The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1870-07-30
The PrussIsn Line Of Defense


Prussians have retired from their line en-
the French frontier and are concentrating
at Coblenz and Mayence, it would imply
either positive movement by the French
army on their right flank or demonstration
in the same direction, threatening their line
of communication. While we have moth
ing more from France than the bare act of
the army having entered Germany, it seems
evident tn at important stragetie movements
have been made and have been thus far
successful in forcing the PFussians to un-
cover South Germany. In fact, IF We un-
derstand the dispatch correctly, the French
are now in virtual possession of all the ter
ritory from ThiOnVille, on the Moselle, to
COblenz, and from Lauterburg to Mayence
Of course it is more than probable that gar
risOns have been left at Treves. Landau and
other fortified places but these will not
materially retard the French advance. Du-
ring the war of 1866, between Prussia and
Austria, the Prussians pushed forward,
leaving the fortrcsses behind and striking
the main army, upon the success of which
depended the safety of the isolated gaTri-
sons. Regarding our information as cor
rect, the Prussians have most decidedly
been eutmanoeuvred; but it is undeniable
that they have fallen back upon position
of an immense natural and artificial
strength
| THE NEW DEFENSIVE LINE
Begins at Coblenz, on the Rhine, runs up
in southeast direction to Binsen, where it
continues east by north to Mayence, or
Mainz, or Mentz, as it is severely called, on
the Rhine, opposite the mouth of the Main
river The entire distance, following the
sinuosities of the river, is fifty six miles.
There is railroad line on each bank; that
on the left passing through and continuing
down to Cologne, and that on the right
bank turning off at Nieder Lahnsteine, and
following the Lain river to Nassau. This,
it seems to US, is the present line of defense
for Prussia. Of course the right bank of
the Rhine, through Hesse-D -Darmstadt and
Baden to the Swiss frontier, will be de-
Tended, but at present the scene of active
Operations lies between the points indicated.
i
This city, which might be termed the
right wing of the Prussian line, is situated
on the left bank of the Rhine and right
bank of the Moselle, at the confluence of
those rivers. The name of the place is a
corruption of ConHuentes, by which the
Romans called it. 1t is about seventy-fv
miles northeast of Metz by the post road,
but is more than double that distance by
way of the river, owing to It's sinuOsities.
Ceblenz contains population of about 90
OO0 souls, and is one of the best fortified
places in Prussia. The Notifications sur.
rounding it form a vast camp, capable ol
containing one hundred thousand men, and
combine the systems of Carnot and Mon
talembert. Four forts protect it On the left
bank of the Rhine. The first is Fort Kaiser
Franz, situated below the town on the lefl
of the Moselle, and commanding all the ap
proaches from Cologne and Treves. Above
are forts Alexander and Constantine, on the
; hill of the Chartreuse, the guns of which
sweep the roads from Mayence. The fourth
fort is situated over the Hundsruck Noun
tain. These Notifications, with the For
tress Eh1enbreitstein, of which mentor
shall hereafter be made, were twenty Odc
, years in rebuilding, after the downfall o
, Napoleon, and cost some S., 100000. They
are undoubtedly strong, but none are i'm
{ pregnable, as has boen stated by some news
I papers In fact, the principal strength 0
/ the city : lies in Ehrenbreitstein (hoDor'
: broad stone), village and fortress situatei
t on large rock which towers above every
' thing for miles around. 1t is termed th
, Gibraltar of the Rhine, and is certainly
most formidable position On three sides
: is absolutely impregnable to assault, but oil
n the northwest it is comparatively exposed
Its weakness here is apparent at glance
o and efforts have been made to repair It b.
the construction Of three lines of defenses
s all of which must be stormed before an enc
= my can enter the fortress. Nevertheless
: is possible that artillery massed on thes
9 works could render them untsnable. FOu
q hundred heavy guns are mounted in tn
A fortress, and these sweep the Rhine in a
directions and the road to Nassau. On tn
= top Of the rock is great platform whic
serves as parade ground, and which cover
large arehal chasms, supplied with water
e springs without the walls, and capable {
1t containing three years supply of th
- liquid. There is also we'll, sunk 400 fe'
{, in the rock, communicating with the Rhin'
II In 1874 COblenz proper was taken by th
French after desperate resistance. Ehrer
breitstein, which the same nation had faile
4, to capture in 1888, although Vauban hin
self directed the operations, held out unit
1896, when It was compelled to surrende
d the garrison having been reduced to starv
Z, ton Cats and horses were eaten by th
q, besieged during the last days. 1t is hard