The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-25

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been condemned to death.
+ The Position of Russia,
| ST. PETERSBURG, August "a.
The official journal denies that Russia is COM
mitted against the dismemberment of France.
She is, however, unfavorable to that measure
Russia is seriously alarmed at Polish affairs.
Great agitation prevails in Poland In favor of
France, and many Poles are leaving to engage
in the French service. On the other hand, q
movement is on foot in the Russian Baltic
provinces for annexation to the North German
Confederation. Thus Russia is placed between
the horns of dilemma, and il is believed that
! in selfdefence she will be compelled to parti-
i cipate in the war.
Additional Dispatches.
We CLEAN the following from the Northern
papers:
| THE BATTLE OF GRAvELoTTE.
! The New York Tfibune's special at the Prus-
sian Headquarters sends the following account
of Thursdays battle:
The battle fought to-day, August 18th, we
call tonight the battle OF GrayelOtte. It be-
gan at 10 o'clock in the morning and lasted
until after in the evening. Until noon it was
an artillery duel.
The French lines stretched along the hills,
covering the two roads leading from Metz to
Yerdun, having on their right flank farm.
house, known us La Villette, with q walled
garden, which they held In great force A sun
| ken road led straight from Gravelotte to the
centre of their position. On. the French left
the road wound over the crest of q hill, on
which twelve earthworks had been thrown up.
Eight mitrailleurs, besides artillery, were
posted to command every approach to this
strong position, and their guns swept the
crowning hills, along which the French lines
ran, ard up the valley reach. from Gravelotte
eastward, BY which the Prussians had to ad-
vance. Behind this line Of strong. defence lay
Forts st. Quentin and Conaeras, q position OF
apparently lmpregnable strength, and COM
pfetely protecting the French rear. The posi-
| tion at first held BY the Prussians was to the
east of the French, facing towards Metz. occu-
pying the southernmost road from Metz to
Verdun, and reaching over the chain Of hIlls Mli
| living between Gravelotte and Rezonville. The
result of the artillery contest was to compel
| the French to abandon their most advanced
position. and the line BY which they hoped
to cover both roads was pierced and driven
back.
| AT noon the Prussians were able to push
forward their artillery. the French finding
|
Prussian fire, and the Prussian batteries short
| " after noon were In position on either side Of
| Grayelotte, so that neither Of the roads which
at that point branched off to Yerdun, north
and southwesterly, were any longer open 10
the French army. / reached the field just as
the forward movement OF the russians mad
been accomplished. The ground was favora-
BILE for good view of both positions, and 1t
was apparent at glance that the French had
already relinquished line Of defence impor-
tant to them tactically as well as strategicaly.
By two o'clock the French batteries cover
| ing the yerdun road from the north and east
were sllenced, and the Prusslans had ad-
yanced so far from south OF that road as 10 oc-
cupy q farmhouse at Mamais0n, little north
west from Gravelotte Twenty minutes later
the French fire so slackened and wavered that
the Plussian batteries were pushed forward
and took new position In front OF GraVelotte.
at twenty minutes past thrco the Prusslan
cavalry went into action, and they proceeded
capitaily under hot fire from the French
guns. The attack was made In considerable
force by the uhlans, cuirassiers and hussars,
but they were at first withort Infantry sup
port, and could make no serious impression on
a position naturally strong and still held
In force by all the army OF the French.
But half an hour later, it being now nearly
tour o'clock in the afternoon, portion OF
the Third Prussian Corps had come upon the
around. Infantry regiments were formed as
fast as they came, into a position from which
q serious attack was to be expected upon what
appeared the key Of the French lines. Al
o'clock the 33d regiment of the Prussan line
was launched against the same position which
the cavalry had failed to reach. 1t moved for
| ward with the utmost determination; put oy
| this time the French he'd reinforced their de-
fence more strongly that the Prusslans had the
attack. and they still outnumbered their assail-
ants aud steadily maintained the second line
| which thew had occupied. AS different dlvi-
| sIons OF the Prussian army came into position
| thew attacked successivelyi but were re-
| ueateG}y driven back with heavy loss. The
struggle lasted with varying fortunes on differ
ent portions of the lines until o'clock. Up
| to fiat hour the French held their ground.
At o'clock the Prussians, massing heavy
forces on their left, attacked and carried La
Villette. hamlet covering the French right.
This once in Prussian hands, enabled them to
enfiladc the French lines and take In reverse
some of their ontworks. The ground the
French had held so obstinately and so gallantly
during nine hours they were compelled TO
| abandon. and at Q O'Clock were driven back
| un0n Metz. and, under cover of Its outlying
| forts. theIr last hold upon the Verdun road was
| abandoned, their communications destroyed to
| the east and 10 the west, and the French Army
of the Rhine" after losing three pitched bat
Ties since Sunday, was shut up In the fortress
| WHICH ihu SLOaSit AVA sIIS oaoS VI tuOH
operations for the invasion Of Germany.
I believe strong Prussian force is moving
Tonight to the north OF Metz TO cut OF all
communication with Thionyille also. King
William was present throughout the battle.
| The Prussian forces engaged were under Gen.
eral Steinmetz's command, and personally di-
rected BY him. Marshal Bazaine commanded
in person on the French side.
The Eighth Prussian Corps, numbering,
| with other divisions, over SO 600 men, bore
the brunt of the battle. The Second ard Third
Corps were partly engaged. Four thousand
French prisoners were taken. Tile Prussian
loss IN killed, wounded and missing Is esti-
mated tonight at notless than 10000. OF the
| French losses no estimate can yet be formed,
but their defeat is complete, and 1t Is believed
they are no longer in condition to make any
further attempts at escape. The Prussian
army, spite of all its losses, Is In the highest
spirits. Rumors of peace are already circu-
lated in the camps, and the hardest work of
the campaign is thought by the soldiers to be
| over.
THE BATTLE UNDECIDED.
LONDON, August 81.
The battle at Rezonvllle (Gravelolte) was
without decisive result. tits claimed by the
Prussians. but the French fell back to Metz in
GOOD order, their ammunition having given
out. The losses of the Prussians greatly ey-
ceedel those of the French, the former losing
10000 men on Thursday alone, Stenmetz's
whole army being literally cut to pieces, and