The Portland daily press., 1870-08-22

LONDON, Aug. 10. Tribune despatch1 Our |
special correspondent writing from Metz on |
Monday, says: On Monday Marshal Bazaine |
ion of Admiraults corps 2PM. The bat
tie commenced on the right of Berney, and |
until o'clock it was of no great Importance
Then the Tenth Army Corps, formed the first |
line of battle, accomplished a maneuvre when
was intended to deceive the Prussians into the
belief that it was Ietreatng. This was at 4
Is P. NJ
The Prussiaps fell into the trap and rushed
forward and attacked them with surprising
vigor. Then the 4th corps, whose retreat 10
the lett was mere ieint, fell at once on the
enemy's flank, while Mcmahon, on the right,
attacked simultaneously The Prusslan ATTACK
in the meantime had been developed III sleaS
force on the French centre. Ihe movements
on both sides were effected with singular pre-
csion and the whole spectacle was Ike "a re-
view at Chalons. The Prussians aoVahctu III
close column against the French !ine, WHICH
their artillery. splendidly served as IL was, nau
vaiply attempted to shake the frencn .cm omcers.
It was considered that Prussian artillery Is
relatively inferior to their infantry: Ihe nee
die gun is heavy. and appears to incommode
them greatly when climbing the heights or
moving rapidly over broken ground.
The soldiers themselves active. They
living flat on the ground, seeking cover from
every irregulority, but did not use their KNAPP
sacks as the French do to make little ramparts
in front OF them and rests for their guns
MS tltlt, dS ~ has Deeu Salu OF tue ONL6r DaL-
ties of Woerth and Forbach, the Prussians
fred with great deliberation, while the French
ratified away as fast as they could discharge
their Chassepots. The regiments which sut-
fered the most were the 44th and 9th of the
line, aud the 18th foot Chasseurs The 44th
especially were terribly shattered, while the
85th. though III the thickest of the action, lost
but 35 killed and wounded. The Colonel of
the 44th was killed. The Colonel of the Sd
Chasseurs and Gems. Duplesses and Castarne
I1l |. .11t /,
| town, and this action was fought, or at a1y
rate begun at some distance outside the torti-
| ications. l cannot pretend to give you the
| account of an eyewitness, nor complete ac-
| count at all. The above details are mostly
gathered from officers into town after the fight
was over. At the beginning I followed the
troops, the Hussars, as far as permitted, and
| what saw of the fight was from hillOck
close by the walls. The staff officers came to
| summon the Hussar regiment with some Off
GERS, with whom l was seated in cafe. In five
minutes they ran off, and halted at first on the
| hillock above mentioned. On sudden signal
they went tearing AWAY to the iront, and in a
moment more the artillery on both sides cov-
cred the valley OF the river and the whole vsl-
BILE works 10 front and the GROUND beyond with
| a thick cloud of smoke.
By 8 80 in the evening bulletin was pa-
| carded in the streets, saying: The fighting is
nearly over. The Prussian lines extends three
leagues. Ground is gained IN every direc-
| tion.
1t did not say by whom ground was gained.
The officers who came back from the field
maintain that the victory rested with the
| French, and that the Prussans had been out
generated and lost heavily, while the French
| were comparatively little exposed. But the
| Prussian officers taken prisoners, and who
came into my cafe on parole with French Of
| hcer, told different story. Said he: You had
| better surrender at discretion: we are more
than 100000 strong. You will be crushed: and
as to the battle, you had had your own way at
| first, for we believed we had only division in
front Of us, but you know what the end was. y
1t is difficult to question even the officers close
| ly, they are so keen and still suspicious about
spies, and to ask whether the French army suf-
tered defeat would be to subject myself to in
slant expulsion or worse. Hence, l can give
you only such particulars as are collected in
the ways have mentioned. AS a Frenchman,
| believe in the success of French arms, but
know not why the advanced columns have
withdrawn again under the walls of the fort
| ress. This morning there were heavy reports
CT heavy artillery towards Thoinvllle, but all is
quiet again. We only know thar Sunday
| conflict was not decisive, and that another bat
tie is imminent. The troops maneuvers in one
direction or another are going on constantly
Orders have this moment been issued that nc
civilian shall leave the city on any prete xt.-
Two shots from Fort St Quetin have just de-
bridge at Metz station. am told that it was
dcEe TO cut off detachment of 600 Prussians
encamped at Montiguy, who attempted to
cross the MOsele, and were seen from Fort
MOntiguy, two kilometres distant from Metz
At o'clock this morning two Prussian cui.
| rassiers entered that town and were followed
by four others, and breakfast was served to the
whole six, which they paid for.
They promenaded the town until O'clock
and withdrew, not only unmolested by any
body, but carrying off two prisoners, st. Cyr,
pu Dil, and one orderly. All this at mile
and half from Metz, will give you notion
Of the dash and boldness of the Prussian cav.
airy.
Last night we thought we heard the Prus-
slams shouting victory. Notwithstanding the
defeat we believe they suffered; but it seems
some of their regiments sung hymns nightly
with accompaniments from their military
bands This custom they have preserved from
the battle of Teuthen. where they advanced to
the charge singing Luther's hymns. They fol-
low it with hurrahs We hear them distinctly.
The Emperor and his staff and the Prince
Imperial are all at Longueville. AS l write
there passes closed carriage, escorted by a
picquet of Hussars, in command of captain
of staff. 1t contains Prussian envoy, recon
Quoted to his own lines. Our officers say he
brought request for an armistice, and admit
ted that the Prussan losses are considerable
but he did not tell his errand to them nor to
me-"