New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-26
THE BATTLE OF WOERTH.

Bv the PreSluent:
HAMILTON FISH,
.... Secretary Of State.
THE BATTLE OF WOERTH.
Gallant FishtinEm .,s., Mshahon's Official
New YORK, August 22.-From the foreign
mails per Scotia.
The special correspondent of the Times
with the German army. writing from Saultz-
les-FOurtz, on Sunday, says:
Everything confirms the impression that
the great battle of Woerth was an accident,
and the belief gains ground that Mcmahon,
like Douay, had no idea of the force to
which he was opposed when he made the
attack.
At Prussian headquarters IT was a sur
prise, and the outpost firing which extended
along the ridge over Woerth rivulet, few
wards broad and a yard deep, was not con-
sidered serious till the French displayed a
great line of artillery on ridges and opened
a furious cannOnade.
Had the corps on the Prussian left kept
more in front, and mad the Bavarians
coming from Weissenburg pressed on more
rapidly and come ON the French left their
escape would have been almost impossible.
As it was, when heavy cavalry were re-
pulsed in their charges round aud through
battalions in the rear, masses OF men threw
dswn their arms.
Their fighting at Neckwiller was grand.
The Prussian Generals say they never wit
messed anything more brilliant, but the
Prussians were not to be denied. as with
tenacity as great, and as fierce resolution,
they pressed on over the rivulet and up
the heights where the vineyards dripped
with blood, and, checked again and again,
still pressed on with furious intrepidity
which the enemy could not withstand.
In that desperate fight of six long hours,
during which the battle ragged in full yehe-
mence, it lasted indeed for thirteen hours,
and at one time the French gained ground
and got down on to the ridge on the left;
but the main stress of the day was on mar
row front OF some two and half miles
along stream at each side of WOerth, and
final stand was made by ReichzOffen and
Nechwiler from which the French retreated
by several roads through a very difficult
country. by Niederbrunn, etc. on Bitsche.
The victory of Goeben at SaaTbruck opens
the road to Metz, but Bitsche, with strong
citadeI. still interyenes between his left and
the army which ought to complete his COM
municatiOn, viz: That OF Prince Frederick
Charles.
The same correspondent says that the
Prussians. like generous enemies, admit the
gallantry which could not resist them, and
old soldiers say nothing in the hottest OF
the fighting at konigratz could at all COM
pare with the fighting at WOerth
Mcmahon, the defeated commander at
Woerth. or ReichzOffen, as the French pre-
fer the name of the battle has addressed
the following report to the Emperor. 1t Is
dated SaveTne, Sunday:
Il have the honor to report to your
Majesty that on the sixth of August, after
having been obliged to evacuate the town
| of Weissenburg, the first corps, with the
object of covering the railway from Stras.
burg to Bitsche, and the chief channels OF
communication between the eastern and
western sides Of the Vosges, occupied the
following positions
:! The first division. placed with the right
in front of Freischmiller. left In the direc-
ton of Reichzoffen, resting on a mound
which covers that village. 1t detached two
companies to Neunwiiier and one to Ja-
gershall.
Third division occupied with its first
brigade dantrefort- reaching from Freisch-
miller and terminating in a feint toward
Gnesidortf,
Second brigade rested its left on
Freischmiller and the right on the village
of ElashO Usen.
THE fourth division formed broken line
on the right of the third division, its first
brigade joining Guestadt. and the second
vis-a-vis with the village of Marebroun:
which it was unable to occupy from want OF
sufficient force.
.Dumesil's division Of the seventh corps.
which joined me early on the morning OF
the sixth, was placed in the rear OF the
fourth division.
'.In reserve was the second division,
placed behind the second brigade OF the
third division and first brigade of the fourth
division.
FINALLY, further in the rear, was bri-
gade of light infantry, under the orders OF
General DesepteutI, and division OF CUR
rasscrs of General De Bounemoins. A brl-
gade of Michael's cavalry under the orders
Of General Duchesne, was placed behind
the right wing of the fourth division.
AT seven o'clock in the morning the en-
envy made his appearance in advance OF the
heights of Guersdorff, and commenced the
action by cannonade, which was soon toll
lowed by lively fire against the first and
third divisions.
This attack was serious enough to oDllge
the first division to make change OF front
III advance on its right wing, so as to pre-
vent the enemy from turning the general
position.
"A little later the enemy augmented cou-
siderably the number of his batteries, and
! opened fire on the centre of the position
which we occupied on the right OF Saar-
bruck, much more serious and Threatening
than the first, which was continued.
Toward noon the enemy commenced his
| attack on our right.
Clouds of rihemen, supported By. in
fantrv, and protected by more than sixty
! pieces OF cannon, placed on the heights OF
Gunstadt, threw themselves on the fourth
division and on the second brigade, occupy
ing the village of Elshousen.
In spite of vigorous charges, many times
repeated; IN spite OF well5directed 1lre OF
artillery and several brilliant charges OF
cuirassiers, our right was forced back, after
many hours of obstinate resistance.
''At four o'clock | ordereda retreat. Inc
retreat was effected to Saverne by Neider-
brunn, when Gugal de Lesport's division
OF the fifth corps, which had just arrived,
took up position, and did not retire until
after night.
II enclose to your Majesty a list OF the
officers killed and wounded, or missing. i.
The List Is incomplete, and l will send
it again when can get it in its complete
state.
SSR., ~, ,rxrAuOHv