Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-10
PruSSianS Invest StraSbOurg.
Details of the Hattie of Weisson-
burg

Details of the Battle OF Weissen-
burg.
A cable dispatch to the Tribune, Of Lon
don, Sth, says: Our special correspond
ent writes from Mayence, Thursday This
evening a dispatch came from Weissen-
burg announcing Prussian victory, and
the occupation of Weissenburg. / have
obtained the following additional details:
The King, on his arrival at Mayence,
called counsel of war, and urged that
the sooner the exising inaction ceased the
better, and pressed an advance. His
opinion was adopted, and orders were
telegraphed to attack the French outposts
in the neighborhood of Landau and Weis-
senburg. A Prussian force, composed of
two line regiments, one regiment Bavarlan
troops and some artillery, altogether
about 1000 strong drove the French be-
fore them into Weissenburg. The artille-
ry was then brought up and opened on the
Notifications of the town. The town soon
caught fire, and seeing this caused some
confusion among the French troops. The
Prussisns could no longer be restrained by
their officers, who were anxious to reduce
the town by cannonade; the soldiers rushed
forward with the bayonet and surprised the
French, who were not expecting an infant
~ attack for hours to come, and were barN
ricading and entrenching The Prussians
lost heavily, but took eight hundred pris-
oners.
The greatest enthusiasm prevails here,
and there is an immense crowd about the
palace waiting to cheer the King.
The same correspondent writes from
Mayence Friday midnight: Half of the
prisoners taken at Weissenburg were first
marched from the citadel to the railroad.
They put a good face on the matter, and
showed true French gaiety. The large
crowd received them very well, throwing
packages of tobacco and cigars to their
beaten foes. The soldiers all belonged to
the 74th regiment of the line. The officers
were allowed to retain their swords and
will be paroled on reaching Munich.
The other four hundred, taken at Weis-
senburg, went last night to Erfut. There
were 800 in all. As before, wine and
cigars were offered by the Germans, but
the French desired to pay for everything
An Account of tho Same from the
French Side.
Our special correspondent sends from
Msyence, Friday morning, the following
account of the battle at Weissenburg,
from the French side:
When Gen. Douay division, composed
of the 74th and 9TH regiments of the line,
the 18th battalion Chasseurs, on foot, one
regiment Turcos and one regiment mount
ed Chasseurs were busy yesterday in the
peiphborhood of Weissenburg, they were
startled by a tremendous discharge of
artillery. As the patrols, which have been
posted all along the front, had not signalled
| the presence of any Prussian troops, the
men believed for moment that they were
surrounded by the enemy. This was
not the case, but the Prussians in groat
force, and well supplied with artillery, ap-
peared on the nights of Swergen, and oc-
cupying the whole country near the small
village of that name. General Douay or
dered his troops to advance before the ene-
my, keeping much as possible behind Weis-
senburg, which lay Just between the Prus-
sian forces, but this precautlon proved
| quite useless because guns were pouring
| upon them and troops were falling
in great numbers. The Prussian guns
were firing at tremendous rate, and their
rounds fell equally on Weissenburg and in
| the midst of the troops. Several houses
were on fire and large number OF soldiers
| Law dead or wounded. About IL o'clock
| Gen Nohican S division was commencing
to retreat. However, new attack was
| ordered. The TurcOs, bayonets IN hand,
| threw themselves on the Prusslan batteries
of artillery. All proved 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 Gen,
| Douay's force began retiring the PruSslan
artillery was after them. 1t was about Il
o'clock when Gen Douay fell a victim to
the Prussian artillery. The troops COM
menced running without order, crossing
roads and Vineyards, until again reaching
the farthest part Of Weissenburg. Ihe
number of dead and wounded is very large.
The remaining troops are eager to avenge
the death of their late General.
official Report.
| BERLIN, Aug. Cen Steinmetz tele'
graphs to Gen HOmenfeldt, chief Of stat
at Berlin, as follows
''The conflict between Saarbruck anc
Forbach was bloody one, and closed only
with nightfall 1t was opened by the
Fourteenth division, which was re-enfor
ced successively by six battalions, three
batteries and some cavalry. We took by
| assault Ll6 u6lBuIS Vi pplSlSlSu anu huLlS
the enemy back upon Forbach. At the
same time the 18th division advanced on
w Wreckiingen, took possession and with its
advance guard reached FOrbach towards
evening.
Another dispatch, dated Saarbruck, to-
day. noon, says the result of the fight ex
ceeded our expectations. We have occu
MED Forbach, where we surprised the
baggage and camp equipage Of two divis-
! ions.
BERLIN, Aug. Seen. Stimmel tele
graphs the following particulars OF the
contest between Won Goeben and th'
French forces under Gen. Frossard:
1.-The fight was opened on our side by
the fourteenth division, which was sunse-
A fierce and bloody struggle ragged alonl
the line between Saarbruck and Forbach
lasting until night. The nights of Spiele
ren were carried at the point Of the bayo