The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-26
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tne thick cloud would open a little and drift
away on the wind. and then we could see the
ri, riencn sorely tried. To get a better view of
haIs InH part OF the held L went forward about
1ouhu myself not far from Malmaisol. The
rrehch nne on the hills was still unbroken
anu 10 an appearances they were having the
pest OF the battle, but this appearance wos
due, perhaps, TO the fact that the French were
more clearly visible in their broad height. and
hghtlng with such singular obstinacy. They
plainly sllenced Prussian battery now and
then.
But the Prussan line was strengthened bv
degrees on this point. Infantry and artillery
were brought up, and from far in the rear
away, seemingly in the direction of Yer
neville, the shot and shell beyond reaching
the French ranks. These were the men and
these were the guns of Steinmetz, who then
and there effected junction with the army
OF Prince Frederick Charles, and compelled
the investment of Metz to the northwest.
WIN relnforcements for the Prussians thus
constantly arriving on both sides, of the field,
Tue battle grew more and more obstinate
ihere could be no doubt that the French un-
derstood the meaning of the new movement
OF the PIussans-of the gradual deyelop-
ment of their line to the north. Steipmetz
was able TO extend his line further and fur
ther, until the French were outhanked. and
an attack upon the rear OF their extreme
right wing. SO long as the smoke from the
Prussian guns hovered only. over their front,
the French cung to their position,
The distance from headquarters to where the
Prusslan Hank attack stretched forward was
great, and to add to the difficulty of clearly
seeing the progress of the battle the darkness
was coming on.
know not how long the French held out
nn nf hot
set became irresistible. What L saw was
this: The puffs of smoke from the French
guns, mingled with the flashes Frightening as
the darkness increased receded gradually.
The pillars OF cloud from the north as grad
ually and speedily approached.
The French fire every moment grew more
sack. 1t was not far from 8 O'Clock when the
ground was yielded finally on the north, and
the last shots fired on that terrible evening
were heard in that direction.
When the French completely gave up their
hold upon the road to Gravellotte, the horses
OF the headquarters party were hastily called.
ana the enllre party mounting, with the King
at head, dashed down to point not very far
from the village. Then shouts and cheers
arose., and followed them wherever they
passed.
A little after O'Clock a strange episode oc.
Cured. From the region where Steinmetz was
supposed to be magnificent regiment of
cavalry galloped out. They paused for mo-
ment at the point where the Conflau road
Jolns that to Metz; then they dashed up the
road towards Metz. This road between
Gravellotte and st. Hubert's is cutIthrough the
hill and on each side of it rise cliffs from 40 to
90 feet high, except at the point where it
traverses a deep ravine behind the village.
When it is remembered that at the time
the eliminating point to which that
road tascends was held by the French
it will not be wondered at that only
half that regiment survived. What the
survivors accomplished / do not know,
nor could learn the name and number of
the regiment which seemed to meet its fate
under the eyes of the King. The situation
hardly admitted of the asking of many ques-
tions, bat their plunge into the deep cut ION
the hillside, where the next day | saw so
many OF them and their horses lying was OF
that brave, unhesitating, unfalering kind
which is so characteristic of the German sol
diers, among whom stragglers and deserters
seem 10 be absolutely unknown. | must re-
cord also twhat seemed an inexplicabIa
thing-the army of Prince Frederick Charles
was fighting hard and suffering it waseonly too
plain, heavily. From this army division after di-
vision had been taken and vainly sent against
the French centre. A portion of the Princes
numerous reserves had been diminished TO
an important extent in the engagements of the
14th and 10th insts. More over a consid-
cradle part OF his army required rest, and two
divisions, one certainly, were in need of feoI-
ganization before they could again become
efficient on the field OF battle; yet at one time
it seemed that every division and brigade and
regiment was likely to be called into action
The losses in the centre and massins- It:great
forces for fresh attani--" tne frencn riSht
flank left the Vendur road itself at one time
almost uncovered, and the very road for the
possession of which the Prusslans were fight
ing. AT moment that for these reasons il
seemed critical, there appeared on the field
occupying the ground before held by a portion
of the forces OF Prince Frederick Charles a
large body of troops. They moved into posi-
ton under the eyes of the King, yet neither
the King or any of his staff could account for
their appearance. They passed a point which
in the morning had been ther royal headquar-
tiers. Their march was began at the time |
have mentioned, and their advance did not
cease Till dark, but the mystery that hung over
them was not dlspeled. Whose was this new
army and from whence did it come? The
staff insisted that at the point from whence
1t moved there were, or at any rate ought to be
no troops OF the armies of either Stenmetz
or OF Prince Frederick Charles. A ru-
NOR spread among a group of men
which surrounded the King that this
fresh mysterious force was part of
the army of the Crown Prince and that new
junction had been effected L know no rea-
son to suppose that this is true. Doubtless
the staff soon cleared up the matter to their
own satisfaction, but it happened that L was
in another part of the field before the riddle
was solved. That there ever could have been
any doubt about the identity of so great
body OF men arriving on so great a bat
tlefed illustrates the difficulty with which
even the most eminent officers fol-
low the movements of forces over broken
and wooded ground. In any event it cannot
be doubted that the presence of that large
body of men made itself felt on the fortunes
OF the field They were visible to the French
as well asto u.s. Here was another example of
moral effect that may be and often is exerted
In battle by masses of men whose presence is
known to the enemy but who may not fire
shot in the actual conflict.
From their line of march it is clear that the
reailons were finally posted a little in the
time On the lett of the Prussian centre at
against thben the attacks so long directed
ed-and in facdOf the French lines had ceas-
sible that the Friend fNr a time. 1t was pos
in holding their sround'r,ag suffered far less
attacking might have advanbe Prussans in
and have undertaken vigorous a their turn
movement. If they had such purfensive
not unlikely they abandoned il on sight Gs is
Prussian reinforcement. Instead of ao>,
vanclng the French now contented them
| selves with the mere occupation of the ground
| to which earlier in the day they had been
| driven back. AT no time did they seriously
| strive to regain the westcrmost line of hills
which had been theirs in the morning. At
| no time did they recover or seek 10 recover by
any vigorous forward movement TO the june
tioa of the roads at Gravelotte. From seven
| to eight the weight of the battle tended
more and more TO the north of the
road. There was lull, the meaning
| of which the French failed apparently to
interpret. by seven they may have believed
themselves partly victorious. They were still
| perhaps in condition to renew ON the NOR
row the struggle that had gone on all day, for
| that fated road from Metz to Verdun.
If they had not gained the road or the battle
they had not clearly lost the latter Two
hours later they had lost both. A little before
| eight o'clock large white house on the
height beyond Gravellotte caught fire. 1t
| seemed through the gloom to be church.
The spire grew into flames and vast back
cloud of smoke arose, contrasting strangely
with the white smoke of battle. More and
more picturesque grew the whole field. AS
evening fell the movements OF the troops
could be followed, now by the lines oil hre
that ran flickeIing along the front OF regi-
ment as it went into action. Tongues OF nre
pierced through and Illuminated the smoke
out of the cannon's mouths, and the fuses oil
the shells lett long trains OF IRE IKE Ialling