Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-08-15
The Great Battle Yesterday.

The kilograms to-day announce a severe bat
Tie near Metz, and both sides claim the yictory
Napoleon, however, admits a complete surprise,
and until something more definite is received of
the French victory the public will not be apt to
take great amount OF stock in it. This is the
third time the French have been surprised by
che PTussians, AVID each time previously the
surprise resulted in disastrous reverse to the
former. On this occasion the French were at
tackled while half across the MOselle apparently
on the retreat TO ChslOns, and it the Pruss ans
failed TO rOut their opponents while assailing
them in this disadvantageous and crippled po-
sitiOn they were much less enterprising and had
much worse fortune than heretofore.
IL would appear that the Prussians, advancing
through the Vosges mountains, reached tue
town Of Nancy, point on the railroad bet xeen
SIsSburg and Paris and Metz and Paris
(Metz being at the end OF a branch road, } vr-
tuslly intercepting Nspoleon's most direct rail
communication with Paris. This was a move
ment that Napoleon had every reason to expect
on tie part of the Prussians, yet. from appear
ance>, he seems 70 have remained at Metz until
the PruSSians were actually in his relr AT the
last moment he undertakes to retreat across the
MoseIe, probably with the design of falling
back upon Chalons, there to make a stand
Tor the defence Of Paris; and while sstradde
of the river with his army, one half on one
side and half on the other, he is pounced
uTon by the ent>rprising PrussianS, who spring
up, as il were, out Of the ground, after the style
IF the late StonewaE jackson. Ii does not
seem clear, from the kilograms, exactly where
the late fighting took place. 1t would appear
that Napoleon, on leaving Metz, headed towards
Nerdun, which is on the route mot the railroad
rOute) 10 ChsloDs, and is a strongly fortified
Point itself. His bulletin to Eugene is dated at
Longeville. There are several French villages
of that name, but il would seem probable that
the point named. is Longeville on the line of
railroad between Stasburg and Paris AMI Metz
and Paris.
A dsy or two ago il was announced that Prus-
sian cavalry had appeared at Luneville,
FTouard and Point Nous, on, and though this
was significant of the Prussian advance in that
direction it appears that Napoleon set it down as
nothing mole than the movements OF raiding
parties upon the line Of railroad.
FrouaTd is a small village on the Moselle at
the confluence OF the Meurthe. Here the rail.
road to StTasburg from Psris branches off to
Metz. a lew miles southeast of Frouard is the
fOrtTt. of Toul, which commands the route to
Paris. 1t has been supposed that a portion OF
the FrCuch forces were stationed at Toul, and
il is not improbable that McMahon may have
fallen back TO that point.
LATEE.-The later kilograms from London
report another heavy battle near Metz to-day,
resulting in a victory to the Prussians. The
probabilities are all in this direction: indeed 1t
would seem that nothing short of a miracle
could enable Napoleon to extricate himself
from his network of difficulties and achieve a
success
Meanwhile the European situation is compli-
Gated by the Republican uprisings noted in
various quarters. kilograms to-day announce
cOtemporaneous Republican demonstrations in
Italy and in Spain, and in various parts OF
France; and it is minated that they are Of
formidable dimensions.
We do not see, however, that the progress of
the Prussian arms would be impeded should the
counties named all proclaim Republic. With
such great military successes II sustain him,
King William has little to fear from revolution
AT home, and revolution elsewhere will rather
cripple his enemies than damage him.