The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-08-22
A Week of Battles.

The battles around Metz wcrc continued
on Saturday, with desperate effort by Mar
shal BAzAINE to cut his way through the
Prusslan lines, and reopen his communica-
ton with Paris. After three hours fight
ing he was forced back within the iorti-
Gcauons and he will hardly renew an ut.
tempt in which he has SO many times been
toilcd, and with such enormous bloodshed.
How great are the losses of the two parties
we have no precise information for both
the French and the Prussian authorities
prevent the transmission Of any detailed
reports upon this subject. But the French
constantly represent the Prussans as suffer
ing dreadfully, and the King of Prussia says
that tho killed and wounded of Thursdays
encounter were forty thousand. In this
number he evidently includes the French as
well as his own. On Friday both armies
appear TO have rested after their herculcan
struggles of Thursday, 50 that in the week
there were six days Of combat. OF these,
Thursday must have been much the blood
.est but it is moderate estimate that the
IN -~ndel in this unprecedented
have amounted
tWCCt b-.OD OF LllllcS uuSt
altogether to the sckcniug aggregate Of u.
least enc hundred aud fifty thousand men.
This is three times as large as the losses of
10th sides in the two days battle at Gettys-
burg, and more than twice as large as
GRAST's in his movement from the Wilder
ness to Pctcrsl urg On which side has the
loss been greatest in the present instance
On Sunday, the lab, both armies fought
without cover, tho Pruss ans surprising the
French and cutting their column in two
Since then the attack has been made alter
natcly b. one and the other party, the French
endeayorng to effect their retreat to Chalons,
and the Prussians endeavoring to shut them
M in Metz; and each army has alternately
had the benefit OF lighting under cover Of
6eld intrenchments. For ths reason wo
conclude that in number Of killed and
wounded one must have suffered about az
severely as the other.
BAzAINE is now pcnnei UP in Metz, and
we ought ct once to hear Of the Prussiar
Crown Prince passing Chalons on his way to
ward Paris. The order issued on Saturday
10 the farmers about Chilous to bring in ali
their grain within twcnty-four hours shows
that MACMAuoN and FEossARD, who com
mand the French forces gathered there
are anticipating a movement, and meal
TO leave no supplies for the enemy. II il
said that, with the heterogeneous force
at their disposal, they have taken the desQo
rate heard of fighting the Crown Prince.
Little weight can be allowed to the as51r
ton which Count PALIkAO, the Frencl
Minister of War, SO perinacIously 1,
news, that it is BAzAINE WHO has game
tue victory at Metz and not the Prue
Rans. Ii BAzAINE is victorious, VII
is lie still at Me;2? And WHY WAS i
fighting there SIX days Of last week I Ii
started before daylight on Sunday 10 marc
to Chhlons, where agencrn concentration G
the French forces had been ordered He ha
hardly got outside of Metz before he was n
tackled and though NAPOLEON himself hG
told the world with what success the attac
was repulsed, the march has never been col
tinued and though the battle Of every de-
has according to Count PALIKAo, resultC
in French victoiy, hue t'i1AINE still r
mains, less able than ever to march upC
ChaIons Even pALIKAo does not prefer
that he las received telegram from Il
zAINE since "Wednesday night, the 18th lust
and then it was sent by messenger fro
BAzAINEs camp to Verdun, because III
was the nearest place still in TELEGRAPH
Communication with Paris. The truth III
the Second Empire has been crushed nj Nj
cannot DC denied or disguised
While all the world unites in ridiculng I
ability Of NAPOLEON III, az military co
mander It should not escape notice that NJ
Bhal BAzAINE has been outgenerai7,, 3
priscd, and beaten by tho Pruss'ans quite
sienally as the Emperor himself, and
shown an equal readiness TO commit
most inexcusable military plumbers. Deluc
by the strength of Metz as a fortress, he c.
rentrated his army there and intended to hG
but allowed the Prussians to get possess
Of tho only railroad connecting Metz
Chalons. When the Crown Prince br'
This road by blowing up the viad
across the Mosclle at Pont-a'Mous
on tho 18th, BA2AINE perceived
blunder and ordered an lmned
retreat, but without the aid of rs'lr
he had to move with all his trains by O
nary country highways. Next, no sooner
he set out than he was surprised by
sTEIYyETz and Prince FREDERlcK CHAIR
His army was separated in two and ne
Blf, with the greater part OF it, was 10
back under tie Qualifications Of Metz 1
he has remained ever since and when
he has succeeded in getting out six I
dozen miles in any reclion, he has f'
every controlling lopiton occupied by
-PTrssille; and after fplt!ng the bl
battles of this memorable week, he
doubtless soon have to choose between
walton and the surrender oi the French .
army. He has shown professional incap
az great as TINT of his master, and he
Iooh with amy oven upOl, N.t. s..