Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-09-05
ALEXANDRIA, VA.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER s, 1870

THE FRANCO PRUssIAN WAR.-The news
from Europe, of the surrender of the Emperor
Napoleon and that portion Of the French army
which had been under the command of Mar
shall McMahon was published on Saturday,
since which, very little additional intelligence,
from the seat of war, has been received, and
the particulars of the great event are there
fore meagre. We appened summary of the
dispatches published in the morning papers,
omiting the spectulations as idle.
The battles of Tuesday and Wednesday.
though marked by varying successes were sub
stantial triumphs for the Prussians who sue
ceeded in massipg the greater portion of their
forces between Sedan and Metz, thus COM
pletely destroying all hope, of junction be-
tween Mcmahon and Bazaine. The decisive
battle, was fought on Thursday, when the do
feat of the French was complete. Some of the
Bavarian troops captured part OF tho French
Notifications. and Sedan was etfectualy sur
rounded The French are said to have had in
action about l2O, 900 and the Prussans 240, 900
men. The slaughter on both sides was very
great General McMaho was among the
wounded. On Friday, the French General
Wimpffen was commissioned to conduct capt.
tulaton. Under flag of truce he proceeded to
the Prussian headquarters and formally sur
rendered the French army and the fortress of
Sedan to King William. At the same time
General Wimpffen delivered letter to King
William from the Emperor, in which he sur
rendered himself, being without command,
and witout prejudice to the Regency at Paris,
The Emperor, in his letter to King William.
is reported to have said: As cannot die at
the head of my army. lay my sword at the
feet of your Majesty" He subsequently de
lvered himself up 10 person. 1t is stated that
when the day had been quite decided against
the French, tho Emperor received message
from the front advising him to mako his escape
into Belgium, but that he was too i'll to take
the journey. 1t is stated that the King will
probably fix the residence of the imperial
prisoner at the Fortress of Magdeburg or the
residence of the Elector of Hcsse Cassel
. General Fsilly was shot, according to one re-
port, by order of McMahon; another account
says by his own soldiers. 1t is reported that
Bazaine, who had met with repeated defeats
since Wednesday, surrendered after hearing Of
the capitulation at Sedan, but this is not con
frmed. The Prince Imperial escaped into
Belgium 90 Wednesday, and was received at
the residence of the Prince of Chimney, in Hal
nault, and it was supposed he would proceed
lucuCC W l. dciS. liuCo 4NopOiCOu1 VIM ~
fused when recalled to return to France from
Italy, has been stripped of his rank by tho
Empress. Taking tho killed and wounded on
both sides, it is estimated that at least 300. 900
men have been placed hors du conblt The
French ministers have issued proclamation
announcing the disaster at Sedan, stating the
number of troops surrendered at forty thous!-
and, and declaring that the reverse, cruel as it
is, will not shake their courage that Paris is
in complete state of defense a new army
will be under the walls of Paris in few days,
and that another army is forming on the banks
of the Loire. The failure OF Bazaine to extri-
cate himself from Metz, after several heroic
attacks upon the Prussan lines, is aoknowiedg.
cd, and was announced unoAicially on Saturday
in the French Chambers In the Corps Leg
isatif Saturday a sensation was produced by
Jules Favre, who made an assault upon the
imperial government aud proposition to give
General 1rochu extraordinary powers, against
which Count Paliakao protested.