The New York herald., 1870-08-21

and eighth corps with him; MacManon the First Fih
and probably the seventh. IL may be that Canro-
bert has the fourth batta0ns. which we're IN Depot
at the time of the battle OF Woerth, and which ougnt
| TO number at least sixty thousand men. But even
with these troops and his own corps, il he has no
other forces it Is doubtful II he can successfully re-
sist the army OF Prince Frederick Charles Thus the
despatch from Paris, reporting an engagement, needs
some explanation before we can form any clear idea
| Of Canropert's position and strength.
Among the dispatches from London IL one pur-
| porting to give the particulars OF the engagements
up TO Tuesday evening, but its inaccuracies are 30
| papable that reliance can be placed upon It..
| Had the positions OF the opposing armies been as
the despatch stated, the French would have had
| their rear to Verdun and have been facing Metz,
and If this was their position 1t would have been
impossible for the Prussian army drive them into
the last named fortress. We may thus dismiss this
| despatch, which Is evidently French report, as
| throwing no light on the situation.
| Wnile the Prusslans insist that they have won
| great victory Count de Palikao yesterday denied
their claim and stated that the French had driven
three OF their army corps into the quarries OF
Jaumont which are situated in the immediate
neighborhood OF Metz. lie did not state, however,
whether this done Thursday or Friday;
neither did he claim q victory for the French.
But from London comes report that the Prus
sian embassy there has received information that
the French army attempted early yesterday
morning to cnt their way through the Prnssans
and were driven back with tremendous loss after an
engagement OF three hours. We have nothing official
from Berlin of this combat. The assertions of Count
de Palikao and the reports from Germany ana Lon
don do not agree and the question now IS whether
the French Minister OF War has uttered deliberate
faseho0d for the purpose OF pacifylng the people,
or whether there another battle on Friday in
Uh tha nd IN vyh
ized the reverses of the previous day.
But In spite OF the assurances OF Count de Palika0
inclined to regard the situation around Metz
as tbus:-Up to Wednesday night the French held
their line unbroken and were IN communication
with Verdun and Paris On Thursday, after fierce
struggle, Of their wings and possibly part Of
their centre, though this is doubtful, were beaten
and forced to seek safety in Metz. The gravity OF
the position turns upon the Whereabouts OF the
other corps Of the army. II they have fallen
back and formed q junction with Marshal
Canrobert the struggle is not yet over.
But the great danger is that they
are isolated which would place the entire army
most critical position. No retreat by way OF Thon-
vile or Briey is possible because the Prassans
| reported TO hold the ground between these places
| and Metz and nothing but sheer desperation would
| induce the French to attempt to extricate them
selves by sudden ana rapid movement east OF Metz
on the flank OF the Prussans We are thus forced to
the conclusion that If any considerable number OF
French have been driven into Metz their only hope
| of extrcation lies In the success OF CanroDert.
While operations have been going on actively
around Metz the army Of the Crown Prince seems
TO have been pushing on steadily for Chalons. From
Paris we learn that 1t has arrived In the Vicinity OF
"vitry,' by which we suppose is meant the
| fortress OF vitry Ie Francois, situated on the
| Paris and Strasbonrg Railroad, nineteen miles
| southeast of Chaons. II was even rumored
that fighting had begun at Chalons, but
this we are inclined to discredt Count de
Palikao, In his remarks to the Corps Legisati yes
erday, spoke Of successes the French had achieved
| at Bar le Due which would imply that MacMahons
| army had also been lighting on the retreat Unfor-
tunately nothing has heretofore been given to the
| public regarding the movements OF this army,
and consequently no opinion can be formed
OF the operations west OF the Meuse river.
II is certain, however, that no serious engage
i ment could have been fought and that
the Crown Prince has steadily though slowly ad-
vanced. The preparations making in Paris for the
defence OF the city make II apparent that the auho-
rites are impressed with the grave probability OF
the Germans appearing before il.
| One despatch from German sourcess speak OF
! operations around StrasbOurg and states that the
South German troops continue to harass the enemy
on his retreat. We cannot understand what this
| refers to, unless the troops which were cut Off
| from MacMahon's main army after the battle
OF Woerth and fell back upon StrasbOurg have sue
ceeded In making their escape from the city and are
now in retreat In like manner there s q statement
from Paris that the town OF ROhrbacn contains gar
rison OF 1000 men. This place Is situated some
twelve miles east OF the fortress Of Bitche, near
the German frontier, aud is not fortified far
are aware of. II the garrison referred to be com
prised of French troops their position is certainly
very exposed one.
Some Of the dispatches speak OF Marshal Bazane's
army as the Army of the Rhine. This is mistake.
He commands what is known as the Army of the
Mosele, while Marshal MacMahon commands that o.
the Rhine. For the purpose OF enabling the reader
to clearly understand the several commands we
give the following statement of their corps and
commanders
| Army OF the Moselle-Marshal BaZaine, comman-
der -ln-chief; composed OF the Third corps, COM
manded by De Caen; Second corps, by General
Frossard reported wounded; Fourth corps, by Gen.
eral Count Ladmirault, and Eighth corps, by en-
eral Bourbaki. 1T is possible that this
last mentioned corps is commanded by Dt
Caen In which case the Third corps, which was
under Bazalne before he was made commander-in
chief, has some other commander, Of whom we ar,
gnorantl
Army OF the Knlne-Mafsna MacMahon command
ing; comprised Of the First corps under MacMahor
In person; Fifth corps under General De Fally, ant
(probaby) Seventh corps, under General Douay.
Marshal CanrObert's army the dispatches indi
cate that he has one) is comprised Of the Sixth
corps. under Canrobert in person, and we suppose
OF other troops recently detached and formed
into one or more new corps. Whether he has any
OF the Garde Mobile with him or not we do no
know.
Sailors for the French Army.
The impression prevailed among the sailors Of the
French steamer St. Laurent, which sailed yesterday
that they would be called to the army conscripts
on their arrival in France. Great enthusiasm pre-
vailed among them, and they seemed anxious tt