New-York tribune., 1870-09-06
PRUSST1N TACTICS At SEDAN

The accounts of the combat at Beaumont,
and of the great battle at Sedan, which we
herewith publish, form full history of the
campaign against MacMahon, beginning at
Bar lie Due on August 25 and ending at Sedan
on Sept. 1. lCOmbned the two dispatches form
a clear succinct, and graphic account of the
entire operations embracing forced marches
of more than 7j miles, five minor affairs be-
tween the heads of columns, one severe
combat in which 5000 French prisoners
were taken, and great and severe battle last
ing through parts Of two days and ending
in the capture of 10000 men, including
the Head of the French army and Empire.
These dispatches read like a romance rather
than veritable history. And this brief cam
paign of a week considered in all its features,
must be regarded as a marvel in war, with
but few parallels for the brilliancy of its
strategy and the daring of its tactics. Yet the
marches by which the field was reached, and
the maneuvers by which it was won, were
not only of the simplest kind, but of that sim
plicity which is true grandeur.
We have before spoken of the marches of
the Prussian army from Bar de Due north
ward, in pursuit of MacNIahon. The fact is
now for the first time disclosed that, in the
combat at Beaumont, Gen. De Failly's Corps
was surprised, and 5000 of his men were
captured before striking blow. 1t was
for permitting this surprise that De Fallly
was shOt-whether by MacMahOn's orders or by
the indignant French troops, is of no conse-
quence now.
1t is less of the PrusSian march to Sedan
than of the Prussian operations after reaching
there that we designed to speak Although
the approach was from the South and West,
the Prussian attack was directly from the
North and East. Gen. Won Moltke repeated
at Sedan the tactics which won at Metz; and
that, too, in the face of a stronger enemy than
Bazaine, on more difficult ground than Grave
lOtte, and on the banks of broader and
deeper river than the MOselle. He divided his
army under the walls of Sedan-under the
nose of MacMlahOn, as if daring him to carry
out his threat of beating him in detail While
the Wirtembergers and the Second Bayarian
Corps held the avenues of escape toward
Mezi6res the Crown Prince of Prussia formed
his army north of the Sedan at Flegneux,
facing southwark, and the Crown Prince
of SaxOny placed his army east of the city
at La Chapelle, facing westward. When the
battle of September 1 began, the right OF the
SaxOns and the left of the Prussians were
separated by a mile or more. The sim
pie order of battle was that they should
fight to a junction. That junction was
formed after repeated exertiols upon the key
point of the battle field. 1t was an abrupt
eminence, directly north of Sedan (and midway
between the villages of Torcy and Givonne,
located on our map on the first page. When
first carried by Prussian skirmishers, strong
lines of French, six deep, retook it, but they
were again driven away by the advance of the
Prussian line The French cavalry twice
charged, but in vain, and at last the Prussians
held undisputed possession. Soon artillery
crowned the commanding eminence, and the
French, flying before its destructive fire, hud-
died in the town like sheep, and the white
flag asking parley went up on the French
citadel.
Among military men this campaign will be
Justly reckoned model of offensive warfare.
To them the account and map which we pub
lsh will be particularly interesting. 1t is, how
ever, the chiefest merit of the story, as now
printed in complete form, that the least mill
tary mind can follow and understand the
maneuyers which it describes.