Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-08-18

LII
I French bring to light by way of account
ing for their defeat shows how badl,
they were handled and makes the posi-
bility of their ultimate successes NOR,
remote.
1t is curious fact, OF which no really
satisfactory explanation has ever beer
given, that as firearms are rendered
more and more deadly, war becomes les.
and less destructive to human life. AT
Borodino the loss was one-thifd of all
the men engaged. At Waterloo it was
one-fourth. At Inkefman, where there
was neither rified cannon or breech-
loader on the field the English lost one
third. At Magenta and Solferino, with
vastly better weapons, the casualties
were one-eleventh; at Chattanooga, one
thirteenth; while at Koniggratz, where
the terrible needle-gun caused such con-
sternation, the losses were only one
twenty-third.
ANOTHER BATTLE AT METZ.
Via Berlin, August 15.-The Queen of
Prussia to-day received the following
dispatch, dated in the vicinity of Metz on
Sunday evening: "a victorious combat
occurred near Metz to-day, the troops of
the First and Seventh Corps participa-
ting. l hasten to the scene of conflict.
WILLIAM.
BITCHE STILL HOLDS OUT.
A dispatch from Epinal, 9o'clock this
morning, statos that the town of Bitche
has not been captured, as had been sup
posed, but holds ont against the Prus-
sian troops who had been detached to
besiege it.
VICTOR EMMANUEL'S COURSE.
The Gaulois reports Victor Emmanuel
wrote long letter to Nopoleon, saying /:
81 give you my word, and am ready to
keep it, but l must tell you should 1
should leave Italy may never reenter
it," Gaulois adds. the Emperor released
the King from his promise.
PRUssIAN POLICY.
Arrivals from Metz report that the
Prussians place administrative officials
in every captured village.
WHY THE FRENCH REITERATED ACROSS
THE MOSELLE.
LIE Temps says tn e purpose of the last
movement of the French forces is evil
dent. The Prussians, numerically su-
perior, wanted to interpose between our
troops and their supplies. Tn was de-
feated by the movement of the French,
who repulsed the attack intended to pre-
vent their crossing the Moselle. Our
forces will now take up strong position
and prepare for great battle, which is
ardently awaited by the entire army.
Public confidence here, as to the result
ofa pitched battle, is very great.
PRUssIAN VESSEL ATTACKED IN AN ENG
LISH PORT.
Special telegraphs from Dublin,
Sunday: A mob of six hundred strong,
headed by band playing French airs,
attacked Prussian vessel lying at
Kingston on Friday afternoon and threw
stones at her. They failed in trying to
board the vessel and left threatening to
return the next night and cut the
throats of the bloody Prussians. The
police now guard the vessel. Bands of
people parading the streets this after
noon with French flag were stopped
by the police. A riot threatened.
FROM PRUSSIAN HEADQUARTERS.
A special correspondent writes from
Prussian headquarters on Monday, Sth
The engagements of Saturday were both
far in our front. But few details have
been received besides the official sum-
mary already sent. All letters and
messages hence are delayed. What has
really happened, in perfect accord with
what L have forshadowed more than
once of the designs of German authori-
ties, from officers of high position, was.
firstly, to prevent Germany from being
made the theatre of slaughter, and sec
ondly, to attack the French army in
three places simultaneously. Now that
McMahon and Frossard have both suf-
fered severe defeat, a general engage
ment is imminent. During the whole
of to-day the arrival of dispatches an
nouncing that great battle is in pro-
gress, or has ended, have been looked
foT with feverish impatience. 1t is
evening, yet no tidings have come.
Though the engagements at Weissen-
burg and Woerth are regarded as minor
combats, yet they are in reality of the
highest importance. The earliest Off
cial dispatches underestimated the mag
nitude and extent of the victory. In
stead of few hundred prisoners having
been captured at Weissenburg, the
number amounts to nearly 1000. Both
struggles were stubborn. The French
soldiers stood their ground we'll and
their rifles proved terribly destructive.
1t was downright hard fighting which
enabled the Germans to claim the day.
Physically the average German soldiers
was supposed that the introduction of
new weapons would alter the mode of
warfare and render the old style of hand
TO hand combat obsolete. This engage
ment proved otherwise. The Zouaves
did what they could to check the ad-
vance of the German regiments by
pouring in volley of fire from a con-
cealed position. They had posted them
selves in pits dug for the purpose, and
not until the advancing regiments had
suffered from this concealed fire did the
German soldiers know their proves
was to be contested. They saw no sign
OF troops in their front. Such an ordeal
as this tested the stuff of which these
men are made and they bore themselves
with extraordinary valor.
During the day and night wounded
have been arriving here. This afternoon
all the beds in the hospitals are occu-
pied. These hospitals will contain
about one thousand men. The field
hospitals are also full and hundreds of
wounded men have been sent on to
Frankfort, where there is accommoda-
ton for five thousand. The slaughter
was so great that the arrangements
proved insufficient. Wounded men
have lain for twenty-four hours on the
battle field before discovered. A private
dispatch from a military surgeon con-
firms this.
Dispatches from Worth, the place
where McMahon's army was beaten,
say that while the victory was complete
and the number of prisoners taken
amounts to 6, 200, the loss on both sides
was enormous. These losses in killed
and wounded and prisoners can be ill