The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-08-19
THE BATTLE OF woRETH.

The full particulars of the great br tile
on the upper Rhine, in France, in which
the Prusslans under the Crown PRINCE
utterly defeated the greatest of French
Generals, McMahon, and routed the elite
of the French army, are coming gradually
to us. The French have suppressed
these particulars, and their accounts arc
pronounced entirely unreliable, and the
Germans have not been boastful in pub
fishing the results to tho world.
Il appears that the French, who had
the advantage of positions, being the party
attacked, were entirely taken by sar-
prise. This seems impossible to believe,
but was related in the French dispatches
the other day as the evidence Of McMa.
hon himself, it being so stated in his re-
port. The battle commenced Friday at
IL a. m, and only ended at p. IN. on
Saturday, with the closing of the day
aud the utter defeat Of the Freuch.-
The reader must not forget that the
French were Oh their own soil, and bebiud
their own entrenchments and Notifications,
aud that the Prussians were the invading
and attacking army.
report, aud to. day are given at 10000,
5000 of whom were killed aud wounded,
aud $4,000 taken prisoners. The battle
grows in magnitude as these reports come
to US. While it was not general en-
gagement of the forces of each nation, il
was still great aud important battle,
and will lead to decisive results, for rs q
consequence of it the Prussians arc en-
couraged and strengthened, and all the
German States are made more united,
while the effect in France has been to
make the people loss confidence in them
selves and dcspise the government, in
ducing a re o!ution in Paris. The
French disaster was SO complete that
they threw away their arms aud fed,
abandoning everything. and not even
making stand in the Vosges mountains
which are 1000 feet high, aud separate
the valley of the upper Rhine from that
of the Moselle. The passes in these
mountains are strongly fortified and
traversed by railroads. The Prussiaus
are said to have captured many trains
loaded with arms, munitions and supplies
and the pecuniary loss in this respect
must be very great indeed. The Prus-
SLAMS have pursued them through these
passes and are, no doubt, able to defend
them now that they have possession
We can scarce imagine how n command
er-in-chief could faint away, in ditch
aud only be discovered aud revived by
chance, but such was the case with Nc
Mahon, whose aids were all killed or
wounded, and whose horse was shot un-
der him, and whose twenty-five hours in
the saddle had entirely worn him out,
for McMahon is an old man and not in
the prime of life, but past it. There is
q striking French tragedy in the end of
the gallant General Douay, who seeing
that all was lost, which meant to his
mind that the defeat was most disgrace
full, and that there was no hope for
future honors for any Of the unfortunate
commanders, and his personal staff
(ehosen from among his friends) away,
and having shot his favorite saddle horse,
walked deliberately into the storm of
Prussian fire. The world would have
felt more sympathy for the sacrifice
had he not killed his horse himself. In
the feeling of the moment there may have
been, however, sentiment of kindness
70 induce the Statesman