Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-08-16

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Baltimore Gazette, we make up the following
summary -
TUESDAYS NEWS:
Many details of the defeat of the French,
mainly derived from Prussian sources, are
given in the kilograms published this morning.
The struggle appears to have been long and
bloody one, the French army having been
finally driven at the point of the bayonet from
the heights to which they had fallen back,
losing many prisoners and the baggage and
camp eouipage of two divisions. According
to Prussian reports eight hundred thousand
men were to be assembled on the theatre of
war by yesterday evening. There is said to
be profound detection at Rome in consequence
of the withdrawal of French troops and the
reported organization of the Italians for an
attack on the Papal Dominions.
Prussia has imperatively demanded of Eng:
land that shipments of coal to France shall
cease or the pretense of neutrality be aban-
doned The Prussian Envoy insists on GRIM
inal proceedings against British pilots serving
French war vessels.
Especial to the New York Tribune.l
THE BATTLE OF wEIssENBuRG.
LONDON, August 8.-A special correspon-
dent sends from Nancy on Friday morning
the following account of the battle of Weissen-
burg from the French side: While General
Douays Division, composed of the Seventy
fourth and Fiftieth Regiments of the line,
the Sixteenth Regiment of Chasseurs on foot,
one regiment of Turcos and one regiment of
mounted Chasseurs were busy in the neigh
borhood of Weissenburg, they were actually
startled by tremendous discharge OF artillery.
AS patrols which had been posted all. along
the frontier had not signaled the presence OF
any Prussian troops, the men believed, for the
moment, that they were surrounded by the
enemy. This was not the case, but the Prus.
slams, in great force and well supplied with
artillery, appeared on the heights of Schwer-
gen, occupying the whole of the country near
the small Bavarian village. General Douay
ordered his troops to advance before the
enemy, keeping as much as possible behind
Weissenburg, which lay just between them
and the Prussian forces but this precautlon
proved quite useless, because guns were pour
ing a tremendous fire upon them, and troops
were following in great numbers in the village
of Weissenburg itself. The French retired
from their former position and commenced
marching on the right side of the village
The Prussan guns were firing at tremendous
rate, and three rounds fell equally in Weissen-
burg and in the midst of the troops.
Several houses were on fire and large num-
Der of soldiers lay dead and wounded.
At about eleven o'clock General Yolcan's
Division was commencing to retire. How
ever, new attack was ordered. The Turcos
led the way, and bayonets in hand threw them
selves on one of the Frussian batteries OF
artillery. All proved to be useless.
Had the French insisted on attacking the
enemy any longer there would not have been
one Of them left alive on the ground. As
soon as what was left of General Douay's forces
began retiring, the Prussian artillery was
after them. Itwas about twelve o'clock when
General Douay fell victim to Prussian ar
tillery.
The troops commenced running without
good order, crossing roads and vineyards until
again reaching the farthest point of Weissen-
burg The number of dead and wounded
must be very large. The remaining troops
are eager to avenge the death Ufthcir General.
The country people seem to be in great con-
sternation The roads which lead to Hagenau
are covered with peasants, carrying their
goods and cattle with them, and crying over
the sad fate reserved for their humble cottages.
Very serious apprehensions are being felt
about the temper manifested by the people of
Paris. A correspondent writes to London
that he expects to see ga frghtful catastrophe"
that the population is furious that the EN-
peror has not. troops enough to keep order,
and that the Republicans believe that now
is their opportunity.
The French Chambers having been con-
voked by an Imperial decree, publication of
it has been made in the official journal 1t
declares that France can arm two millions OF
defenders, and that the arms are ready.