Middletown transcript., 1870-11-26
REVIEW OF THE wAR IN FRANCE.

1EV OF THE WAX I'm FRANCE.
The war in France from the battle of Worth to
that of Sedan was entirely war in the open field
On bothsides immense armies, well officered, well
trained, well equipped, marched to the contest,
and it was more than doubtful who would be the
victor. ltwas generally conceded that the chan
ces were about equal if not on the side of of the
French; but few thought it possible that the
Germans would be able to secure such marked
success in tho open field against an enemy re-
nowned for ages for his elan in the attack, and
the brilliancy of his strategy and tactics. All
prcconceived impressions and opinions were,
however, destined TO oblitcraton by the remark
able events during the first part of this remark
able war. The Germans were not only success
iul in every pitched battle, and almost every mi
nor engagement, they also succeeded in utterly
routing and finally destroying, enclosing, and
capturing all the French armies opposed to them
making their Emperor and commander-in-chiei
prisoner at Sedan. Immediately after the bat
tie of Sedan the character of the war in France
changed completely. Everywhere the French
driven from the field took refuge behind the
walls of their innimerable fortresses for he pur-
pose of delaying the eneny's advance into the
interior and TO gain time for a reorganization of
their armies and government. AT Paris Metz
Strasbourg, at Toul Verdun, Mezeres, at Phals-
burg, Bi,sche, and Befort at Soissons, and n
number of other fortified places-most of them
however, fortified atter the system of Yauban the
great engineer of Louis XIV. and not ft to re-
sist for any length of time our modern far-carry-
ing artlllery-a determined and earnest resistance
has been made up to date, in order to gain time
aud harass the enemy until IA new army should
have been created to take the field against the
German hosts pouring into France. This has al
last been accomplished, and about week ago a
new army-the Army Of Loire, commanded by
General de Paladines-took the field, and thus
far with marked success. At the battle of Or
tOuplt NOyemlIpr tl,n al,
ted Bavarian General Won der Tan, commanding
several army corps belonging to the great, army
Of the Crown Prince Of Prussia Headquarters al
versailes-the French were completely success
ful. The Germans were beaten, out-hankcd.
routed, and had 10 retire, with severe losses in
men, guns and prisoners, to Toury, city situa-
ted about half way between Orleans and Yer
sales. There they ore now, trying hard to hold
their own against the victorious army of the
Loire, which has followed up its success in order
TO attack the position OF the Crown Prince al
Versailles simultaneously with General Trochu,
who is, according to all accounts preparing
sorie on the grandest scale, under cover of Mont
VaerieLj in the same direction. In other words.
II has been decided by the French commanders
to combine their movement in the field with their
lately necessarily defensive operations and the
Germans who had SO difficult task against the
French in the field, and afterwards against them
behind their walls, will now, since the two
modes Of warfare have been combined, and since
winter has sci in; acting an additional power
iul ally 10 their anag gonists will hereafter have
more difficult task 10 solve than ever before.
1t appears that General Aurelles de Paladines
has moved his army to the northwest of Toury,
where he gained so signal victory, in order 10
form n junction with General Keratry and Gen
Bourhaki, who are moving down 10 Join him.
and then outliank his beaten adversaries and np-
proach Paris almost directly from the west be-
tween st. Germain and Mont Vaerien, somewhat
north of Versailles. Severe fighting has already
taken place in the neighborhuod of the CITY of
Dreux without any decisive result at all, mas
much as it was only an engagement between the
outposts Of the the two approaching armies al
though the Prussians, usual claim q victory
The operations in the Vosges and Jura Noun
tains and in the Valley of the Rhone form dis
unct feature of this uneXamped war. The ar
mics of the Germans in the east are more partic-
ularly composed of southern Gcrmans-those of
the French more particularly OF southern French
men. The fighting is accordingly severe bitter
and cruel, for while both the southern French
and southern Germans are notorious for their
predominant kindness of heart they are both
also, notorious for their ferceness in battle The
advance Of the Germans from the east is very
slow On every side they are surrounded by
gucrillas, called Franco-tireurs, while the enemy
in front contests galantly every foot of soil.
Their objective point is the city Of Lyons, which,
however, they will not reach for some time to
come, unless lney should he able 10 secure some
more marked successes than up to now, and even
should they reach it, what then Lyons is very
strongly fOriiied-is in reality stronger than
Paris, not only on account OF her Notifications
but also on account OF her SO much smaller popu-
lalion Should the Germans be able to march
down the Valley of the Rhcne unmolcsted and
squat down nj ense to the siege of Lyons II would
nevertheless take them all winter to create an
an impression in that quarter. The war in
France has turned into winter campaign and
the position of the Germans, although their
armies are numerous, and cannot well number
less than 10000 men, aud in spite of all their
successes thus far, is actually more critical to-day
thln II has ever been before. Their ar MES have
suffered terribly, by battleand sickness, and
are M now composed 10 great extent "a recruits
lnelr lines of communication and supplv are
getting more extended and more unsafe every
week. The line around Paris, always weak. has
now become precarious, since the army of the
Lore has become reality. Their people at home
wear mourning every secQnd man, woman aud
enid, and their hearts are heavy over their
lflehtfnl losses, the more so since they begin to
appreciate that they have only defeated n dang
erops and troublesome neighior in order to fast
en- upon themselves the more security Prussian
chains and handouts. They begin to see that
'he German unity aud nationality. secured nj
me expense of iberty-loving people like the
French, means death 10 heir own liberties, and
lheY are accordingly loudly demanding peace
ana mercy for their neiphhoring nation Never
lhc'ess, there is no end to he forseen ia this
dreadful war. Prussian ambition and Fire ch
desperation alike make an early peace impossible
-I'hila. Record.