The union Democrat., 1870-09-03
THE BATHS OF GRAvRLLoTTE
Drendfs,i Carnage.
New York. August. 24tl


The followingis is detailed account of Thurs
days battle at Gravellotte, August 18th. II
was received this morning in London, from
our special correspondents who witnessed the
battle at headquarters. and stood by the side
Of Bismarck and the King:
The first realization we had was at Pan.
chieu, where l found myself on the 18th.
The extent to which fighting had been going
on Tuesday and Sunday last, at the front,
was the coming in of the wounded. AT first
it was thought that they had been wounded
in sk.rmish; but on the 18th, there were
signs Of the work being warm. On that even.
ing soldiers, with CHASTITY wounds walked
about the market place in pournaise. surroun.
ded by groups of newly arrived comrades who
told q story of disaster. Poor fellows! l,
surely was disaster to them. borne away,
as they had been, from the field, without any
result stood among these groups and heard
the narratives of some men, which they recount
ed to their comrades. sent to confront much
larger force thnn their own, and that their
division had been cut ~, | was struck by the
fact that, though there was some dissatisfac-
ton suggested by their tone of voice. I'heard
no word uttered by narrators or listeners
which accused any one. They dwelt rather
on the fact that they had dealt heavy blow
on the l4th, and that though the tenth divis
molishei, it had sold its life dearly.
On the 18th the wounded of the preceding
dav began to pour into Pont a Mousson. They
were brought in long trains of grain carts. ly
ing upon hay. From my window, which
overlooked the main street, and commanded
view of tho market place. | counted more
ho1A
of about ten men. 1t was strangeto see then
as they passed amid files of French unable t.
conceal their Joy, on the one hand, and tht
Plussian soldiers on the other.
The streets began to swarm with Other
wagons, with other wounded-the wearers O
the red trousers-and now and then came
s, batch of wounded prisoners. At length ar
rived carriage with a French General.
was followed bv vast crowd of French, anC
for n little time it seemed as if there might b,
collision between the inhabitants and the
| Prussians. so earnest were the demonstration
of the people; but it was now ut least evident
that the struggle was very serious at th,
| front.
| At midnight or little after, on the 17tf
and 18th, all the trumpets for miles around
began to sound. This was the first time thai
we had been startled by such wild music
Trumpet answered to trumpet, through ttt
bivouacs around the little city. For severa
days previously there had been troops almos
perpetually marching through town, but now
the troops, marching through every stree
and by-way, made between midnight anC
dawn perpetual road.
Hastily dressing ran out into the darl
and managed 20 get seat On a wagon going
in the direction of tho front, which was now
understood to be one or two miles from th,
village of Gorze. some miles from Pont
Mousson. On our way we met considerable
patches OF French prisoners. who were looked
upon with curiosity by the continuous line o.
German soldiers with whom We advanced
but only one or two offensive cries toward the
prisoners were heard. The way was so block
AIDED with wagons that finally concluded
could DO the remaining six or seven miles or
foot. So got of the carriage and began tt
walk. and ran swiftly ahead. At Monyieu
ten, on the Moselle, about half way to Metz
| found vast bodies of cavalry, Uhlars anc
Hnssars-crossing the river by rontoor
bridge, and hurrying st the top of their speed
towards Gorze.
Hurrying my own steps, heard the hrs
thunder of cannon, seemingly coming from
the heart of q range of hills on the right
Passing through the village and ascending {
high plain beyond, fornd myself in battle
field, strewn as far as the eye could reaci
with dead bodies. In one or two parts OF th'
field companies were still burying the dead