The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-21

adding that they had killed and wounded |
some EEench prisoners, and had wounded the |
Prussians who were guarding them. The
ground / crossed towards GivonRe gave a
view of the Bois de dos du Loup and of the
Bois de Francheville, portions of the great
Foret de Sedan through which the Saxon
Princes army had to fight its way. Every
where were traces of the terrible cross-6re of
artillery, which rendered the battle so hope
less as the day wore on. Near a field hospi-
tai south of La Chapelle there we're great
numbers Of French, further on the remains of
a reserve ammunition train-numbers of dead
80 great that they explained the protrscted
musketry from large body of French in
infantry cut off by the rapid advance of the
11th Corps at one side and the 9TH Corps at
the other, so that the only resource left was
to sell their lives as dearly as possible. There
was between this point and that at which the
right of the Saxon Princes army beat back the
French and gained the plateau only an in
terval which could be covered by musketry
fire at long ranges; through this few thousand
Frenchmen fought their way into Belgium,
but strong column which made an effort to
get through also was overcome by artillery
fire and suffered fearfully in their retreat
over the brow of the hill, where they were
also exposed to very destructive fire of mus
kerry. The troops of the I'd Army were in
force at this point. A post of infantry stopped
us to pass inspection in the civilest possible
manner, but then, as on other occasions
through the day, it was insisted that 1 and
my companions were ''FransoZen,"
though a Frenchman would not have
admitted it if he had heard us
speak. The village of Givonne lay at our
feet, and as soldier led the way ''cheery"
but careful young officer came out from a
cottage and hailed u.s. The production of
papers produced a most agreeable result.
Our young friend, as he proved himself in a
minute, was descendant of family of Shet-
land, as l understood him, named Barton, and
belonged to the Queen Augusta Regiment of
the Guards He led us to the room in the
hovel where dinner was laid in camp for him
and for the officers of the company, who in
sisted on our drinking ''the Queens wine,"
and partaking of their rations; but our ban
quet was short, for an order arrived at $3.50
for the party to move, and as they were hastily
packing up proceeded on my way, and as
cended the ravine, arriving at the ground
where the Bavarians touched the left of the I'd
Army as soon as the latter had carried the
positions in front of them. 1t was always
the same story. Lines of dead Frenchmen
mangled by artillery fire, some Prussians,
some Bavarians, principally killed by the
Chassepot. Now we arrived on the Bavarians
field of action, which extended from Bazeilles
to Sedan. In their gallant and most injudi-
cious attack they lost 5000 men. 1t is said
there was misunderstanding. Their ad-
vance column seized the railway station at
Sedan. 1t is maintained at headquarters that
there were explicit orders given, that they were
not to develope their attack till the Crown
! Prince of Saxony had come out on their right
but the authorities of their own corps declare
the orders they received were not quite to be
| thus understood.
THE BAvARIANs OF Won DER TANNs CORPS,
| whom davolyad the o,,lf 4oo1y IF
ing the village or town of Bazeilles and Balau
Ga suburb of Sedan, outside the fortifca-
tions), suffered enormously. They were ex-
posed to fire of infantry in the houses, and
to the guns of the works and the musketry
from the parapets. The inhabitants Joined
in the defense, and as soon as the Bavarians
had crossed the Meuse by their pontoons and
by the railway bridge they could receive but
little protection from their artillery placed on
the heights. The French made the most
strenuous attempts to repulse them, in which
the marines were particularly distinguished;
and three divisions of Bavarians, which began
to fight at o'clock, were exposed to three
distinct onslaughts from the town and from
the corps under the walls. At one time it
appeared as if they would be overpowered,
although it seemed as if success against them
would scarcely have secured the French army
from its ultimate fate. 1t is believed by the
Bavarians that MacMahon himself was wound
ed very early in the: day, when directing his
troops In an offensive movement against Ba-
zeilles.
GENERAL DUoRos THEN TOOK COMMAND
of the whole army, but General de Wimpffen,
producing sealed letter, showed that he was
authorized to assume the control of the ope-
rations of the army in case of any accident
to Marshal MacMahon. The Marshal was
wounded early in the morning, and accord
ing to the reports of French officers, prison
ers to the Bavarians, there was difference
of opinion between General Ducros and
General Wimpffen respecting the plan of
attack which the French adopted at one
period of the day as the best means of de-
fense. Having beaten the Bavarians out of
Balan at one time, the French made rush
in the direction of lily, as if determined to
cut their way through on the flank of the
Saxon army and pass towards Metz. But the
Crown Prince of Saxony had by that time
resumed the offensive and had brought an
overwhelming force to block their way.
They were driven back, delivering the Bava-
rians from the stress to which they had been
exposed. Their divisions advanced once
more, and Bazeilles, or as much as remained
of it, was firmly occupied. But the fight
about Balan lasted much later. Here it was,
according to Bavarian reports,
THAT THE EMPEROR,
declaring that he only served as private SOL
der, went with the attacking column, COM
posed of the remnants of various regiments,
to drive out the Bavarians. But the artillery
on the heights above the road were too much
for troops shaken by incessant fighting and
fearful losses Shot and shell rained fast
about the Emperor, one of them bursting
close to his person and enveloping him in
smoke. The officers around entreated him
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