New-York tribune., 1870-11-16
THE REAR OF THE GERMAN ARMIES.

THE TROUBLE OF HAVING YOUR YN RAILROAD
CARA PEEP AT NANCY-THE RED CROSS OF
ST. JOHN-MIsMANAGEMENT OF SANITARY
COMMISSION.
IPRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
NANCY, Oct. 24.-TO have a correct impress
sion OF the war il is quite necessary be acquainted
with the Of the with the 'front.' but any one
who proposes pursue his researches In that direction
II he consus his personal predictions will discontinue
them within week. The principal point OF departure
in Germany Of supplies recruits, suffers army contract
or and the nnumerabe hordes Of doubtful characters
that already infest the army Mayence. From that
sity there is direct communication by railroad with Cour
cees the east side Of Metz by way OF Saarbuck ana
Remilly In order open direct railroad line 10 the
army operating before Paris contract was made to build
a railroad from Remy TO Pontahousson,a distance OF
25 miles, this done within 40 days, hot IL was
found TO be so imperfectly built that 1t
deemed imprudent to transport anything
but the most uRmportant materials by that route When
proposed to travel upon IT, railroad inspector "as 30
much concerned for my safety that in the course OF hs
expostuaton he told me that an accident occurred in
nine cases out Of ten For all practical purposes this
road is OF whatever for transportation beyond
Metz and the main route is from Mayence TO Marteu
sur Marne by way Of Weissenburg, Vendonf Gin near
srasbourg) Nancy and Chalons For the las fortnight
this road entirely used for transporting ne heavy
artillery be used again Paris, 80 that store OF gram
-four, bread, we'll as Of other articles le Important
the collecttd AT IOHJH McIC
runed from exposure the incomency OF the weather
while the horses were without fodder and the troops
were subsising on potatOo Now that the transpora-
top OF cannon and ammunition has been completed, all
the other supplies are moved forward at once aud the
result is that everything progresses very slowly Indeed
Yesterday morning. at weisseni urg, had before me
the problem how TO transport ny horse. servant and
carriage within the shortest possible space OF time 10 the
terminus OF the railroad Having all this luggage safely
secured in covered which was placed at my dlspo-
l had nothing do but wait at the depot with 1t in
nv cbarpe until train should pass in order 10 have
attached When this would happen was Of course uncer
,ot o. there is no fixed time for the arrival and depar
tre ~ the trains As the rails have been frequently
torn nm by the peasants travel In the daytime Is at
tended with some risk and has been forbidden but by
~ Mind NJ fiction the officers Of the road consider IL TO
Ia ,,iroe from o'clock in the morning until 10 O'Clock
At night and keep the trains In motion until that tine.
Con.eoneutlv not 10 risk the possibility Of missing
train was Obliged to be on hand at an unrcasonabiy
early hour patrolcd the depot, watching my car ~
would an umbrella I'm a crowded restaurant Although
several trains arrived with prisoners, ana sick aud
wounded soldiers il vas not uA after 10 Ooclock that
one came I'm INV direction, and succeeded In getting
under way.
For two or three hours everything went on smoothly
anl a. arrived fa.cIv 40 VcuGcuteim the Junction OF
tLe roads from Te.s.oulurg 10 si"sbouIR' ana rom
sfrI.a0l.g to Eaucy and, altrr Ial q" OILY '"'' an
hour We conf lucd oU. Journey. la hhi an Honi' now
ever, near small village Gruai, believe u j. ca'"h
tho cars lo.ied ana knocked about !" q" "'''-''