New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-02
PROGRESS OF GERMAN ARMS.
A General Review.

BERLIN, August 29.-The following is
resume Of the progress of the German arms
since the commencement of the invasion OF
France.
After the check encountered by the French
vanguard near Saarbruck, August sixth,
followed by the rOut of McMahon. the
French main body retired on the line OF the
Moselle. The fortresses of Thionville and
Metz. defenses of the first order and well
supplied and entrenched camps which were
constructed gave great strength to their
new position. A direct attack would have
been difficult; therefore the German armies
passed to the south of Metz toward the
Moselle. to cross above the city and discover
the enemy's movements.
Such great masses of troops covering o
wide region required special precaution.
The first army was to flank the enemy's line
of march. and was directed to take the new
position near the river Med. Meantime
the first and second armies approached
each other. division passing over the
Moselle The same division on the ninth
took part in fight, in which the French
were repulsed and pursued until they
reached the protection of the guns of Metz.
This combat resulted greatly to the advan-
tage OF the Prussians, as 1t retarded the
French retreat, and the advantage was
easily followed up.
Two roads connect Metz with Verdun.
and Verdun with Paris. Thus threatened,
the French were obliged to withdraw from
the right bank of the Moselle before Metz,
| not being strong enough to stop the Prus-
| sian movements.
The advance of the first army, observing
| the movement of the French, attacked on
| August Ii the French rear, throwing it up
| on the main BODY which was compelled TO
| send back several divisions to support the
| rear.
The Pr,lssian first and seventh corps
| went on the south side to compel the
French to face about. They succeeded
after bloody but victorious con
| fiict. The Prussian fifth division attacked
| General Brossard. BY degrees the entire
| Prussian forces the other divisions of the
| third corps, the tenth corps, reg iment of
the ninth corps, and brigade of the eighth
participated. Prince Frederick Charles
| had taken command. The movement was
successful, and the southerly road to
Paris was intercepted. The Prussaans
fought heroically, and their losses were
large; but those OF the enemy, especial y
| of the imperial guard were immense. The
French official reports estimate the Prussian
force engaged at double what it was.
The only way for the Emperor to escape
fatal isolation from Paris and his supplies.
lies on the northern line. The Prussian
army in the south, finding no army before
it, fell back. combining with the other
army. joint attack on the French was
then planned.
The French, ceasing to retreat by the
northerly line, took a position ON the
heights before Metz. The second army III
staItly moved to the right fixing its centre
left at Warneville and Amanville while its
right rested in contact with the first army
| Absolute readiness for a simultaneous
movement along the entire line was requisite
as the French position was strong one. Al
the start the ninth corps encountered adj
yanced detachments. who opened fire with
artillery from the Warneville side. The
right army, therefore, was ordered to engage
the enemy in front, ana at one ocloci
opcned Il well sustained and effective can
nonade, which lasted till broad daylight
The French replied with visor
About half-past two O'Clock the infantry
engaged the enemy, who was Just the1
strongly reinforced, his line reaching from
St Marie Aux Cheves to La Cuissewood
His position, naturally Of great strength
had been SO fortified by earthWorks ant
bitches that it seemed almost impregnable
There was a brief delay before the assault
in order TO make sure that the enemy hat
stopped his retreat on the Northern route
The combat which ensued was long ant
terrible On the left the guards and Saxol
troops fought at St Marie, st. Privat ant
: Doncourt Meanwhile, the other wing wa
l engaged near St. Dill, the La Cuisse WOO
and Varneville, ts far as the north side o
the northern road from Metz to Nerdun
+ The eighth and ninth army corps participa
/ ted in the action al Gravelotte. and the COZ
test spread from Naux to the Mosellt
where a brigade of the third and tenth, wit
artillery, were engaged. We fought wit
/ the entire French army, McMahon's corp
: and Fraillys division excepted.
After shutdown the Prussians took tn
, heights by storm, finging back the trenc
= along the entire line to the shelter OF Met
; (Doncourt is village on the norther
= road. about five miles northwest OF Grave
lotte, which is at the junction OF the tw
roads Narncville is village east OF Don
r. court and north of Gravelotte. Amanvlil
/ is a village about two miles northeast {
4 Varneville. 1t appears from this accom-
= that the heaviest fighting on the elghteent
: was north of GravelOtte. The reports I
e the battle already printed, have all pr
scented the affair as seen from the sOutl
q from the direction of Resonville and Vlol
l. vile, ON or near the southern road. PROB
: bly the writer was with Steinnetz, who
# accounts for several blinders in his stat
l. ments with regard to the army OF Frederic
l.. Charles