The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-08-31

the command OF Nc ManOn ana Da
zaine we're composed of the Third
and Fourth Corps aud Garde Impe-
rial. They were fronting Burey,
Grisey and Mercy les Metz, the I'm
periai Guard forming the reserve,
near the Fort De Quintin. At a
quarter past four the attack com
meneed.
"A heavy FIRE of artillery was heard
at once in every direction. The sol
diers of the Prussian LaudWehr
were heading the Prussian corps
dQTmee. The mitraIlleurs beg IN
their bloody work. On each side of
me there was confusion all around,
men falling in every direction, col
umns wheeling around as bullets
were whistling their deadly work
through the ranks.
"A battery of artillery, with MI
trailleau, was making fearful havoc
in the Prussian ranks. L heard fran
tic braves announcing its new ex-
ploits. The fire was so well directed
and the precision so great that each
fire was positively moving the Prus-
sian ranks, who were fighting In a
desperate way, their artillery replying
to the other, and destroying the
French battalions right and left.
AT In the afternoon, the Prus
slams were making a movement of re-
treat; a mitrailleur had been twice
taken from the French, and although
it is only one of the hundred incidents
Of battle, mention it as it led to an
important result. Eos the last hour
oae of the greatest efforts Of the
French had been to dislodge the Prus-
slams from the woods Of Burrey, their
troops being protected By that natural
rampant.
The brave Colonel of the 44th in
fantry, I'd division, in retaking the
mitrailleur, was the cause of an i'm
mense body of Prussians emerging
suddenly from the woods aud precIpi-
tating themselves. as an infuriated
torrent, on the French divisions. 1t
was only a pretext, for 1t was expect
ed the PrussIans would follow the
same tactics as at Forbach and
Froschweiler, which consists of keep
ing out OF sight their masses and
their best divisions, and when the re
suit of the battle seems In favor of
their opponents to change defeat into
victory by that powerful movement of
immense bodies of troops, plungiDg
suddenly on the enemy. But for this
| Bazaine had prepared a match for
them.
The Imperial Guard, commanded
by BOurbaki, had been Kept in re-
serve. The artillery, from a strOpg
position, began the defense. The
grenadiers advanced, and from that
moment until 8:45 yoa would have
thought you were 10 the middle of
the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Ft.
De Qdintin sweeping with its powerful
batteries the flank of the advancing
columns; regiments of cavalry charg-
ing on the wings. At quarter to
nine, precisely. the Prusslans were
retreatlng, leaving from %, 1000 to "a, :
600 men horS dU combat
The French have lost close on
10000 men killed and wounded. 140,
600 Prussians took the part iu the
fight, against 20 900 Frenchmen.
Owing TO Bvrt Qalntin slaughtering
the enemy, the Guards, excepts its ar
tillery and a brigade of grenadIers.
did not fight They were kept in re
serve to the last. Daring the com bat
the rest of the French army was re
tlrlpg on the rOute 20 Hefuuns anO az
nine o'clock l followed the Imperial
Guard, retreating in the same direc
| ton.
General De Caee has been wounded
in the leg; General De Kastigny had
an arm cut, aud Bazaine himself re
ceived a slight confusion on the
head.
II heard that the sight of the
| Champs de Battaille was terrible
In the morning, in retiring, they
marched over the dead bodies which
were in heaps on some spots.