New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-08-17


IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBusBJ
LONDON, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1910.
Our special correspondent writes on Iburhay
llthD from the headquarters of the Crown Prince an
account of the battle Of Worth. There is nothing
yet printed here from the Pmssian side
Our correspondent says: The swift and skillfnI
movement against Wessenhirp, resulting in COM
plete success to the German arms, was but fore
taste of the storm which threatened the northern
part of Alsace. On the second day after that Of
Weissenburg came the battle of Worth, and the
Crown Prince gained victory over the sblest Gen
eral in France It is admitted that the French
fought with reckless courage and that they inflicted
heavy loss on their opponents; but the fact of this
hard fighting and of this heavy loss shows how SEN
ous a defeat was sustained by MacMahon.
Il traversed the field while the dead still lay nm
buried on the tramped ground, and could form
good notion Of how the fight had gone by the
CHASTITY evidences which remained. Worth IL at the
bottom of fertile valley, between two ridges of cnl
tivated ground. There is much of wooded land IN
the neighborhood; and especially behind the French
position OF on the western side of the valley there ~
a strip of forest which forms tor retIeatlne
troops.
1.-THE little river Bruder not bic enough IN Snm-
mer time to float skf flows through the village,
and a highroad comes winding down toward the
village on the eastern side OF the valley, hanked by
trees. Here was the Prussan position. Stretching
far to right and left along this road were heaps ~
spiked helmets TO be and carloads OF needle
guns were collected under the trees Al a distance
the French muskery fire had told more heavily than
the German; and heard that the French artillery
| had been very well served.
But though the burying parties were bnsy win
the German dead the Eastern side OF WORTH there
| was more than an exchange of slanghterous WORK
on the Western side. Here the PrusSians AMI ba'a-
rans had pushed forward in strong force, and their
fire had told fearfully upon the French The high
spirit and rigid discipline of the one army had been
more than match for the desperate resistance OF
the other. Whole companies of Frenchmen had
been moved down in their wild attempts TO check
the enemy advance. Ii had been tOierably equal
fight in some places. for the ground was stie"ed
with German dead but more and more French
men had fallen in proportion. Black lnrc"s ana
wide -trousered Zouaves lay thick at many points,
and the curassiers had suffered much There were
steel breastpaes and brass helmets scattered tboky
on the line of retreat, while the dead horses m all
directions might be counted by hundreds.
And so westward through the wood went the
grimly where they had fallen. Some in quiet shady
spots az though upon pc-nic seemed asleep. Pools
of blood remained where the wounded had been
found There were knapsacks, rifles and overcoats,
either thrown away in flight or left by the wounded
on the field Then came upon a spot where me
French had rallied and where the dead of both sides
| Law thick. TurcOs there who had eNldently
fought TO the last and had tried to fire their eces ~
they lay. Frenchmen of the line regiments bad here
and there fallen in numbers. though they had
halted and faced about in regular order.
But the aspect of the fields beyond the wood
| seemed to indicate hasty retreat. Wagons were
overturned. Baggage was thrown out upon the
roadside and many knapsacks were 10 he seen. No
one who had passed over that battle-ground oil
Worth when did could have failed to realize that q
great disaster had befallen the French arms, though
my observations were made when most Oh 'ne
wounded had been removed.
ION so large a scene of action 1t would have been
impossible to Judge of the exact loss sustained. l
see no reason however to doubt the Official return
ON the German side which gives about 10000 French
men and 1000 Germans hOrs On combat, and about
1900 prisoners taken by the victOrs-iOO IN the
battle and 5000 in the pursuit These losses, WIN
the further loss of cannon and colors, made the
hattie of Worth an evil day for France. Well might
tbe wounded Germans raise themselves 10 cheer the
Grown Prince as he passed. and cry that Germany
WAS safe II Will often be told how the armies met on
the 9th ofAugust and how Mcmahon made hls unsnc-
cessful effort TO repe the invasion OF Asace; how the
Prussians held the left Of the line and the Baya-
rims and Wiirtembergers the right, and how few
Baden troops held in reserve by the Crown Prince
were brought up just in time to share the honors of
the day. There fierce attack on both sides 1T
being difficult to say which party began the tight.
~ +ba Cor
their opponents line of retreat. the French were
forced to so hasty retrograde movement that the
retreat became very nearly rout.
1.-The needle gun proved itself TO be fully the
equal of the chassepot and perhaps more than that
at least so say the German soldiers, with apparently
good reason Moreover, the Prlsslans knew their
weapon better, having long been accustomed 10 II,
and the Crown Prince handled bis army 80 IA 10
make the most of the deadly fire of his infantry.
The cavalry was not used for attack in the first in
stance but was sent in pursuit when the enemy be-
gan his retreat
1T was victory due to the patriotic ardor of the
German troops as much as TO anything in their dis
eipne or tactics. but we must not forget that the
French showed ardor likewise, and the scale wac
turned for the Germans at Worth by their intelli.
gent understanding of the breechoader drill and
by their steadiness in firing These matters take
time To learn. We see the glorious results wbcn
Germany is reaping from her careful preparation.
The prisoners were assembled near the hgst s'a
ten of the reopened railway through WelstbNiR
| could distinguish many 1uIc0s ana L0uiNcs ass
them though the greater part were solaeish VI III
line We drove past them very slowly, Tor me r"an
was blocked with ammunition wagons; az" h W.
tced that they seemed wotully dls9O'uhasL n"n
were M songs and no laughter 10 he heard among
them and the few that were occupying Ih tdn
in picking fruit in that they ha claoea' ns
not "A very lively air for tTenchnen W. ' 49,, 81
ton ~ Influencing Then came the 1onvoys o,
wounded moving 10 me Tsar f9 he GeaH
lhaug 'i' p 80 ,,;noIed sat or lay quietly side 10y
a Ja ~ If tbey were old comrades The only enemy
SUI &c 10 - on enemy being the Joltng wagon