New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-28

NEW ORLEANS SUNDAY, 28, 1870

large body of troops. They moved INTO
position under the eyes of the King, yet
neither the King nor any of his staff could
account for their appearance.
Their march was begun at the time nave
mentioned and their advance did not cease
till dark. But the mystery that hung over
them was not dispelled. Whose was this
new army! Whence did it Gomez The
staff insisted that at the point whence 1t
moved there were, or at any rate ought 10
be. no troops of the armies of either stein
metz or Frederick Charles. The rumor be-
gan and spread among the group OF men
who surrounded the King that this fresh,
mysterious force was part OF the army OF
the Crown Prince, and that new junction
had been effected. l know of no reason to
snppose this true. Doubtless the staff soon
cleared up the matter to their own satlsfac-
t;ou. That there ever could have been any
doubt about the identity of so great body
of men arriving on so great battle-held,
illustrates the difficulty with which even
the most eminent officers follow the move
nents of their forces over broken and
wooded ground. Ino longer wondered that
to me the same task was almost an lnpos-
siblity.
In any event it can not be doubted that
the presence of that large body OF men
made itself known upon the fortunes OF the
field. They were visible to the French as
to us. Here was another example OF the
| moral effect that may be, and SO often 49,
exerted in battle by masses of men
whose presence is known to the enemy, but
who NAV not fire shot From their line Of
march it is clear the divisions were finally
posted q little in the rear and on the left OF
| the Prussian centre, at time when the at.
tacks, 80 long directed against the key OF
the French lines, had ceased, in fact had
failed for the time. 1t is possible the
French, having suffered far less III holding
| the ground than the Prussians in attacking,
might have advanced, in their turn under
| taking a vigorous offensive movement. Ii
| they had any such purpose it is not unlikely
| they abandoned it on sight of the Prussian
reinforcements. Instead of advancing the
! French now cOntented themselves with a
| mere occupation of the ground, to which,
earlier in the day, they had been driven
| back.
| At no time did they seriously strive to re-
| yain the westernmOSt line OF hills, winch
| had been theirs in the morning. AT no time
| did they recover or seek to recover Dy any
| vigorous forward movement the junction
| of the roads at Gravelotte. From seven to
| eight the weight of the battle tended more
| to the north of the road There was iull,
the meaning of which, the French failed, ap-
parently, to interpret. By seven they may
| have believed themselves partly victorious.
|
| renew on the morrow the struggle that had
gone on all day for that fated road from
| Metz to Verdun. If they had not gained
the road or the battle, they had not clearly
| lost the latter. Two hours later they had
lost both A little before eight large
white house on the height beyond Gravelotte
| caught fire. 1t seemed through the gloom
to be church. Its spire grew into flames
! and a vast black cloud of smoke arose, con
| V-it bp Iph fn smoke
! the battle
| As evening fell, the movements OF the
| troops could be followed now by lines OF
| fire that rap fiickering along the front OF q
! regiment aS it went into action No Gen
eral likes fighting by night in ordinary cir
| cumstances, for chance then takes the place
of skill, but the fanking movements OF the
French right had been resolved on by day
light. and it was the necessity of moving
troops to great distance over difficult
ground which delayed its execution ant
| brought about what seemed a renewal o
the battle after day was done. To leave
the French in their positions during TIT
night would have been to imperil the plar
on which the Prussian commander had re
solved So, from eight or halfpast eight tt
nine o'clock the decisive blow was struck
When the battle of Grayelotte hat
actually ended, we knew the Prussians helt
the strong heights beyond the Bois de NauX
which commands the surrounding countr,
to the limits of artillery range from Metz
We knew that the two great Prusslal
armies lay across the only road by whiel
Bazaine could march to Paris for its relic
or for his own escape. We knew a victor
greater than Sundays, more decisive thai
the triumph OF Tuesday, had been won
We believed the French army, which ha'
fought as valiantly and as vainly as before
was now hopelesslv shut up i'll its fortress
As went back to the village of Goerse t.
pass the night, turned at the last point t
look upon the battlefield. 1t was long
earth bound cloud, with two vast fires o
burning buildings at either end. The da.
had been beautiful, so far us nature wa
concerned, and the stars now looked dow,
in splendor upon work of agony. an'
death. such as no one could ever wish +
see again.