The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-08-27
RESUME EVENTS.
The fsattles and Movements
from SaarbruGk to the Last
Battles.

we copy the folloWlng resume IRON
the Chicago Times of the 18th
On the I'd of August, the Frencl
made the attack at Saarbruck. A
that time the Prussians were located
as follows Their right rested at Treves
From thence the line extended in direc
line to Saar-Louis and Saarbruck, ant
thence bent almost at right angles tt
the east, and ran back toward Landau
The right, from Treves to Saarbruck
was commanded by Gen. steinmetz, anc
left from Saarbruck to Landau by Prince
Frederick Charles. ",.
The French line, with it's left wing
resting at Metz, or Thionville, stretched
across in general easterly direction
to Weissenburg, thence south to Lauten
burg, Haguenau and strasbourg. The
line, however, was not continuous. A
portion of the French force was at Metz
and still another from Weissenburg to
Lautenburg-a distance of ten miles.
| On the Sd of August, the Prussians
advanced in great force against the
French position between Weissenburg
and Lautenburg. The French defended
the position with ouly Douay's division
of Mcmahon S corps, while the Prussians
took into action portions ofthe fifth and
eleventh Prussian army corps, and a
part of the second army corps Of Barva.
ria.
A contest between portions of three
army corps and single division could
not long remain doubtful. The French
were driven out with considerable loss,
and they fell back along the railway to-
ward Bitche. 49,. @-.
On the 9Th, the Prussian left made a
general attack along their front, upon the
scattered French troops, who extended
from Saarbruck to Woerth. The con-
flict was stubborn one, and the French,
although inferior, inflicted very heavy
losses on the Prussians. Even the
Prussianized correspondent of the New
York Tribune says: it is impossible
to learn, even approximately, how many
fell, but it is quite certain the German
loss was propotionately enormous: Du-
ring the day and night the wounded
have been arriving here. This afternoon
all the beds in the hospitals were occu-
pied. These hospitals will contain
about 1000 men. The field hospitals
are also full, and hundreds of wounded
men have been sent to Frankfort, where
there is accommodation for 5000. A
long string of stretchers, on which lay
the wounded soldiers and officers, has
been passing through the streets to-day.
So great is the slaughter that the ar
rangements proved insufficient, and
wounded men lay for "a hours on the
battle field before discovered. A pri-
vate dispatch from a military surgeon
confirms this" - ... n
This Battle lasted from noon Of Sat-
urday until 10 o'clock at night. The
attack was opened ON McMahon's left
by Gen. Kamer's division, near Saar-
bruck. The French right was attacked
by the troops who had taken Weissen-
burg, and who struck the French at
Woerth. The French defeated by
overwhelming numbers, fell back to-
wark Nancy and Mcmahon fastened
to connect himself with the French left,
which reached from Metz. This, as will
be seen by glance at the map, uncov-
cred Strasburg, or, rather cut it off from
the French line.
The French report Of the battle is as fol-
lows
.MErz, Aug. I, 4:30 A. M.-The
Major General Of the Army, to the Min
lister of the Interior After serious
engagement, in which the enemy brought
heavy forces into the field, Marshal Nc
Mahon was forced to fall back from his
first line. The corps of Gen. Frossard
had to fight yesterday from two O'Clock
in the afternoon with an entire army of
the enemy. Having held his position
until six o'clock, he ordered retreat,
which was made in good order.
- LEBEUF."
The closing portion Of the dispatch
relates to the affair at Saarbruck. At
ter the defeat at .Woerth, the Prussians
advanced on Saarbruck, but the French
after short resistance evacuated the
town. Some twelve miles west of the
town, Gen. Goeben attacked Frossard,
and the result was the defeat of the lat
ter. How severe the losses, or what the
number Of troops engaged, is not known,
although Prnssian accounts claim that
they had but four divisions against
Frossard's entire corps; and that the
French losses were immense.
Immediately after the victory, Stras-
burg was invested. Only small COM
mand under Gen. Berger was left to
defend it.
From Saturday, the 7th, until Sun
day, the 18th, no battle occurred. The
French right fell back toward Nancy,
and new line was formed along the
Moselle. Some considerable loss was
experienced in baggage by the retreat
ing forces, and there were several skir-
mishes Of no particular consequence. On
Friday, the French right, under McMa-
hon evacuated Nancy and crossing the
Moselle took a position at Toul, twelve
miles west Of Nancy and on the same
evening Nancy was occupied by the
Prussian cavalry.
On Saturday, the 18th, the telegraph
announced she Prussians as advancing
in three bodies toward the valley of the
Moselle. The right, under King VIII
liam, was moving towards Metz; the
left under Steinmetz, was moving to-
wards Nancy and the centre under the
Prince Royal, was coming up from the
direction Of Saarbruck.