {. the great Ameri--
can, Thomas Jefferson" as having said
Everybody has two countries; one in
which he was born the other, Fra nce."
No matter what interested politicians may
affirm, it is perfectly evident, so evident that
he who runs may read, that the heart of the
nation is not i'll this War-lt cannot be per-
suaded Of the utility of massacreing so many
of its sons.-Paris letter (Augasst 1O)-Neao
York Times.
MORE ABOUT THE BATTLE UF, WEISSENbuh0-
GREAT FRENCH LOSSES.
A Metz CORRESPONDENT of the New York
Times, who was inside the French lines,
and who received his information from a
French officer, says
OPENING OF THE ENGAGEMENT.
Early on Saturday morning a reconnoi-
tering party was sent out by General Fros-
sard in the direction of Saarbruck, but |
| am told by the person from whom hold
my information that not a single man ever
returned to the French camp. At IL
O'Clock the Prussians, leaving their posi-
quietly took possession of the hill of Arne-
val, and of that which masks the town of
| Saarbruck. A large body Of Prussian ar
tillery then descended into the valley and
| commenced shelling the French position
on the heights of Spikeren, from which the
French were forced to retire, after bril-
| liant resistance, at 8 O'Clock in the after
noon. The French artillery retreated
behind the hill, leaving number OF
guns, among which were several mitrail.
leuses. behind them: but on joining the
troops stationed at the Auberge de la Br&me
dor, commenced an orderly retreat along
the high road in the direction of Forbach
| They had, however, only just reached the
| TOuu WHICH llcS III IIc at lllc lOOo vi
Spikeren, when large number of Prus.
SLAMS suddenly came out of the woods on
the hills to the west, and bringing their
mitrailleuSes to bear upon the retreatine
regiments, kept up Il mllrderous fire upon
them as they advanced along the high road
At short distance past String Windcl
the point where the woods finish, the
French were joined by reinfOrcements from
st. avoid at between 81 and 4 O'Clock. In
the meanwhile Il large body Of Prussians
! had descended to the road from the hills on
either side, and attacked the French in the
rear. The French army, encouraged by
fresh troops, turned upon the enemy, and
during three hours Il most bloody battle
was fought on the high road between the
iron toundcry of String Wendell and the
entrance to Forbach. 1t has been reported
by the French Government that the Prus-
SLAMS had fired upon the hospital at For.
bach, but I am told that this is false, and
that if ball struck the building it was
purely accidental.