Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-12
The FIGHTING AROUND PARIS,
Particulars of the Recent Sorties.
What Was Gained by the Beseiged.

a correspondent OF the New York Tribune at
me headquarters of the Saxon army. gives a
oetalled account of the recent sOrtie of the Par
. Elans, from which We learn that the German
troops engaged and Immediately supporting
amounted 20 100 men. This force liz seems
had been detailed for an Offensive movement
anu tne programme was greatly complicated by
tne unexpected counter-Offensiye movement of
Tue French projected against VilIiers. and with
hores OF ultimately breaking TIN ough the cor
dOn surrounding them. 1t thus happened that,
Is me Germans were pressing in to drive the
french out OF Brfe and Chamgigny, the French
were simultaneously pouring out TO take Wilt
ers. TWAS IN and around these villages. Brie,
Nlliers, and Champigny, that
THE BLOODY DRAMA
was enacted. When the curtain fell on that
drama the Saxons stood fast in Nilliers; but Brie
ana champ ny, lying close Under the guns of
rorI Nogent, and the strongly armed earth
works at RaisOntrie, remained in the hands of
the French. The French 10th in a rapid rush
IN the morning, surprised the occupants of Brie,
some asleep, others drinking coffee. There was
a trifiiDg resistance. Nearly 500 prisoners were
taken, including eight officers.
AT CHAMPIGNY,
| am informed, that the Wirtembergers, after
desperate lighting, had driven the French out
not long after O'Clock, TO be in turn subjected
to violent attack and partial expulsion. The
sharpsphOoters dashed into the thicket, lining
the foot of the rising ground, and scrambled
through. The troops behind them followed-a
serried column. From behind Nilliers several
tGerman) regiments came out to the right of
French came up the gentle activity, the guns of
the forts continued playing without interrup-
tOD. so narrow was the margin between the
combatants that / question much whether a
shell or two did not fall in the French ranks
The line was formed, rear files closing up at the
double quick, and in a twinkling less than fifty
yafds separated the cOmbatauts. Then came a
yolley. then sharp firing by file, and the French
broke and gave ground, only to get back to the
next dip of the ground, to let the guns of the
fort 60 to work again. The SaxOns had to find
what cover they might. When the regiments
came back-they had not been gone 20 minutes
80 officers out OF the As had gone down. About
O'Clock the French made
ANOI HER ADVANCE,
having received considerable reinforcementS.
The Saxon infantry confronted them with the
old result, and at length the French were slowly
and stubhOrnly falling hack across the north
side of the neck OF land, the Saxons pushing
them hard, the French ever and anon rallyiug.
On this position OF the plain, south of Brie,
there was a prolonged struggle. The combat
ants parted about o'clock, both sides falling
back. The fire OF the fort continued some little
time longer. The number OF dead cannot ascer-
tam, but the German wounded were over 900.
The French, IL they lost fewer killed, lost 900
prisoners, and the days work was the final fail
ure of the French hopes. The German line
stood everywhere UnbIOken. Paris was no more
free than before.