The New York herald., 1870-09-15
THE BATTLE OF MOUZON.

MacMnhon's Army Totally Defea ted-Com-
plete Surprise and Utter Rout OF the
Frcncl,-A Rnce Toward aiezieres-Napo-
leon and MucMah0n, in Company, Almost
Captured-.-A Crushing Victory.
BoUiLLoS, Belgian Frontier,)
August 81, 1870. !
The month OF August has proved most unfortu.
nate period for France On the 4th OF this month
the nation had humare itself SO far as TO listen
to the despatch which told OF the defeat at Wssem-
bourg, and yesterday witnessed battle. which,
have no doubt whatever, Is the last, fnal crushing
victory OF the Prussians on French ground.
THE SITUATION IN THE FIELD.
On the Goth inst. MacMahon gained a victory at
stenay over division or the Saxon army that was
trying to cross the Meuse. Yesterday he descended
from the heights above that place, intending, / be-
lieve, to pursue the enemy he had defeated on the
previous day. AT farm between otenay and
Mouzon he met the Emperor, who was on his way
TO Sedan.
The two were at breakfast and the army was
making IT'S eternal soup. when two Prusslan dlyi.
sons fsll upon tbem like lightning. The Emperor
had Dat time 70 jump on horseback and reach the
high road about five minutes before the Prussians
entered the farm; ana your spe cia correspondent
had not only to run for 1t IN most undlgnifed man
ner, but received some few bats much nearer his
person than was either safe or agreeable. little
way OH he gained height froIa which, with the
same field glass that had done niin such good SER
vice at Woerth he could see pretty wei all that
was going on.
The 'Irench were from first to last in the ut
most confusion. They had no idea whatever OF the
enemy being at hand. and SIS usual with them, had
kept no look out, no patrol, scouts, advanced
guard. Fortunately for them, the advanced guard
Of the Prussians was very weak, and was so far
fly hno h,pIg 10 t,n
time for their formation-such as 1t was. Had TINS
not been done the affair which record would have
been simply slaughter ana not an engagement
GETTING INTO LINE.
The first regiments to get into line the inlan-
nv CT the marine, OF which corps there was u brig
ade some 600 strong. These regiments must not
be coDfounded with the American or British ma
rlnes their duties not beng in the least analogous
The French marines never do duty on board ship,
only at seaports. They never go TO 4lgiers, but
duty in the other colonies. anu tus, perhaps, verify
IN some measure the onpion stated III more Iii an
Of my letters that the great body OF the French
army mad suffered IN discipline from having become
too Aircanized by its campaigns IN Algiers. BE this
may IT is incontestabae that the French troops
which are in the best order. ana most fitted to
meet an enemy In Il European field OF battle, are the
cuirassiers, the lancers and the marine infantry,
none OF which were ever Ia Efrca.
PROMPT WORK THE PKussfANS.
The affair or yesterday WeS complete surprise.
Tho French had no scouts, no patrols, no advanced
guard. So complete their state OF security that
TWO Of their field batteries were put completely hors
de co2bd by the prussian artillery before they had
time 20 fire single shot. The troops engaged on
the French side formed the rear OF MacAahon's
army, and were under the immediate command or
De Fallly, who was expecting General Dc WImpTen
(named from Paris tc supersete himj every hour.
When mention that DC Failly Gems to have shown
the same careless, fooiardy determination neither
hurry huself nor TO take ordinary precautions
for the safety Of his men, nor TO be advised by any
one that he exhibited before the battle Of Woerth,
have said all That need be said regarding his con-
duct.
ARTILLERY DUEL.
For half an hour the battle was one OF cannon
agalus. cannon and battery against battery. This
covered the movement OF he French whose object
themselves, II possible, until the advanced portion
OF MacMah0n's army should have time to ASSIST
them. But the PrussIans were too numerous and 100
quick for tiem
Regiment after regiment ana brigade after brl !,
gade was launched against them.
TIE. Prus .Ians got possession OF the heights above
MouZ0n, sbellod The French OUT OF tne town ana
fairly drove them down to the Mease into whlch
hundreds oi FreAch soldiers. having thrown away
their arms, plunged and tried 20 SWIM across, and
although fany succeeded in gaining the other SIDE
not few were drowned in the attempt
REINFoRCEAfENTB.
In the meantime, az the day waxed on, tho lead
ing brigades of MaeMahon's army arrived on tie
fed and division after division became engaged.
But the risk too great to hazard the fate OF the
she more so as In MacMahon's rear there were some
very unpleasant symptoms that n Prusstan army
was IN that direction also. HcthereOre had nothing
left but TO fail back on the fortified place or town
called Sedan, which he did, lighting hand tn hand
the whole way, a distance OF eight miles. French
army never retreats la order, ana 90, by the time