New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-31

PRIsoSFRs-Uow THE FRENCH DESPERATE
CHURCH-CAUsEs OF THE DISASTER OF 'AN'
D'AURRLLEs DE PALADINES.
lFROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
SARAN, near Orleans, Dec. 5.-The Bavarlan
defeats OF the 9th and 10th ult avenged we nave
retaken Orleans and I am now bivouachns WIN the
pith Thuriugian Regiment at saran, village y miles
from Orleans awaiting the orderin my case inc per-
rnisson-to enter the town itself There mas been SO
much fighting lately and the country is so completely
desert that il has been impossible to write 10 you az
often lately 1 should have Wished must therefore
do did after the fights Of Beaumont ana MouIoh ana
neglect the two battles which led up 10 the maj ueIeat
and utter decentralization Of the Army Of the Loire.
After tho Duke OF MeckenburG's action on Friday VIC
had the cannonading battle IN front Of Artenay sat
uriay, In which the PrusSan loss was comparatively
small Then when we started, on Sunday morning 30,
oil the officers said TO sleep in Orleans that night,
prophecy whichiwas truer than most others. The
result OF Saturdays battles had been that the Prussan
line ran from St. Penay, the west, through
Brey then bent back Cheviy, and from there went
across high road to Paris through the forest OF Or
leans the Phiviers road from Orleans, near Neuyie
The order OF the corps follows Bavarians under
Won der Tam the right, near st. Penay; then the
Twenty Prussan Division CWttich'), near Che
Willy then came the Hessan Division Of te Ninth Corps,
then the rest Of the corps Gen. Markstein) up to ST.
Iegcr, then the Third Corps Von Avenscben and then
the Tenth Corps won yogh0 Rez on the left flank, but
held in reserve. The cannonadng began at O'clock
the weather being aWfuly cOid DIlsh cdihoAauV WIS
kept up on the French positions behind Brey and be-
tween Chevilly and CercOttes
Ii was soon found that the enemy was ire
firing, aud the guns limbered up and took
mp position about a mile further on. About
IA O'Clock some fortified positions near the village OF
Chevily not far from Briey, were occupied by The
Prusans the French having abandoned them, aud hay
ing fallen back into the woods southeast of Cercottes
On entering the abandoned intrenchments WIN inc
troor was astOnished TO find how strong they were
A.rv 10 - y r Nd fNnT
Ten naval guns 24pounders, captured in the in
trenchments Many OF these guns were loaded when
taken and quantity OF ammunition was also found.
welcome, If less important, capture for the soldiers
that OF loaded boxes OF biscuits abandoned by
the French IN their light. Every filed his pockets
with these. and many Of the so hungry that
they went on muuching away al their biscuits when
under g severe Shell fire. Beyond the intrcnchment
battalion Of Frencbmen perceived in retreat, evil
IDENTITY seeking to gain the shelter OF the woods In an
instant the word of command rang ont from the Cd Rcg
uent OF Uhlars. the points like lightning to
the charge and away dashed the cavalry after the
treating enemy, who broke and fled preciptatoly at
their approach. But the Uhians swept down TOO rap
IDLY and, they neared the French opened ont and
surrounded them, allowing hardly man TO escape.
This little episode over the advance continued. As We
got into the woods the French shells from the naval
guns in position before orleans began TO burst
among the columns OF Gen. Witch's Division 1.-THE
Twentysecond). The men were Sheltered as well As pos
Eble and, the whole, less damage was done than
might have expected by the French fire, which
unusually well directed and effective the shells bursting
a. the right moment in the air French shells
often done. As approached the top OF the Hill
above the village Of saran two 2Lpounder shells burst
just the crest sending humps of hardfroZen earth in
al directions. No hurt fortunately. Hardly
had the shells burst before two Uhans rode quietly out
% have look AT the holes poking the ground with the
buends Of their ances 10 see how deep the shells had
gone before bursting We waited the slope just be-
1.N 1sffl lNTQl az
The long columns which were to join the stormins
parties kept st and yet the sun was but little way
above the woods, and It began TO be more ana more
doubtful as 10 whether should enter Orleans that
night At last the word was given and the columns set
Themselves in notion followed with the cath Ihuringan
Guard Regiment which TO be in reserve, aud
watched the stray parties below they advanced to the
attack Suddenly the French caught sight "f their enc
mics and sent perfect shower Of shells on to the slope
good many were knocked over, bUt on the whole
IS almost always happens with artillery Ire, there was
more cry than wool
In oot half an hour the word was given and just AS
was dark a most furious fusilade was begun in the
FaubOurg Barmier between US at saran ana the town
itself The Prussans fired almost entirely in voeys at
FIRST probably hoping to demorlZe the french. Ihen
te skruishIng began, and then all OF sudden, about
$50 the firing ceased along the whole line. have just
heard that this caused by the French General in
command having sent out flag Of truce and an officer
20 say that II three hours were given him to leave
Orleans he would the Loire and not blow up the
bridge on the understanding that the town should not
oe bomarled. These terms agreed to, and there
gas no firing til r. when the three hours having fully
elapsed the Prussan artillery dashed forward in pursuit
Of the flying columns Of French.
o1OA M-An officer of the oath. who has just come up
from Orleans having been 70 see how matters really
stood there reports that all the French Some
10 guns arc captured, and all the sailors working the
heavy guns and 10000 prisoners or thereabout. The
Army Of the Loire said to be utterly disorganHed
I am about 10 ride into the town myself.
ORLEANS Dee. C.-Durng the night this town con-
lained both French and Germans, so that you might
nave turned out OF street where you had seen
French post. and reaching parallel street come u
with German troops. The consequence was that street
6ghting began desultory as soon as was hght
great deal Of this street fighting think was owing TO
some Of the French soldiers who had turned into houses
10 sleep unable 10 walk any further Sunday night
when, ON waking Monday morning, finding German
soldiers along the quay had few shots at them before
they bridge, that bullets were whizzing
pretty freely in the dark from street cOrners But at
about O'Clock all finished, and the Prussan troops
commenced 20 enter the town, bands playing ana colos
flying The greater part Of the prisoners taken were
who had remained in town, broken down IN body
and spirit and had gone into houses and slept TIL morn
ing unwilling be taken prisoners by the enemy
Although dAurees de Pslladines took his men across
Loire and conducted the retreat very well, owing
mainly TO Orleans and its defenses, which were eN de
pot holding we'll the army dsbanded. especially
the infantry that would he impossible for IL TO be pm
together again. and make useful stand by the time the
Prnssian army was upon IFS rear The Prussian army
marched straight through here and firing began again
yesterday forenoon, and lasted all day IL IT, Therefore,
20 he supposed that dAureles still making success
retreat protected by Of his artillery which wa
part his army which had kept most together Firing
heard again today. and it is said that the fighting
IL Mt tlt