The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-08-16
The Battles or the sfh.

A special writes from Prussian head
quarters on the Sth inst. that the en-
gagements OF Saturday were both far
on our front, and but few details are re-
ceived besides the official summary al
. ready sent. All messages and letters
hence are delayed. What has really
happened is in perfect accord with what
| have ioreshadowed more than once
The design of the German authorities,
as gathered from Prussian officers Of
high position, was, firstly, to prevent
Germany being made the theatre of
slaughter; and, secondly, to attack til e
French army in three places simulta-
neously. Now that Mcmahon and
Frossard have both suffered severe de-
feat, a general engagement is imminent.
During the whole OF to-day the arrival Of
dispatches announcing that n great bat
tie was in progress or had ended has been
looked for with feverish impatience. 1t
is evening, yet no tidings have come,
though the engagements at Welssen-
burg and Woerth are regarded as minor
combats, yet they are in reality Of the
highest importance The earliest otii-
cial dispatches underestimated themag-
nitude and extent of the victory. In
stead of few hundred prisoners having
been captured at Weissenburs, the
number amounts to nearly 2OoO. Both
struggles were stubborn, the French
soldiers stood their ground well, and
their rifles proved terribly destructive.
1t was downright hard fighting which
enabled the Germans to claim the hon
ors of the day. Physically, the average
German soldiers are heavier men
than the French. 1t was sup
posed that the introduction OF the
new weapon would alter the
mode of warfare, and render the old
style of hand-to-hand combat obsolete.
This engagement proved otherwise.
The zouaves did what they could to
check the advance OF the German
regiments, by pouring in yolley Of fire
from a concealed position. They had
posted themselves in pits dug for the
purpose, and not until the advancing
regiment had suffered from this con
cealed fire did the German soldiers
know their prowess was to be contested.
They saw no sign Of troops in their
front. Such an ordeal AZ this tested
the stuff of which these men are
made. They bore themselves with
extraordinary valor during the
day and night The wounded have
been arriving here this afternoon. All
the beds in the hospitals are occupied.
These hospitals will contain about 1000
men. The field hospitals are also tulI,
and hundreds Of wounded men have
been sent on TO Frankfort, where there
is accommodation for five thousand.
So great is the slaughter that the ar
rangements proved insufficient. Wound
ell men have lain for twenty-fOur hours
on the battle field before discovered. A
private dispatch from military sur
ceon confirms this.
Dispatches from Woerth, the place
where McMahon's army was beaten,
say that while the victory was complete,
and the number of prisoners taken
amounts to six thousand, the los- on
both sides was enormous. These losses
in killed and wounded and prisoners
can he i'll afforded 10y the French. To
replace those who are killed. wounded
or missing is hardly possible, while the
Germans can fill all the blanks in the
course of few hours They have.a
superabundance OF trained soldiers,
ready to join regiments at a moments
notice. Should the Germans be defeat
ed in general battle, they would be
ready in the course OF a week to fight
again. The news of the victories il
accepted very quietly.