The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-10-10
THE SIEGE OF METZ.
A French Sortie and Its Repulsc-The
Starvation Process,

A correspondent of the London Times with
the Prussian army before Metz, writing en- the
Goth Of September, says:
On the day McMahon was attacked at Sedan
Razaine made his sorte near COurcelles. 1t Is
surprisIng that 30 little has been heard OF this
battle, or, rather, Of these two battles. The
attack was made in the first instance at about
ten at night, and lasted from about ten till one,
when the French we're driven back, or at least
withdrew, with heavy Losses. lt was renewed
again at dawn on the following day and con-
timed until nearly eleven A. NJ, but with this
difference in result, that the French suffered
on the second occasion far more heavily than
on the first. The Prussians lay on the ground
with their knapsacks in front OF them, over
which they fred. The French had, OF course,
70 advance standing, and their loss Was awiul.
les in a manner that could be compared to the
determination with which the Prussians met
them under far more disadVsntageous clrcuni-
stances at the heights OF Spicheren. Courcel,
les, as we in front OF it can know, mas decided
the fate of Metz. We know that it must sur
render. The Prussans have set their hearts
on taking it, and, If can believe in what tney
cay, they would rather take Metz than Paris.
With the stone walls the Prussians say they
do not mean to meddle. They seem far too
well advised to run unnecessary risks. The
stone walls they know cannot hurt them, but
bide their time till the great hosts which lie
within them are reduced to the level of child.
rem they have only to wait till, according to
the ussges Of 'civilized" war, the women and
children in the city are starved out, and then
till the army is reduced by attenuation to such
q state that the stone walls and great bastioDs,
the moats and covered causeways, and all the
great defences which might make even towards
brave, will become useless in the hands OF
famished crowd. There will be no blood
stained ruins here, but there will be as bad;
there will be houses filed with dead and dying,
or almost empty, and echoing only to the hol-
low voice Of famine. Heaven forgive US all
Tor as Christian 7 cannot but feel that it
Metz is starved it will be spectacle 10 shock
the world. You have not seen what l have;
you have not seen the miserable traces OF star
ystion you have not sc seen, as @ l have what
grown men suffering, but OF women and little
children. I have; but yet l dread the day
when we shall enter Metz after it has been
starved. STARVED in writing or in print Is
only participle; think for second OF what It
means, done deliberately, systematically, skii,
not dwell on the repulsive horrors OF Sedsn 1
would not dwell On the abject sufferipgs OF the
French prisoners nor can dwell. TOR nave
not seen it vet, on what the sufterlng In Metz
must be, where people are kept till they Due OF
hunger unless they yield. The troops %t tahe axe
Condition Of the women and children will be.
On Saturday, while at the trout, the otiiceS
drew my atten ion to balloon that had been
sent up from Metz. He at once exclaimed.
'aThere will be sortie tonight" All night
we anuously waited an attack, bus towards
midnight three guns were fired at intervals OF
one minute. Nothing came of it. We there
fore concluded that it was signal to counter,
uand the sortie. During the day we could
distinctly hear the bands playing in Metz. The
Prussians have now q telegraphic communica-
enabIe to collect over 5000 men in one spot
within the space of fifteen minutes, and upon
late occasion had the opportunity of o5serv-
ing, when the assembly sounded, that within
tTsnty-eight minutes force Of 22,OO0 men,
consisting of every branch of the service, were
in full marchihs order ready to proceed to the
front,