The Van Buren press., 1870-08-09

refused the offer of the American Gen
L. ii. Sheridan to serve in the French
army.
wE1ssENBURG THE BATTLE GROUND.
LONDON, Aug. A.
The correspondent of the Tribune tele
graphs from the Prussian headquarter.
that the crown princes army has storm
ed Weissenburg.
Some troops of the Fifth and Eleventh
Prussian army corps, reinforced by tn,
Second Bavarian corps, engaged Genera
Donays's division of Marshal McMahon'
corps.
The French were driven off the fielt
and the Prussians now occupy the French
camp.
Several hundred French soldiers wer,
taken prisoners.
No movement has been commenced
from the army of the Lower Rhine. The
affair at Saarbruck is regarded here as
wholly unimportant. The Prussians a
no time contemplate holding that town
in force.
The correspondent of the Tribune
writes from Coblentz Tuesday that the
Prussians are in much greater force Oh
the banks of the Saar and of the Moselle
than is generally supposed hence they
do not intend to fall back on Mayance OF
Mannheim, but will hold the French in
check from Sierck to Lauterbourg.
One proof is that long trains of pro-
ctr fob 4
Treves, and ambulance trains with them
are in much too great force for a mere
affair Of outposts. Moreover the large
square here and the Clemens Plattz is
covered with peasants wagons laden
with bread and biscuit all moving west
Treves is now the headquarters of the
Sth army corps The Prussian wagon
and ambulance services are more perfect
ly organized, and their horses in better
condition than the French.
The soldiers are in admirable spirits.
Their enthusiasm is less noisy than that
Of the enemy, but their quiet confidence
is far preferable to such effervescence as
| recently witnessed on the other side.
Cobentz is full of Landwehr. There
are few troops of the line there The
Notifications are rapidly being strength
ened and trees being telled in readiness
for attack.
All commanding points about the great
fortress, the occupation of which would
render it indefensible against modern ar
tillery, are now strongly fortified, and
earthworks are rapidly being constructed
toward the French side.
Our special correspondent at Cologne
writes Tuesday that troops are passing
steadily through that city going south
ward all in excellent condition, each
corps with provisions for six weeks.
No enthusiasm surpasses that Of the
South German regiments, many of which
petitioned to form part Of the advance
guard
Our Paris special letter of Wednesday
evening says that the French very re
luclantiy admit that they do not occupy
the town of Saarbruck. They simply
preserve position on the heights on
which they had erected batteries a week
before the attack 1t is now well under
stood that Saarbruck was never anything
but an outpost, and so long as the Prus
SLAMS occupied Saar- Louis, it was not an
military position.
The fifty departments, at first exempt
ed from garde mobile service, have been
warned that they must Immediately fur
nish their contingents.
Our dispatch from Frankfort Tuesday
says that it is still generally believed that
a great battle will be fought near May
ence The number of men now massed
between Mayence and the front is enor
nous. Citizens Of Frankfort who are
supposed to be hostile to Prussian rule
show lavish hospitality to the troops If
they do not love the Prussians, they at
least detest the French. This war in
stead Of detaching Frankfort from Prus-
sia, has developed a sincere attachment
to fatherland.
Prussian batteries passing through here
are observed to be much lighter and more
serviceable than in 1866. German officers
believe that the Prussians will bring into
the field gun superior to Napoleons
pet artillery, and that the French Metrail-
leurcs will find their match
THE RAID EXTENDED.
CARlsRUnE, Aug. 4-G 80 p. NJ.
There was hard fighting at Weissen
burg yesterday.
To-day large force of Prussians ad
vanced between Weissenburg and Lauter
bourg ten miles into French territory,
driving the advanced posts of the enemy,
and destroying miles Of railroad between
Lauterbourg and Strasburg, along which
it is supposed that McMahon was pre-
pairing to advance.
The French loss is heavy, including
many prisoners,
LATEsT.-The Prussian victory at
W eissenburg was decisive. The troops
engaged were regiments of the 9th and
1lth Prussian army corps, and of the Cd
army corps Of Bavaria, led by the crown
prince in person.
The French force consisted Of Donay's 3
divisions of McMahon's corps.
Weissenburg and Geishull, in the rear
fhnt onrrinl h, Of IA N