Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-08-31
WAR NEWS.
French LOsses-sicgc of strasburg.
THE SAXON TROOPS.

DRESDEN, Aug. 21-The Saxon troops |
engaged in the battle of Rezenvile fought |
all the afternoon and met with complete |
success, taking many prisoners The I'd,
Sd, eth, Sth, 9th and 18th army corps and |
the Prussian guards bore the brunt of the
battle.
FRENCH LOSSES.
PoNT A'MoUssON, August p, VIA Lon |
DoN.-Prisoners still pour in. Last night
there arrived 1000 private and 36 officers.
To-day more soldiers and 81 officers were
broughtin. Among the latter was General
Plombens. The loss of the French army
during the week cannot be less than 10000
killed, wounded and missing at Coursville,
Vionville and Gravellotte they are known
to have lost Is, COG in each battle, including
at the latter 1000 prisoners.
THE SIEGE OF sTRASBURG.
a special to the Herdd from Carlsruhe
the DIST says that Strasburg is in flames
The French have fired the surrounding
villages They make frequent sortics,
which are constantly repulscd. Eight
thousand Prussians have arrived with
train of heavy siege artillery. The city is
surrounded by sc, 600 men, under the com
mand of Gen. Werder. The inhabitants
are demoralized, and disorder everywhere
prevails. Its surrender is hourly expected.
THE BATTLE OF GRAvELoTrE.
The Tribnc'S special, says our special
correspondent with the Prussian head
Thursdays battle, written the same night,
on the field, forwarded by messenger to
Iderbruck and reaching London thence
by telegraph Sunday evening: The bat
tie fought to-day, August 18th, we call to-
night the battle of Gravellottc. 1t began at
10 o'clock, A. NJ, and lasted until after
M. Until noon il was an artillery duel.
The French lines stretched along the hills,
covering two roads leading from Metz to
Verdun, having ON their right flank the
farm house known as LA Nillette, with u
walled garden, which they held in great
force. A sunken road led straight from
Gravellotte to the center of their position.
On the French left the road wound over
the crest of hill on which twelve earth
works had been thrown up. Eight mi
trailleurs, sbeside artillery, were posted to
command every approach to this strong po-
sitOn, and their guns swept the GROWING
hill, along which the French lines ran, and
up the valley, reaching from Gravellotte
eastward by which the Prus-
slams had to advance. Behind this
line of strong defences lay fort ST. Quentin,
at Carriers, n position of apparently impreg-
nable strength, and completely protecting
the French rear. The position first held
by the Prussians was to the cast of the
French facing towards Metz occupying
the southermOst road from Metz to Verdun,
and reaching over a chain OF hills lying be-
tween Gravellotte and ResOnville. The re-
suit of the artillery contest was to compel
the French to abandon thermoSt advanced
positions and line, by which they hoped to
cover both roads, was pierced and driven
back.
At noon the Prussians were able to run
forward their artillery. The French found
their guns unable to resist the weight OF the
Prussian fire, and the Prussian batteries
shortly after noon were in position on
either side of Gravcllotte, so thatneither Of
the roads which at that point branch off tC
Verdun north and southwesterly were any
longer open to the French army. reached
the field Just as this forward movement OF
the Prussians had been accomplished. The
ground was favorable for good view o
both positions, and ii was apparent ut 1
glance that the French had already relin
Guished a line of defense important to then
technically as well rs strategically.
Bv two O'Clock the French batteries
covering the Verdun road from the Nortl
and East were silenced, and the Prussian'
had advanced 80 far from the south of tina
road as to occupy farm house mt Malmais
son, a little northwest of GraVcllotte.
Twenty minutes later the French fir
slackened and waVered; the Prussian bat
teries were pushed forward and took up
new position in front of GravellOtte. AbOu
twenty minutes past the Prussian caval
nv, under hot fire from the French guns
proceeded capitally. The attacilwas mad
in considerable force by Uhlans' cuirras
sieurs and hussars, but Lhcy were at frs
Withoutinfantry support alldcouldmaken
serious oppression on a position naturall
strong, and still held in force 10y all tn
arms OF the French, but half AN hour later
il being now four O'Clock IN the afternoon
"A portion of the third Prussan corps ha
come upon the ground The infantry regi
ments were formed as fast as they cam
into position, from which II serious attac
was to he directed upon what appeared tn
KEY of the French line At O'Clock TN
Thirty-third regiment Of the Prussian lin
was launched against the same poSitio
which the cavalry had failed to reach.
1t moved forward with the utmost detel
minatiOn, but the French by this time ha
reinforced their defense more strongly tina
the Prussans had, and they still on
numbered their assailant9, and steadil
maintained the second line which they Ina
occupied. As different divisions of I'll
Prussian army came into position they "A
tackled successfully, but were repeated
driven back with heavy loss The strui
gle lasted with varying fortune in diffe
cnt parts of the line, till O'Clock. Up
that hour the French held their groun
AT s o'clock the Prussians, massing heay
forces on their left, attacked and carrie
La Nillette.
"LVXEMBURG, August I'll was pre-
ent at the battle al GraVcllOtte on Thur
H.. .,fI br.tl uia