The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-23
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Herald Special Reports from
4 the Loire.
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DETAILS OF The OPERATIONS At BLoIs.
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Hu1nored Occupation of Tours
10y the PrussIans.
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No Immediate Engagement Ex-
pected Before Paris.
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General Manteuffel Still Advano-
ing on Havre. ~
OPERATIONS ON THE LOIRE.
yslleaAljs TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.

Frcpariag to Retreat--Uapntrlotic French.
S6on-Snvln6 thc stores-On the Retreat
Brave FranGs-Tireurs Gorsnan Advance
Refusal of Gambetta to Surrender Blols-
Qhc Situation.
LONDON, Dec. %, 1870.
The NEW YORK HERALD correspondent at Blois
Writes from that place. under date OF the 10th inst.
~ fopows;-
/ PLENTY OF FIGHTING, BUT NO BATTLE.
There has been plenty OF fighting, but no battles.
within the past ten days. by the army which is ope.
tating on both sides Of the river and has q dis
puted possession Of the country In the cd
Df Orleans and Blois The result may be retreat
through the latter city without u general action.
Every day the oatposts have collision, and the
Lines Of one side or the other are she,led.
FRENCH SUCCESSES.
The French have repulsed the Prussans, but every
hight they have slept little nearer Blois On the
north side Of the river the engagements have taken
place, for the most part In triangle formed by
Beaugency, Men and Marehenoir
HOSPITALS FILLED WITH WOUNDED.
Five days. skrmlshlng in that quarter has nled
the hospitals with wounded and the roads In the rear
pr the army with pitiable crowds OF straggers and
Nretched creatures, who have been many days with.
put soap OF. water, and worn down by cold hun.
Ger and fear.
THE AFFAIR AT THE CHATEAU OF cHAMBoRp.
On the other side the same continued ana mode.
rate activity has been Kept up. The Prussans are
always taking the initiative and always seeking the
weak place. On Wednesday they found one and
made the most OF It, which they seldom fail to do
It u the Chateau OF ChamDord, nine miles distant
from Bl0is, on the south bank of the Loire spen.
did spot famous for the historical antiquities In It's
neighbornood. This place is capable Of such defence
as delayed the whole French army half day az
Hosgamont, on the field Of Waterloo.
A DIsGRAcErUL SURPRISE
Il was prepared for defence and held by o con-
siderable body OF trcops the numbers are varIously
stated at from 5000 to 5000; but instead Of for.
tress 1t proved trap. So bad were the disposi.
tlons Of the French commander that the Germans
completely surprised the place and CAPTURED the
greater part Of tho men, WHO intended defending
u with all their power. Approaching the place
st dusk, the Germans drove before them batch
bf prisoners. and the deception was so effective
that the Germans reached striking point before a
shot was fired.
HEROIC PRISONER.
Tho only brave ACT on the part OF the French was
done by Mobile, who shouted TO the sentinels
1--WE are prisoners. The German devils are behindr
he lost his liie His warning was too late. Having
thus readily gained the Chateau Chambord, the
Prussians were In possession OF sort OF back en-
trance to Blols, and their appearance was expected
hourly.
PREPARING TO RETREAT.
Opposite Blois, on the south side OF the Loire the
little suburb Of Venne is connected with the city by
splendid stone bridge. Abortion OF the French
troops and artillery have been fighting on the south
side. They passed over the bridge on Friday night,
and the engineers Immediate y commenced destroy
Ing one Of the arches. Crowds gathered TO witness
and to bewail this operation. They abused the
soldiers without STINT In fact all the people OF
Blois seemed to care for was the bridge. Meantime
thousands Of half-clad soldiers stood ahyerng In
the streets, while other thousands, all wounded,
were being carried to the railroad station, where
desperately working locomotives strove to convey
them beyond reach Of the Prussians.
TIE PEOPLE OF BLoIs UNPATRIeTIc
The Army Of the Loire, 80 hopefully couatod On
10 save France, was retiring, but that fact matered
nothing to the people OF Blois in comparison with
the tearing away OF the stones OF the bridge. The
Mayor Of the town addressed u formal protest to
General Chauzy against its destruction bur the
necessity was Imperative and any general falling to
destroy It might be shot Dy order OF court.martial
SAVING TUE STORES
The Loire at this point is as wide as the Hudson at
Albany, and has swift current. 1t vas full Of Ice,
and the throwing across OF bridge OF boats was
lmpraoticable even If the Prussiaus had brought
their pontoon trains with them. The cutting or the
bridge. therefore, rendered IL possible to prevent
the passage Of the advancing enemy If necessary.
Even undefended 1t was sure to delay the PrussIans
D sufficient number Of hours to give the French time
TO secure the immense store trains then at Blols.
Had resolute column OF Prusslans forced their way
into Bois that night early next morning, they
would have captured immense supplies OF ammuht
sion and food and taken at least 10000 prisoners.
x ON THE RErREAr.
In spite Of protests and opposition the bridge was
Uut during the night OF Friday and the soldiers re-
naming in Blos then moved out taking the road In
b directi0nvI need not name All the trains were
safely removed. Tho provost guards drove the
ntragglers before them and by daylight Blois was
nearly empty. on Saturday the French troops held
the heights north OF the river and engaged in an
hrtillery duel which lasted all day. The dre was
warm and by noon Dlos was again filed by the re-
firing columns
~ FRANcs.TIRECRs Snow FIGHT.
The Mayor of the city, acting upon supposed per-
fnlssion, went to the German lines for the purpose
Of surTendoring Blois, but resistance cropped
up and the Prussans encountered little
battle which must have cost them some
hundreds Of effective men. This resistance
came from tho fraucs-tireurs, young active fel
lows, hanging constantly on the skirts of the army
and obilging the Prusslans to Keep close TO their
lines. They had taken places behind hedges,
Ehicken houses, cottages carts, &C., and rom these
Sheltering places opened u fusiladc as close az
heavy and as good as line OF infantry could have
delivered. From under cover these res0late, cool
young Fellows can no doubt Ore very effectively.
ADvAkos or THE GERMANS.
while the Franostlreurs were rafting away In
me suburbs, the German forces which HAD been adj
yancing brought up their artillery, Placed them IN
position ana began Smelling Bois, taking at first
the spire Of tho cathedral mark, and afterwards
the large barracks situated the highest point OF
tne hill but the shells only passed drought with
Hpt doing any serious damage. There was no dis
16de4 And tho d,aoDline waa rood Ar two O'Clock