The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-20
TIE BATTLE OF WOERTH.
Scenes ON the Battlc-iield-Evidcnc Of
a Terrible Struggle McnTahon's Re-
treat a Rout-Over n Hundred Thous-
and Hen Engaged.

treat a Rout-Over Hundred Thous-
and NIen Engaged.
Tie special correspondent Of one Of the New
York papers writes on Thursday, (llth,) from
the headquarters OF the Crown Prince an &C.
count of the battle of Woerth, which has just
been telegraphed from London. The cores
pondent says:
The swift and skilful movement against
Weissenburg, resulting In complete success to
the German arms, was but foretaste OF the
storm which threatened the northern part OF
Alsace. On.the second day after that OF Weis-
senburg came the battle Of Woerth, and the
Crown Prince gained victory over the ablest
General in France. II is admitted that the
French fought with reckless courage, and that
they inflicted heavy loss on their opponents,
but the fact of this hard fighting and Of this
heavy loss shows how serious a defeat was sus-
tained by McMahon.
battlefield SCENES
trayersed the field while the dead still lay
unburied on the trampled ground, and
could form good notion Of how the ngnt had
gone by the CHASTITY evidence which remained.
Woerth is at the bottom of fertile valley, pc
tween two ridges of cultivated ground.
borhood; and especially behind the French
position on the western side OF the valley,
there is strip of forest which forms cover
to retreatlng troops.
The little river Bruder, not big enough in
summer time to float a skiff, flows through
the village, and high road comes winding
down toward the village on the eastern Side
of the valley, flanked by trees. Here was the
Prussian position. Stretching far to the right
and left along this road were heaps OF spiked
helmets 10 be seen, and cart-loads OF needle
gums were collected under the trees. At q dis
lance the French musketry IRE had told more
heavily than the German, and heard that
the French artillery had been very well
served.
PILES OF TIE DEAD.
But though the burying parties were busy
with the German dead On the eastern side OF
Woerth, there was more than an exchange OF
slaughterous work on the western side. Here
the PrussIans and Bavarians had pushed for
ward In strong force. and their fire had told
fearfully upon the French. The high spirit
and rigid discipline Of the one army had been
more than match for the desperate resistance
OF the other. Whole companies OF Frenchmen
had been moved down In their wild attempts to
check the enemy's advance. 1t had been
tolerably equal fight In some places. for the
ground was strewed with German dead; but
more and more Frenchmen had fallen IN pro.
portion. Black Turcos and wide-trowsered
ZouaFes lay thick at many points, and the cui-
rsIssiers had suffered much. There were steel
breastplates and brass helmets scattered thick
ly on the line OF retreat, while the dead horses
In all directions might be counted by hundreds.
And go westward through the wood went
the traces OF increasing disaster; officers and
men lying grimly where they had fallen.
Some IN quiet, shady spots, as thougn upon
picnic, seemed asleep. Pools OF blood re-
NAMED where the wounded had been found.
There were knapsacks, rifles and overcoats,
either thrown away In flight or LEFT by the
wounded on the field. Then came upon
spot where the. French had rallied, and where
the dead of both sides lay thick. Tureos were
were those who had evidently fought TO the
last, and had tried to fire their pieces as they
Law. Frenchmen of the line regiments had
here and there fallen in numbers, as though
thew had halted and faced about In regular
But the aspect Of the fields beyond the wood
seemed to indicate hasty retreat wagons
were overturned, baggage was thrown out
upon the roadside; many knapsacks were 10
he seen. No one who had passed over that
battle-ground Of Woerth when did, could
have failed to realize that great disaster had
befallen the French arms, though my observa-
tIons were made when m'st OF the wounded
had been removed.
THE LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES.
On SC large q scene of action it would have
been impossible TO jndge ofthe exact loss sus-
tanned, l see no reason, however, to doubt
the official return on the German side, which
oives about 10000 Frenchmen and 1000 Ger
mans hors de combat. and about 1000 prisoners
taken by the yictors-4000 in the battle anu
5000 In the pursuit. These losses, with the
further loss Of cannon and coiors, made Inc
battle of Woerth an evil day for France. wen
mi@ht the wounded Germans raise themselves
to Cheer the Crown Prince as he passed, and
cry that Germany was safe. II will often be
fold how the armies met on the 9Th OF August,
and how McMahon made bis unsuccessful ei-
fort 10 repel the invasion OF Alsace; now the
prlssians held the left OF the line, and the
Bavarians and WurtemburSers The right, ana
how few Baden troops held in reserve by the
Crown Prince were brought up just in time
to share the honors OF the day. There was a
fierce attack on both sides, 1t being difficult to
say which party began the fight Gradually,
ne the German troops pressed round upon their
opponents' line Of retreat, the French Were
forced TO SO hasty retrograde movement that
the retreat became very nearly rout.
THE NEEDLE GUN AND THE CHASSEPoT.
The needle gun proved itself to be fully the
equal of the chassepot. and perhaps more
than that-at least so say the German soldiers,
with apparently good reason: @ MoreoTe., h,ine Tue
4 PTlSSl1llS huSM
lon@ been accustomed to it, and the Crown
Prince handled his army 80 as to make the
most of the deadly fire OF his Infantry. me
cavalry was not used for an attack IN the nrst
instance. but was sent in pursuit When the
enemy began his retreaI.
IL was victory due TO the patriotic araof OF
the German troops as much as TO anything III
their discipline or tactics, but we must not iof-
qet that the French showed ard0r likewise,
and the scale was turned for the Germans at
Woerth by their intelligent understanding Oh
the breech-loader drill, and by their steadlness
In firing. These matters take tlme 10 learn.
We see tine glorious results which Germany Is
reapnG from her careful preparation.
THE FRENCH PRISONERS.
The prisoners were assembled near the first
station Of the reopened railway through "els-
senburr | could distinguish many Turcos
and Zollaves among them, though the greater
pnrt were soldiers OF the line. we drove past
them very slowly. ior the road was blocked
with ammunition wagons, and | noticed that
they seemed wofully discouraged. There were
no songs and no laughter TO be heard among
them. and the few that were occupying them
selves in picking fruit in trees that tney had
climbed, had not very lively air iOr French-
men in such position as fruit picking. Then
came the conveys of wounded men moving TO
the rear. Suffering had made them or0thers
in misfortune. The Germans and Frencnmen
mingled, sat or lay quietly side by side, as II
thew were old comrades; the only enemy and
the common enemy being the Joltlng wagon.
As we neared Woerth there was constant
..aa.. 40 p.ooona hrInvinp down wounded