The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-08-25
TIE FIGHT At SAARBRUCE.
Description Of the Engagement By an Eye
Witness.
SAARBRUCK, Aug. 3. 1870.

SAARBRUCK, Aug. 3, 1870.
But yesterday the Valley Of the Saar, al.
though occupied ~ Prussian soldiers,
promised q plentiful vintage and gay
autumn to the inhabitants OF tho pleasant
towns which are surrounded by its verdant
slopes To day the scene, as if by en-
chantmen., Is entirely transformed. The
French troops with their red trousers,
form the only bright figures In the land
scape. Vineyards aud fields are des0ated,
the town of Saar5ruck Is partly destroyed
by the fire of contending armies. and the
only animation is sinister and terrible, for
it consists in preparations for further hos
tile encounters and in the passing to and
fro Of the ambulance carriages, transport
ing the sick sui the wounded to the rear,
ready 10 be sent 20 the military hospital.
TIE ENGAGEMENT UNEXPECTED.
Tie attack upon Saarbruck was appar-
emily wholly unexpected by the Prussians.
II was in fact, kept sccrat from the
French public, the Emperor reserving to
himself Che pleasure of giving it one OF the
theatrical surprises in which his uncle, the
1 fist Napoleon, was 50 prodieal The
newspaper c0rfesp ondants, who arrived on
the field q action on the previous day,
knowing IL to be point OF interest, al
though not strongly fortified, were gratlied
to tinI themselves INDUCED with 4 nearer
view Of the engagement than they mag
lned would be allowed them un Ter the
present system Of repression OF the jour-
mails.
The first rumor Of the approaching rem
countre came to Us from Forhach, at about
9 clock in the morning, and before 10 the
armies had opened fire.
THE EMPEROR IL COMMAND.
/ The Emperor, accompanied bv the
Prt,2 Imperial, commanded the French
/ troops in person, and from the outset took
a prominent part IN the maneuvres. The
+ first attack vas made by the artillery, fol.
lowed by a considerable force of infantry,
the artillery dashing onward with sucn i'm
pctu1sity as carry al! before It. La less
than twenty minutes the Prus>ianS were
( dIst0lgcd from their first position on the
! heights above Saarhruck; but they respond
! cd vigorously to the attack. and managed
to cover their retreat to the rising ground
. on the opposite side Of the town, com
handing ST. jean, the name given to one
part OF Saarbrucl Here they took a
stand, under cover of a wood, and for
moe than an hour both armies kept up
continual firing, without any important re-
suit on either side. The Emperor, always
1 followed by the young Prince, rode from
one part of the field to the other, and final
. ~ took mp his position to the extreme left,
where he could command the entire valley.
/ This hour in the fight, although undecis-
I've, was very terrible. At every instance
/ houses in Slarbruck were set on fire, while
K. great columns Of flames from the surround.
ing woods filed the sir. Finding that the
d., !
hat under cover Of their guns they were
endeavoring to send force to command
the railroad,
! THE NlIRAILLEUSE WAS BROUGHT TO
BEAR
The Emperor, who had given orders that
the mjhaNcuse should only be used to IN,
sure victory, gave the word of command
for its being turned upon the enemy ;
ranks His Majesty directed the first dis
charge, the smoke of which had no .Gner
cleared away than the pru>sians were seen
to break ranks with a rapidJty more rcScm
bling fight than a military retreat. Six
times tins fearful engine OF war was fired.
IN all thirty six discharges, each one carry
ing devastation and havoc in its path. In
less than half an hour the day was decided.
the IruSsaus had retired to a masked posi-
lson further in the interior leaving 10 the
French the great aivantaga-iucalcuja
I'll Ii Tie 99HH9ssP29 81 gGan The o[aLe Of troops
tory.
The Emperor, who had iismounted and
( sent his horses to await him outside the
camp, during the latter Phase Of the en-,
gaeement, when victory was assured des
ccnded ne hi on foot holding he Prince
Imperial hy the hand, and. remaining 4
! short time 30 receive the concentrations
Of his Generals returned to Farbach. en-
route for the headquarters at Metz reaching
that place at 0 clock in the aftereoon.
Nothing but the ulityuiHeHe and its mar,
veIlou> power IS talked Of in camp to-day.
! We, civilian spectators, can bear witness to
/ the terrible effect Of the very noise Of its
explosion. 1t IS truly appaiing-its hard,
screaming, terrific burst i, heard far above
all other tumu!ts Of the battle. and once
/ having hear! 1t, was not surprised at the
/ traces Of It's path pointed out to ne this
morning AID which | can distinctly follow
with my glass across the fields to the point
where the Russians ranks we're broken.
1t Is astonishing how difficult it is to OBJ
tain accurate information ofthe movements
or an army during an engagement, even
when an attentive observer Of the field. and
| have come to the conclusion that
the generals in command themselves only
know what Is by what ought to be. accord
ing to strategic combinations arranged
under the tent before coming into the ac>
ton Cor of \. I. Times.
The DeiencaS OF CI.alonS.
The following hHtf statement concerning
a pDiut ON French tprriforv po5r rrasll,, e.,