New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-31
WHAT A CORRESPONDENT SAW
Movements of Troops
THE WAR IN EUROPE

Yesterday mornings Western papers
brought us the following:
A cable special to the Tribune, dated
London, July 26. says the special cores
pondent of the Tribune at Metz. on Sunday
night, sent the following important letter,
containing the first clear statement OF the
French position and plans. He left Hage-
nian on the twenty-third, taking the train
bv line which leads past Bitche and Saar-
puinise to Metz. Along this line, warlike
preparations of every kind are to be seen.
He says:
passed field batteries parted and com
plete. at different places, until got tired of
locking at them altogether. The French
carry artillery and infantry good deal on
the railways. They seem inclined to allow
cavalry to march along roads. We saw
more than single party OF horsemen, and
in one case the whole regiment walking
along the highway. which, just before we
arrived at the Vosges, ran parallel with the
rails. The regiment seemed in the highest
s,irits as they waved their hands and
spulred their somewhat jaded steeds into a
rrot. in answer to the salutatiOns from the
foot soldiers in our train. About four
o'clock we reached the Nosges.
This range OF hills. which takes its rise
near Beltort. runs tolerably parallel with
the Rhine till it slopes down to the low
the Strasburg Bitche and Wetz lines pierce
the range The Vosges have always been
considered second line Of defense posses
Issed bv France on the east. Still, the thin
ness OF the advance breadth of which run
in the rear of Bitche is under twenty miles,
| and large number of valleys, which cross
il in traverse direction, prevent 1t
forming a very considerable military
obstacle There is a society called
of hn
which. on small scale, bears some
resemblance 10 our volunteers. As self
| organized force it seems contrary to tie
! military genius Of France. They have al
| ways been considered in an amusing light
tv French Journals. which are. however.
| now beginning to express astonlshment at
| finding the bands of Nosges are seriously de
nanding permission to elect general and
| 70 cooperate with the regular force. Aftel
vending for some time through detile and
| before we had altogether descened the
western slopes of the Voges, we arrived at
BitcEe Il small fortified place with a strong
citadel, the strength OF which seemed to be
! escarped sides Of the hill upon which it was
| perched from BitcEe to Saarguenlse. We
| passed camp after camp. 1t Is true some
OF them were small, but everything
| connected with them Enthusiastically re-
| vealed that these We're outlying a
part of a huge force. From Bltcne to
| Saarruenise is about twenty miles, and
throughout this distance for miles west OF
! Saarouenise, forty miles in all. the line con
| stantly approaches within few miles OF the
! frontier. between Bitche and Saarguenise
| Their numbers evidently inspired the Frenct
with confidence. but beyond the latter posi-
! it was clear the line. which, as it leads IRON
Metz to Bitche, is just now of extraordinary
importance, was carefully plcketed. u
course | only saw a portion OF the precau
| tions taken. but | could observe that I'M
portant points, such as where roads crossed
| the line there We're camps OF cavalry ant
artillery combined, evidently placed to sup
| port the videttes and pickets which are
| watchin" the frontiers, and TO save the line
| from being interrupted. When we go
about thirty miles west and a little south o
Saarguenise the aspect OF affairs became
tanner. and we did not see a camp ottenel
than in ten miles, and only passed at the
stations occasional trains laden with sup
| plies and materials.
But the line from Strasburg and some dis
tance beyond Saarguenise has left STAMPED
upon nv brain impressions not likely TO bt
etiaced by stronger ones of the same KIND
| | fear can not reduce this impression Il
writing; but some faint idea may be con
| veved by imagining crammed rallroat
| line on which all the trains were filled witt
soldiers cheering and being cheered. Sta
tions lined with sympathizing spectators
trucks laden with guns in such numbers
that one ceases to take an interest in them
the roads, where they could be seen iron
the train, encumbered with cavalry, ano
lastly, for the twenty miles between Bltcht
and Saarguenise, tents SO thick that coult
hardly make out whether l was passlns
| through one or several camps. An aDund
ance of good forage and wood was storet
along the line. This last puzzed me till
found that this portion of the French rail
ways are supplied with coal from Prussia1
mines. which, it is feared, the Prussians VII
food before abandoning. But one feature
struck me as conspicuous by its absence
There was bur little show Of either baggage
or baggage animals. l saw none OF tn
droves Of cattle which might have been eX
| pected to be seen with large army.