The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-08-24

to fcresee. should say aftcr having IN some degree
seen VIVA. me trlissans nave done and what they
can 90, that they must end by utterly crushing The
french army, and Nv marching direct 10 Paris.
THE LOSSES.
purins my loug and weary march on the frontier
yesterday was able To pick up some further details
o. wat me actual loss on both sides was satur-
The French lost IN killed and wounded not more
than 10 600 men the Prussians more than that num-
per. Inc russians did not lose more than 200
prisoners tho french lost 100 officers and nearly
10000 men taken The Prussians lost no stores or
guns the french lost SIX mitrallleuses twenty five
other pieces OF cannon, 200 francs OF treasure
all their baggage tents, &c. and all their stores
also four eagles, which In the French army take the
place OF regtmental banners.
The Prusslans admit that the French fought like
heroes, and can bear witness to the fact from hat
saw with my glass from the top OF the steeple dur
ing the battle. But they really seemed not to have
sufficient discipline and to have fought very much
as they lked They dcsplse. utterly dispse tactics
sequences. Not but what as l said before they
were greatly outnumbcred, whicn they certainly
Outfanked them completely And l believe TINS
VIII be the result OF the campaign.
However, the moral power and experience Of the
french army IL utterly broken, and / doubt much
whether J. can ever be put on the same footing as
before. The very best corps d'armee, under tae
most renowned leader they had, has been not only
defeated but routed. There is not q Prusslan regl-
ment but that has more or less French trophies in
possession. Their Chassep0ts did well certainly
but they seemed to have rushed on to re them, and
to have got so near the enemy before they used
them that they lost oil the advantages to be gained
from them, aud then 1t was that the superior num-
beers OF the Prusslan troops told In their But
the wounds received by come Of the latter from the
mltrailleuses were fearful to behold. and the best
thing to wish those who had received many OF them
was that death would quickly put an end TO their
suneriugs.
Marshal MacMahon's position on the heights above
WOerth was good one, 80 good chat the Prince
Royal, learned yesterday from one OF his stan.
hesitated TO attack him. But he did So, and this
vas what the French leader wanted. But when the
attack commenced the Prusslans believed their
enemy to be much stronger taan he was. aud the
nnf "A v a W nnrFNa n fhn
German army with nearly the whole OF third corps
In reserve were before them.
As said before the French were Outnumbered by
three to one at the very least, and they had among
them some regiments that had been beaten forty
eight hours before at Wissembourg. The Prussans
were all fresh. MacMahOn certainly was attacked
in the position he had chosen himself; but then he
never knew until late In the day the real strength OF
the force he had to contend with. He then COM
menCed to retreat, but had taken no precautlon to
secure his rear everything In the shape OF baggage
stores and tents was more or less IN confusion, and
II Is exactly in such retreat as this that French
troops always fail. In five minutes the retreat was
almost rout In half an nour It was completely SO,
and then came the encny's cavalry, which completed
their disaster and their enemy's victory.
MACMAHON.
Had the Marshal known what was before him In
time, he would have been able to fall back upon
Metz, or, at any rate upon such position would
have allowed another corps d'armce, either from
Metz or COlnlar, 10 join him. AS 1t was he taken
almost at once.
The loss OF prestige and the moral effect to the
French army has been enormous-more than It will
a French wounded officer To me the other day, 'Our
name has gone forever"
PRUsSIAN MORALE
AS regards the Pru5sans regret to say that in
some instances their conduct when upon French SOIL
has not been by any means what It ought to be. Al
village near WOerth they shot In cold blood four
Of the inhabitants and two Catholic priests who when
questioned the previous day bv French Oficer on
patrol duty had told what they knew about the
enemy. The superior 0ficers Of the Prussan army
the captains, majors, colonies ana those higher up
are exceedingly civil and obliglng But the men are
terrible ruriians, and the junior officers most
Overbearing and rude. After the affair al
WOerth one young whelp offs lieutenant arrested me
and wanted to take me five leagues to head
quarters, because, as he said must be French
spy. He very cOolly took to himself revolver and
field glass OF French gentleman who had been
staying In the same room with me, and declared
that because had french money on NE could not
he an Englishman. BY great good luck l talked
him into letting me 20, or | should now have been
writing from inside the Prusslan fortress at Pots
dam or elsewhere.
must now try and get to the siege OF Strasbourg,
which hear begins today II the gates are not
opened. l do not think they Will be kept Shut for
the garrison consists OF only 1000 men, and there are
So, 600 men round ii, and many more are on the
march, The siege train took up ten miles OF The road
last night