The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-25
THE BATTLE OF wOERTH.
Further Particulars by Mall OF acNInhou,s
Great Defeat = The Forces Unequal, of

The following Is from French account of the
battle of Woerth by an eye-witness:- y
General Douays division Of the ist Corps had been
surprised and decimated by the Prussian army under
Bitche by the Col da Pgeonner Marshal %sel sPSn
Mahon, learning what had occurred, pushed forward
rapidly to APPOINT between the vosges and Haguenau,
with three divisions OF infantry and two brigades OF
cavalry. During the interval the Crown Prince had
descended the Valley Of the Rhine in order to in
Of the vosges and the Of tSs
Rhine, the valley Is broken and hilly MacMahon,
not being able s.I to prevent & the enemy entering
I'd Division. and at the same time to
cover the vosges and Saverne. He advanced
consequently from Haguenau tOwardsW essenburg
believing that he was in a position where he
could be supported by the corps of De Failly and
with the entire forces OF the Crown Prince on the
road from Bitche to Haguenau.T The field of bat
tie was Iclosed on the east 6 he forest and on the
The country near the mountains Is broken and
woody. MacMahon commenced the action with
6ank of the Prnssians, advanced as far as Frosch.
willer. But his force, Notwithstanding heroic de-
the enemy greater loss than itself sustained It
was at last compelled to give way before an over
sne sent Forward We eia
sixteen squadrons of cavalry, the Prussans brought
sixty into line; and their artillery bore the same
proportion to ours. The greater part of pieces
were dismounted by the concentrated fire Of the
enemys batteries: it became inevitable that retreat
neld covered with the slain. The enemy was too
much exhausted by the struggle to pursue and
MacMahon, with the remains Of his corps, fell back
Marshal MacMahon had not more than 10000 men
to resist forces four times that number and con-
tnually reinforced. All went we'll TIL, midday
The Prussians were losing ground; FreischwiIier
had been retaken; the Turcos charged with the
bayonet and carried all before them. But fresh
masses of the enemy now debouched upon us in
compact order from the woods; the Prussian artil-
ery took up position on the edge OF the woods
and poured their fre upon without intermission,
and their shells set fire to the village About d
O'Clock some regiments began to waver; our losses
artillery was short Of ammunition, and that our
soldiers had exhausted their cartridges. The cav
airy made last effort, but were repulsed, and then
began the rout. Night began 10 fall as the retreat
commenced, adding darkness to the other causes
of the disorder, and the Haguenau road covered
with fugitives.
An American Account-The FerocIty of the
PrussIan Characterization and Terror OF
n New York Correspondent
From the account ofithe battle of Woerth by
the New York Herald's correspondent we take
the following vivid extracts. He writes from
Woerth under date of August o.
l am far from being rich man, nor am person
OF very sensitive feelings, and believe without
| boasting, that without being hero / have faiI
| amount of animal courage But would not &c
| through again what have since wrote the fore
| going paragraph would not have my very SOU
disgnsted with the sight (and the deadly sickening
Witnessed since 1 put down INV pen last moi To he
made the wealthiest man In New York.
| BOW to relate what have seen-how to depict n
| language which shall bring facts home to your read.
ers as II they themselves saw what 1 have seen-is
my great difficulty. About eleven A. M. yesterday
| The Prussians became the attacking party, and
much to the surprise OF every one the French gave
way and retired TO the rising ground behind Woerth
For three long hours the village the scene OF the
| hardest struggle Of the day. Prussian division
Sc@pea Wn % aom 20 S9d
| shells, and by repeated advances of the French out
posts. The house IN which was the hotel OF the
Cheyal Blanc, was in the very centre Of the town
| and, of course, very soon ridded with balls Al
1lst the host and his family tried TO keep out the
unwelcome missiles by shutting all the doors anC
windows, but the Prussian light infantry with tht
ends OF their musKets smashed all the Venetans anC
glass so as to prevent any one firing at them from
| A party OF about twenty, drunk with excitement
Of the tight, rushed at the house, broke open the
door, and prepared TO fire voley into the room.
am not ashamed to say that with the family OF my
host-the latter being infinitely more afraid thar
to inner room, kind OF cellar, little below the
ground moor, where we all remained for about tW(
hours until the worst OF the danger was past Dur
ing that time 1t seemed as II he'll had been let loos,
among Right and left, front and rear, the stree
firing OF infantry and the mraileuses OF the French
artillery continued TO vomit forth destruction anG
death. The cries Of the wounded were fearful, bu
no enc dared go TO help them, for TO show you
lace at the window was 10 receive well-almed bull
The Prussians had got into their heads that som,
one had fired at them from the houses of Woerth al
idea which was without any foundation whatever
But the balls from the French Chsssepots Tn,
rising ground carried so far that the Prussans posi-
nvey believed they had been fired at from tn,
town, and were furious in consequence. The mis-
take was one which cost several innocent persons
gentlemen who had gone to the top OF the tower o
the hospital in order TO the battle better thar
from where we were. Fortunately for myself di'
not accompany them, although much pressed TO d.
so. am quite ceraiu that they had no arms Will
them One OF them had revolver, but he left It a
the hotel the other had arms whatever. Moreove
they were both far TOO prudent and judcious ever
commit so wicked a folly as firing upon troops al
yancinQ into town. But the Prussan soldiers
from all can earn-beieyed that they had don
so, and rushing up TO the tower took them prisoner
and marched them 10 the rear. At least after man
hours spent IN inquiries that is all i can learn O
Them. Ihe Pmssian oftcera-llke al oflcera in IN