The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-08-20
Tho Decisive battle. Of the War.


that they have been going forward at Metz
md In Its neighborhood for the last four or
Eve days. The facts respecting them have
reached us mainly through French sources
and from the Boosting of these kilograms
The impression has come TO prevail that in
these great oombats the Imperial army has
pncc more begun to be victorious, and to re-
irieve its fortunes. But careful examina-
ton of all the facts shows that this i'm.
preston is not correct that the
French have nowhere gained an
enectual victory that the great purpose
Of their movements, the concentration Of all
their forces at Chdlors, has been foiled and
hat the main body Of their troops, the army
under BAzAINE. having first been broken in
two by the battle of Sunday, the 14th inst,
which forced back into Metz something Ike
one third Of that army, has since been sub
iected to series of destructive engagements
by which it has been worn away to such a de-
gree that, having started TO march one hun
dred and twenty miles, in four days it
marched no more than fifteen miles
At the same time the German army Of tho
Rhine under Prince FREDERICK WILLIAM,
pursuing the luokless but gallant MAC
kAHoS has been steadily advancing upon
Chdlons by way of Barbecue. According to
the despatch of Wednesday evening from Mr.
GAILLARDET TO the Courier dos Eats Ut.iS,
IMAGINATION with a part Of his advance guard
arrived at Vitry on Wednesday, fastening TO
Chhlons with all his ght. Two divisions,
about twenty thousand men, were sent out
from Chalons TO cover his disorganzed
forces. Vitry is about twenty miles from
Chalons, and the precaution of sending TWEEN.
~ thousand men to cover the troops of MAC
MAnoN shows that the Germans must have
been close upon lis forces. This proves that
while BAZAISE has been engaged for four
days in fighting within fifteen miles of Metz,
IMAGINATION and his pursuers have marched
upward Of eighty miles.
According 10 Mr. GAUrAunrr thor, have
been five bloody combats between BAzAINE
and Prince FREDERICK CHARLES First
among these five battles were those of Sun
day and Monday at Metz In the first of
these two, US our readers will remember, the
Prussians, suddenly appearing in force on the
left bank of the Moselle, surprised BAzAINE
when one-half Of his forces had crossed the
river on their way toward Chalons, and,
attacking him fercely, succeeded in prevent.
ing the crossing of the other half of his
army, and forced it to remain within tile
Entertainments of MErz This was the hat
tie of Sunday and although the French
claim that they gained the day, it is evident
that tho Prussians accomplished perfectly
1.-THE object for which they fought, namely,
the division Of BAzAIEE's army into two
separate parts.
The battle of Monday was begun by
sally on the part Of this force shut up in
Metz, TO gain the crossing of the river and
effect junction with the rest of the army,
from which it had been separated. In tlis
also the French say that they were victori-
Gus; but there are plenty OF facts to prove
that, however well they fought, and how
ever sanguinary their battles, they have not
succeeded in cutting their way out aud
reaching the open country on the west OF
the river Thus the division of the French
nrmy still remained at the close Of Monday
battle. Battles have also taken place
at Gravelotte, Doncourt, and Mars-la-Tour,
all OF them equally bloody. Five tines"
Bays Mr.. GMLLARDET, we have repulscd
the enemy, after having inflicted upon lin
serious loss We have gained advantages
which recall the noble feats of arms of the
campaign of 1914 The armies OF Prince
EpEnIUTTK ('tf T. opl
METZ have been decimated, Lut constant re-
Inducements Arrive to them from tho army
of the Crown Prince" That they receive
achievements is probable, but not that they
come from the army Of the Crown Prince
for he is far away near Vitry, pursuing MAC
MAHoS along the railroad between Nancy
and Chdlons. Besides, it is notorious that
large Prussian reinfCrccmcnts are at hand
without drawing from the forces of the
Crown Prince.
But the interesting fact about all these
bnttlcs is that none OF them have been fought
ut greater distance from Metz than twelve
OF fourteen miles. All this proves that la
ZAINE Las not been able to COZ tinue Ills march
toward Chdlons, Lut has lcen compelled 10
remain in the ncghborhood OF Metz, fighting
every day, If he has remained there volun.
tarly, ii has been in the hope, hitherto val
Of rcopcning Lis communication with tic
troops shut up in Metz In that case, it has
been his opinion that it would be useless to
march to Gibbons with only that part Of his
forces which has been free and he has &C
cordingly preferred TO fight there series o.
battles in which, as the FreLch themselves
proclaim, they have performed noble feats o.
arms, and have gained great advantages
but have not been able to accomplish any
part OF the great purpose which they had il
view, and have been four days making four
feen miles out Of q hundred and twenty tha
thsy had To accomplish.
Such was the real condition OF the two
'nAshes nm to Wednesday night; aud il