, 1870-08-26
THE WAR IN EUROPE,


,ix or seven miles. Forlach lies at tta end r
II valley, which r71u- fn1 about eight or | +
lie, very level valley. ysrsing fson one and i
balf OF two to four miles in width, aua |
Lou1Jpd on either eide by leneel} l}-~ooied ,
slopes snl heights. which are. however. OF no
great altitude il the uelglborlloo.l Of the
plsi1. at tue Other sA.FeI.ty o. d.
trg from Fo,hach, lies saarnrnek. but
ii . two towns are not vieible from
eacl, other, the latter being buried IL hol-
low Of the hills. sarregle1nilses within the
French frontier) lies at somewhat greateF
distance from Fosraeh in southweeterly d.
rectiou-th.t is 10 say, On the nght-land side
Of tile valley and at the extremity opposite to
that in which S1aFhruek is situated In plain
terms, II you Looked straight up the vale from
Furbach yon would have 6Aasbruck on your
left front, while sarregnemines; Also hidden
from view by tho heights, would bo on your
aght-pe1hara slightly to your right rear.
Il IL 1itiicnlt, after hurried view Of the posi-
tlon, aud a Lx1tS comparison OF tile map on !!
the epot, aud during the excitement Of au ac- |
ton. 10 BE- rnre that ones description is accr-
but must ba understood o:1y to state tho geu-
erai lie Of the land. Proceeding along tho |
road in tho tlirec1icnof Sa1rhruck, We heganto |
pick up information AZ to the actual sta:e OF |
tl,il X, AID itunI to MY great rufpr7su that
the French division whl.h hsd occupied the
bacl ride, iad voluntarily abandoned that
1x,stlon on the previous evening. And retired
within their oun frontier, heing At this tfnle
disrosed about Fort ach, but how and where |
cerid not Tseci-e!v ASCERTAIN At about two
Kilometres lrotn the town. IN tho direction Of
Saarbrlck. tho ling valley Earrona itself
eiisLtIv. Htse til. road tutue stlssp angie
u tho left. and with the trees which are plaut-
I'd behlGc it a1nl tlla village Of StyFen-Wendcl
tco1eirtins mainly Of the buildings connected
with lalEe flesor, Gltldts the valley ~ It
were iDsD ~ Q eect.Cua.
In froh. cf this 2Rl-l,ztriet--shat il to ray,
III the s'n'er t::r'ion nf this ssisey."e ca1ne
/. nroit res.metit OF iaturtrS and battery OF
ARTILLERY. siich we're the furthess aa-
Satctn trnoI,s We could see at TIL: time.
TIE arms of the iuflntry E'gtmen: we're
piled, the men were 1oupging about in easy
dsshutiite, nothing betoke'ted 1ny expectation
IT trouble or disturbance from the enemy.
We had scarcely made these Obser.atjuua
Wien Of sudden the roar Of cannon Was
heard, sounding quite close to us, and, on
| lookiiIg through my feld-glars. 1 saH that
ltuseian battery, poated on the external slope
Of the heights ~hlcl tho French had aban-
! large farmhouse Ito which, for convcnieuce
! mid hecause of it, red roof, We gave tuning
the day the ramo uf the IS Maison Nouge" j,
hs1 opentd tsre on come French tsoops 1t the
further extremity .ef the valley, which were
then invisible to 1ss. but which aftcrvsrd rep
1
1ncdiattls all ~ss hurry and bustlo. TIE eat
terry Of ARTILLERY was got INTO posi ion facing
| up the valleys, and. ~ quick as lightning, q
| working party we're haru At work throwing up
an insfe,schmcpt il front Of thnis position.
At this time We neto ordered back, and VIC
tnrnrd or the roal and ctsmbered up the
wuu4lt d heights On the right Of tho valley.
. Wien We dlet reached tie summit We fuun'l
"Hretiscs behind ;he French right cent1o; on
the right tlltir artillery waa replying with col-
siderable xigor to the prusean guns. which
~crr hTinE II them across tho valley from
| tl:.teau III trout of tho s. M,i+Gn Eauge. rhc
l.1;ssiars sc.med to be very strong in astIf-
icIy, anu every uow aud then new battcFy
Nas rol:Elt lhto actl0n. moving fur The most
1.ast ct iLs timrj al. ug their own lolt, and
thus fo;crT 1lle French to extend their right
| il Nay which, considering tho m1siifest ihfe-
rirri's OF tl.ir Anntcrs, u.ust t.4sc s.a.s sae:1
In:t i:iop, ehcnld itnnsiae, 'e:5 cri:iAal oi4u
u .!.,s part Q! tho day 4 little later flesh
,laiu fr.m tho direction of tbs - Maisou
Il. uSc.'' and the Frercl: 1ylt ami right Cell &c
ap1 ca, ed to me- to beEf,i to fall bacs. Al Iii.
t!E,e-t,lt ia 10 sny, sulae s"o hours after tuo
ctrc:s III uleht Of tie actinn, o. about 1:30 p.
I'LL believe tile Frea'h right n4ust hare
| beeu ttin!uiced, and particularly i'll artillery.
for ulc could s.e ty Lla fLaa Vi slnokc fruu.
| The Fri reh :;tiItR that i.ic la-sMari move
mo-, ~:t sot etnti::ued. Ga i*....:s up our
| position icl.ind the Trench le:l. We fuunt
4
risit. s,.1e t., this time IlicI vita rrussian
| il taltry, who were ksel tng up 4 1uur'!erous
tire ~. tlIt French infantry in the open, aud
On fn:rc astii!. =. which saa rells'ng to cer-
tain iIt:ssssn Gnna now IL rosi.aon II the
| up tho yal1~y in the direction of Foroacu.
ii WIZ, lcle the heaviest :osses Of the french
| iLE.s Essc been slsrta1ed. Obviously. ttlaj
:: frnSIt at 4 Tremendous disadvantage, aud ths
{ efIrtt prudu cd If the fire OF thcr tIai1.euss
I l.,
ln.!s curcc4lsi, n.ust h4vs beei, i,jiutsu!y less
: than tina. nhicl. NAB diIeeted against them
! trutu the ueh.o cover Of tie Woaus.
ren, this time, which wsa. should say,
about 5 o'clork. the batila lauSuishcd al: along
III. li,,e, an, in fat, ii, d Oh, altogether for
! ltle, 70 1ureh su sha: NJ constituted ths III
!: iaii 1t Al. eA1. aud tsgau sluWiy To EuturI
j tlnpuss. thc woods tuEas.l. tllr town. by tht
time Mr. had r. sched hight i1.: overlooking
the town, and from Which VIC And An ofer
, t!.srGh aas.ant, view Of the ,ie}d, y tremonl'
/ bus cal.uouslu had rnccnsn,onced, ttiuci,,al
iu the Saarb.uel direction. and largoreinferce
meuts-iour or fire regiments Of chasseurs an
. ireenct +. ard several Regiments OF fnfantEv-
+" a.rived slout the ZANE time for tho French
from the sar:ee ensmiues direction. I1'c cav
Il al,y uushe! saTlIly up the inner section OF II
IL v4llsy, .n1 1o.i signs Of thsan for tina be
Alnl tls lozl anu tic trees, Ill the die cton q
!. Styten- Wendell, but | believe they took u
: tHtir ro>ifion somewhere thcreaoout. Al
II ne1e ret advanced into tLe outer plain. III
J. in;aLt.y. un tue o.Ler Las;tl. we're thrown s
II once into tIu uoods on the light, throug
s which VT had Just parse1. and we're. ! prt
. sumc, advanced TO reinforce She French line 4
II alpuR it, extent.
l. It rould be impossible 10 overrats th
e dash and valor of tue French infantry At til
f. 1oiut, or 10 pay TOO li.:h tribute to their ei
ls durailce under such tryiag circumstances.
:! / hundred 121es they ADVANCED closc up to IL
d wood wi:h 3 desperate impetuusity, bu
n although they did all that could be s1pecte
lie OF r,rrtal men, they were always obliged
d retire, ard from our position We could VI
i thau, dropping in ecu.-* +: each -uocesrl'
j. adyxtco o, retreat-& truly l4ncutAbla Sigh
II Il4is sort Ut Lighting appca1et. q me to {
T. ste Sdly on for c.int!s OF hours, tie a1tllel
ID being engaged ineestantiE on our right. al
A. ll,e eonitst between the Trench III the opt
Ut fo1 M ine'ant. AZ about the end Of thir tin
re-, 4 col test Nhi !, had been going on at int
,v yals between the Plusalau battery, fIlnE I
-. a. .'s;n from below the >*Naison Eouge
- We +; -""ch battery toz i:s successor
Is sn;eh Si .I1 ,pe,'t,oueo ~ being IN possession
i lie end Of tho plain .. tho oes..::snR ,
Of tho day, mas suspended for a ...ae
se the explosion Of ca,reon III the ro.r I
I'd lhe Trench battery. Tie effect was treme
aou.-tLe t-;tcH waa put entirely hors {
ccnlaf; everything was Week; reriarL4t.
- ! enough, all it'd: rcn1ained d Of tito battery :"
is orc poor hossc, which, by como oingnl
4lsncc, renlaincta alive anu erect. stas'ail
be psthe ficxlly 1notiaties= among tic Gst'+i*-
Al other French batttT wae brought up.
tl!iAk, but the rtussiaps did not seem to pu'
th.ir at, an!aEc. IAlir tirai!lcL1s in tha Eol
III however, seemed to retlonble their ctfoztu, AL
~, for the tlr-t time in the das. yeptnred out
- cover, th1e4,eripg to alyaEce from the corn
~ "a Of TIC wood aud effect L loogrent about Il
i factory uildirgs iu stsren- Wendell i latt'
- ion Of ChausetI. dc finceunss, Nho occupit
N | this posi,iun, very eneesually checked tue pr
~ posed movement, iaslIin8 out ac1oss the ops
~ it is said, charging the enemy, who It OF
ia | gave way before the vigorous onslaught, ~
w. in,ic La*:y and llli ;u;dcI retreat TO the
- friendly wtoa. I AN told that. on this ooc
>, sion, tie misra1l1euse was also used: but
~ pats OF the day was able to ses the etc
u The battfe uow rssed with rcdoubled v7go
hut tie efforts Of tito P1uesians were Z
Of lste1s1y d,1ccsed for the time chiefly sGatn
J! J. fl1"ahls'iSAps c.al55PHttt IL =
= innalse coIuiun pi thcir intaut1y desceudi1
as iEtu the liam in The .listanee from the Sas
Z bsuck direction. Their cannonaae 10 then BEGAN
"a nore aad more .lso:o,s, aud could sec
10 the lue ct smoke that the Nhols French Il,
~ aas gradually gisiDg Way. At this critic
= 1nomeLt, Wa wcIe startled by sudden ca
"a "a buEadr IN to:.lly new direction, and qai
II ! close 10 u.s. Tie prussians Eatl suddenly d
'e kteisd.1 from tic heights and shown theL
y selvtE in sorce opposite the French left. Wtit
tLc:r tir-. directed acroes the railway aud bis
y road, ~as threatening to turn and cut of fro
"a lhr;r communications with Metz. IT
!, | E,t.rc,, r.r1r m. =. fs.hia
to possih!c, and already along the 10,
81 pulnous signs Ct retreat began to be vis
70 :le. The lruseixns had evidently bet
r. strongly tc.rforsed simultaneously 1t eth
ne alt1enity Of tncir line. whereas tie Franc
- | rsbfozceuas.,ss must hsve been eant 2w4y
70 tbtu right and right centre, and there "
ro,]EE 10 meet the rrussians when they II
,ut Tins 1r,n4r ,rta ta<41T m t1Afr taft ThA h. n