The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-10
AFF AIRS BEF ORE METZ.
Correspondence OF the Pail Mall Gazette.l
MARSHAL BAZAlNE'S QUARTERS,
BEFORE METZ Sent. % 1870.


MARSHAL BAZArNE's QUARTERS
BEFORE METZ, Sept 49, 1870. I
The regiments hitherto employed In the investment
Deng largely replaced by the landwehr, who are
really only now coming forward. There are about
5000 OF the landwehr at the 'front.', the villages
around are also largely occupied by them and as
they are drafted on fresh arrivals take their
brings brings fresh re regiments daily and the n G
OF Germans INTO France Is not yet finished. gen
eral officer told me yesterday that the total number
at more than q million men. Spreading ont over
France they must ear u up IKE locasts; and this 10
no small part OF tine /, when nc t, me war n;
4the authorities and Of friends whom have TO thank
or the use q horses the most advanced Psrt Of ne
"' vt across from RemiliS through Icourceilasi
and tAr,-,,s nuenexy; This was the line OF
I I,e At sSoureees mo prusslans have their
princlpai depot Of provisions anu "a "a the reaa
10 Conrcelles from Metz Is straight and good
this great store Of provisions 80 near the
The precautions taken by the Prusslans, however,
prevent surprise and TO repel an attack In force
for the whole length Of the road, about six miles,
are lined with trenches and rife plts. Barrlcades
woods are thick with German soldiers, who swarm
In the deserted houses and novels OF the wayside.
Every wall is loopholed and every available spot
strengthened by breastworks and light field
works OF various kinds. Very few, indeed
Of the peasants remain we saw along
t1
CHEEKY words Of greeting to small group who
were sitting outside cottage filled with tokens OF
Prusstan occupation. At the sound o. their own IAN
guage they sprang their feet and eagerly returned
The greeting, with many assurances tAat spite 81
,s % Se s Ssy Ie s a. vas 0
tunes by selling supplies Of extra food fresh buter
eggs and schnapps " the German soldiers, who pay
quarters Il country conn hoass within he lines
Stopped to listen to band OF one 0f the Westphall2n
re9iments which was playing lively music IN the
while the Of1cers sat smoking under the yerandas.
A large bivouao had been established in the park,
were respected. the trees are cut down all along
the road from Courcelles 10 Mercy les Hauts; but
this is . military necessity. The Prnssians do not
at Mercy one passes through number OF strong
posts the men biv0uacking IN the open air aud
always In readiness; their arms piied, WI with TIE
the chateau al the top Of which an observatory IS
cathedral Is the central object; about it bodies OF
troops may be seen moving. Men, women and chil-
dren move about the streets seemingly rs in time Of
peace, and herds OF horses quietly Craze In the
meadows and on the glacis The fact is Metz is q
place Of such prodigions strength that there very
httle chance OF the Germans attempting TO carry 1t
by any coup DC main. Besides It's great natural
strength. which has been improved by the strong
defensive WORKS ancient and modern ofwhic6
and are ' still being constantly added, which
would have to be carried before the wall OF
Metz could be reached. While we were looking from
the top Of the Chateau dc Mercy we could some
thousand busy spades at work extending aud
~. Quentin. Az all these hed-works are protected
BY the heavy guns Of the fortresses, much blood
must be split and many lives sacrificed before they
could b. carried. OF all this the Germans are oil
course perfectly aware, as they have excellent
points OF observation from which they watch all
hiatt ha mr. n ro
ders that the expenditure OF life shall be
avoided here For the present, then, offensive
measures are not likely TO be taken on the German
SIDE. AT any moment, however, Bazane might
mako fresh sOrtie and II would for many reasons
PROBABLY be made on this side, and along the road
which have Just described where any success
would supply him with much-needed PROVISIONS.
inch OF ground is employed for defensive purposes.
The chateau from whose observatory have been
watching the French, Is held by the Fifteenth fegl-
ment. II Ii a prominent point, and must become
the seat OF sharp contest In the case OF sally by
the French. On the occasion OF the sorie OF the
18th It was also held BY the Fifteenth, and
tina. regiment in defending their positions against
the strong body OF troops which advanced agains-
them, sustained loss Of thiryfour oficers aud 500
men. IL Is loophoed and barricaded with all pOssi-
bic precsuton. and the Fifteenth, who still hold IL,
Will II necessary defend It with the utmost 0bstiDacy
again as they have done before and probably with
tne same success seeing, however, that L Is POSI-
Is within easy range Of the French WORKSHOP more
than ], 500 yards from the guns in the trenches
n Is thought surprising by the Prussans that the
French have not before this rendered 1t un-
tsnAble, which they might easily do. 1t
has already been once or twice sbened lightly. and